End-of-Year Student Interviews (Part 2, Videos 5-13)

For Students #1-4, see post here.


I asked my students the following questions about the Flipped Classroom.  Here is a sneak peek from the first students to jump on the opportunity to interview :)  I will be recording the rest of the students in the next 2-3 weeks as we head into summer break and be posting more videos as they get recorded.

Eventually, I will be putting the videos all together to make a montage of my students to show at the beginning of next year.

Questions answered (in order, in case you just are interested in certain questions):

1. What is the Flipped Classroom?
2. What is the best part about the Flipped Classroom?
3. What part of the Flipped Classroom this last year was most beneficial to you as a student?
4. What is a WSQ?  What does it look like at home and what do you do with it in class?
5. Give advice to a student on how to get the most out of the lecture videos.
6. Give advice to a student on how to get the most out of in class time.
7. Give advice on using the WSQ charts to a future student.
8. Give advice on how to succeed in the Flipped Classroom in general to a future student. 
9. Give advice to students next year on how to get along well with Mrs. Kirch and succeed in her class, flipped or not.

If something my students say really stands out to you, please comment about it by Student # and question/time in video.  Since I will be merging these all together, I will be starting to identify which portions I really want to put together in the final viewing.  I will be adding my thoughts to each video as well. 

STUDENT #5 -
Kirch Comments: good answers, but not sure if I will use any of hers in the final product.
 
STUDENT #6
Kirch Comments: good answers, but not sure if I will use any of his in the final product.
 
STUDENT #7
Kirch Comments: I really like her entire interview... I will probably use most of her clips.

STUDENT #8
Kirch Comments: Argh I dislike that this student defines a Flipped Classroom as "a video"... exactly what I'm trying to get AWAY from.  I hope to do a much better job of this next year!  I do like Question #6, 7, 8, and parts of 9.

STUDENT #9
Kirch Comments: I like questions 3, 5, 6, 8, 9. I love the comment about having to call her mom in the middle of the day.

STUDENT #10
Kirch Comments: Good answers, but I'm not sure I'll use any of hers in the final...

STUDENT #11
Kirch Comments: I like #2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (hilarious), 9

STUDENT #12
Kirch Comments: I like parts of #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #8 (especially the "give it a chance"), #9 (take responsibility - don't rely on me for everything!)

STUDENT #13
Kirch Comments: Parts of #1, #2 (student in control of learning), #3 (learn at own pace), #4 (pieces; her response is fairly long), #5 (good tips), #6 (student responsible, organized, learn priorities), #7 (good tips), #8 (focus on group dynamic), #9 (integrity)

Reflections on Week 15 (starting to wrap things up!)

What does this picture have to do with this post, you may ask?  Nothing, really.  Except we had a modified day today and got out at 12:30 and I went to the beach with my husband.  And this was my view. It was gorgeous.  Feet in the sand, sun on my face, book in my hand... wonderful afternoon :)


It's hard to believe there are officially 3 weeks left of school (and then finals week).  I say this every year, but this year flew by!  This is the point of the year right now that I get to every year - I am excited about finishing strong, but my mind is constantly bombarded with new ideas and what I want to change or try for next year.  I have been able to have some good conversations with some of my students about the Flipped Class and come up with some good thoughts for next year.  I am VERY excited to start a school year flipped from the beginning!  

I had three visitors from our District Office come and visit one of my class periods on Monday, and it was very exciting to share with them what I have been doing.  They were very excited and impressed with the level of engagement of the students and the focus/on-task behavior that they saw.  It is really cool to me to think "that's just normal" now for my classroom.  Students are generally engaged, focused, and on-task for the majority of the period and classroom management is not that big of a deal.  I am hoping they might do some district-wide training on the flipped classroom next school year that I will be able to be a part of!  Yay!

Also, I will get to present my flipped classroom at our next Department Chair meeting in June!  I am doing a "flipped" presentation - the other chairs will be watching my webinar before the meeting and send me questions they have.  Then, the 20 minutes I would normally have to present/discuss the flipped classroom will be spent all on discussions, questions, and ideas!  I'm excited!

Oh, and speaking of my webinar, if you missed my first one, I will be doing another one on June 12th at 4pm PST.  It will be the same presentation, but if you missed it the first time, hopefully you can join in this time live!

All Reflections from This Year can be Found Here. 

*Each week, I spend some time personally reflecting on the week - what I did, what worked, what didn't, what I liked, what I didn't, etc.  I try to organize my reflections in a similar manner each week, since they do get pretty long: (1) Math Analysis; (2) Algebra; (3) Sharing and Collaboration; (4) Other Thoughts; (5) Running lists (Things I've heard this week that I love; Characteristics and qualities of my flipped classroom that I want to keep; Changes I've made this week that I like; Ideas I'm still contemplating and experimenting with).  I hope these reflections give you insight into my classroom and give you some ideas to try in your own flipped classroom.  I appreciate any comments, feedback, ideas, and follow-ups that you provide, so please comment and join in on the conversation! 

For those of you who read my weekly reflections consistently, you will notice a change this week compared to the past.  These posts will be shorter with links to more detailed external posts on specific topics.  I was finding (for myself) that it was hard for me to go back and find a previous post on a specific topic because it was hidden among a huge weekly reflection.  So, hopefully this will alleviate that problem.

Other posts from this week:

1. Frustration rant about student responsibility and motivation here.
2. Some more end of year thoughts and reflections here.
3. My weekly #flipclass chat random musings post... things that stuck out to me and what I want to think about further.  This week's chat was on incorporating reading and writing strategies into every content class.  Post here.
4. A post about a speech I gave to my Frosh/Soph Algebra 1 classes about self-assessment and evaluation.  Our new phrase in class is, "Oh yeah, I get it now". Post here.
5. Round 1 of "End of Year Student Interviews".  I am having all of my students interview on video answering 9 questions about the flipped classroom.  The questions they are answering are here and the first student video is here.
6. What will you miss the most about #flipclass?  What part did you enjoy the most? Student answers here.
7. Three types of students that struggle in my #flipclass.  Do you have any of these students in your class? Post here.

Math Analysis

1. WSQ resubmissions

2. Senioritis and the Flipped Class

3. Final Exam Idea

4. Summer Excitement!

1. WSQ resubmissions
I continued to require WSQ resubmissions for incorrect and incomplete answers.  I really like how this makes the WSQ an even greater accountability tool for students.  Here is the general process.

• Students submit their WSQ electronically.  The WSQ includes their "summary" (answering specific questions I ask), their own HOT question (with what they think the answer is if they have an idea), and their answers to the "Secret Questions" I have them answer.  I have started to ALWAYS give the students between 2-5 problems to try on their own after each video as a way to self-assess.
• After submitting, students are given the link to the spreadsheet that will show all student responses, in addition to my "perfect" response at the top of the page.  There are also sometimes links to short video explanations of the "Secret Question" problems in case they got them wrong.
• Students can read through their classmates responses and figure out where they might have had misconceptions or did not fully answer the question.  I am able to make comments immediately on student responses, and color code their names to let them know their "level" (Green = clear, Pink = wrong answers, Yellow = incomplete answers).
• Students must resubmit their answers to any box that is not Green as soon as possible (by the end of the Unit is my deadline).  They can do it in two ways: in person by explaining it to me during class or by sending me a note on Edmodo.  Regardless, when they resubmit, they must also explain their answer in more detail and explain their misconception or where they went off track the time before.  This is because they basically have the right answers in front of them now so they have to do more than just copy the correct answers that are already there.   I add a column called "corrections" where their corrected answered are copied into.

2. Senioritis and the Flipped Class
This is the point of the year where my seniors in Math Analysis have major struggles with senioritis.  They have less than 3 weeks of school left and none of them need my class to graduate.  So, they would much rather slack and not watch the videos at home and then not be productive in class.  I remember how I felt my senior year when graduation was so close, so I do feel for them a bit.  But, at the same time, I wish I knew a cure for senioritis...

3. Final Exam Idea
My students already took the first part of their Final Exam before our State Testing at the beginning of this month.  So, they are just supposed to take a "mini-final" at the end of the year covering the last 6 units of the year.  Because our seniors take finals a week early, it completely throws off the schedule because my class is mixed juniors/seniors.  In the past, we have always had the seniors take the finals on their day, and the juniors do so during the real "finals week".  I really want to do something different this year and have the juniors and seniors take the final on the same day, and do something different with the juniors for the 2 hour "final exam" time period.

So, I've been running some ideas through my head for what to do for the "final", especially since it's actually the seniors last day on campus and I usually do a big "farewell, good wishes, share about your future" sendoff day.  They still need to take some sort of "final" exam though.

Any ideas for "non-traditional" final exams?  I don't have any ideas fully formulated yet to share, but I'd love to hear if you have tried anything "different"

4. Summer Excitement!

I am VERY excited for the "summer #flipclass" our incoming students will be doing.  We always give our kids summer packets for Honors/AP classes, and I never felt they were as useful as they could be because students wouldn't really do them.  So, we haven't done them the last 2 summers for Math Analysis.  But, now that we are going to incorporate the use of Videos, modified WSQs, and online support throughout the summer, I really think it will go well.  We are doing this for two reasons:

1. The first chapter of Math Analysis is actually usually skipped because it is Algebra 2 skills.  However, we normally spend a month on it.  Our students come in, think this class is a piece of cake, spend little to no time on homework, get into bad habits, and then get hit really hard come a month into school when they realize this math class is actually difficult.  We want to avoid that by starting off running.

2. There are several chapters we have actually had to skip (polar, parametric, matrix operations, vectors, 3-D graphing, conic rotation, etc) because we don't have enough time to cover them.  I would love to have the extra three weeks we would gain back to spend more time on our current content and start teaching some of the stuff we had to leave out again! 

Algebra 1

1. "Oh Yeah, I get it now"

2.  Students back to Chapter 1 and 2

1. "Oh Yeah, I get it now"
See my "speech" here.  This is one of my biggest frustrations/concerns with my Algebra 1 kids.  They seriously just lie to themselves and they don't realize it.  If there is one thing "non-math" I really want my students to learn from my class, it's how to self-evaluate correctly and how to learn.  A lot of my students really seemed to get a lot from my "speech", as they have talked to me about it every day.  However, changing their mindset and the way they've always gone about doing things is not a one-day or one-week change.  It's going to take a while. I only hope I provide a step in the right direction for them.

2.  Students back to Chapter 1 and 2

At this point, all of my students below a 40% are in a completely separate group in my classroom, working on basic operations from Chapter 1.  My goal is that they are prepared well to hopefully succeed in Algebra 1 next year.  This whole experience makes me really consider the thought of a Flipped-Mastery Model.  Why are students allowed to move on to a harder chapter when they haven't mastered the pre-requisite skills.  I'm not sure if I'm ready to try this on a large-scale for next year, but it will definitely be in the back of my mind for my struggling learners.  Having all the lessons on video will be a huge asset.  We'll see how my thoughts develop on this...

Sharing and Collaboration

I love my #flipclass and blogging community.  Have I said that lately?  You are all amazing and so valuable in my professional development as a flipping teacher!!  THANK YOU!


If you haven't checked out my Blogroll on the right hand side of other flipping teachers, do so! It is only through sharing and community that we learn and grow!  Also, be sure to use #flipclass on twitter to join in the conversation.  If you are a "flipper" and  a "blogger" and don't see your blog on the right, please let me know. I would love to follow you and read up on your experiences!

Every Monday there is a #flipclass chat on Twitter (8pm EST).  Check it out and join in.  Connect with @bennettscience to find out more.

Other Thoughts

Found this on my desk Thursday after school.  Still have no idea who put it there, but it made me smile :)

 

THINGS I'VE HEARD THIS WEEK THAT I LOVE: 

From my student's weekly reflections:

• Just want to say that you're so awesome Mrs. Kirch! You're starting a revolution!

• XD thank you for caring and being like a chittah! :) can be rough but you do it cause you know its for our own good. thank you for a being a great teacher! ^_^

CHARACTERISTICS AND QUALITIES OF MY FLIPPED CLASSROOM THAT I WANT TO KEEP (this list is now kept on a separate page here and is updated weekly)

CHANGES I'VE MADE THIS WEEK THAT I LIKE: 

nothing brand new :)

IDEAS I'M STILL CONTEMPLATING & EXPERIMENTING WITH (running list each week with updates):

1. Coming up with a list of "key questions" myself for each concept to have handy to ask students, to have students discuss in groups, and to show students what "good, HOT questions" look like and sound like (modeling)... This will be tied in with the "Guided Summary" I will be starting to try out.  I think this is going to be put off in its entirety until this summer.


2. Begin coming up with activities students can do to apply their knowledge or practice their knowledge in different ways once they get the basics.  Again, this is something I think may just start to happen over the summer or next year since right now it's just crazy.

Thoughts, comments, ideas, your own experiences? Please share!!!

All Reflections from This Year can be Found Here. 

END OF YEAR Student Interviews (Part 1, Videos 1-4)

For Students #5-13, see post here. 


I asked my students the following questions about the Flipped Classroom.  Here is a sneak peek from the first students to jump on the opportunity to interview :)  I will be recording the rest of the students in the next 3-4 weeks as we head into summer break and be posting more videos as they get recorded.

Eventually, I will be putting the videos all together to make a montage of my students to show at the beginning of next year.

Questions answered (in order, in case you just are interested in certain questions):

1. What is the Flipped Classroom?
2. What is the best part about the Flipped Classroom?
3. What part of the Flipped Classroom this last year was most beneficial to you as a student?
4. What is a WSQ?  What does it look like at home and what do you do with it in class?
5. Give advice to a student on how to get the most out of the lecture videos.
6. Give advice to a student on how to get the most out of in class time.
7. Give advice on using the WSQ charts to a future student.
8. Give advice on how to succeed in the Flipped Classroom in general to a future student. 
9. Give advice to students next year on how to get along well with Mrs. Kirch and succeed in her class, flipped or not.

If something my students say really stands out to you, please comment about it by Student # and question/time in video.  Since I will be merging these all together, I will be starting to identify which portions I really want to put together in the final viewing.  I will be adding my thoughts to each video as well. 

STUDENT #1
KIRCH COMMENTS: This entire interview is just awesome. This kid gets it.
 "Poster child for Flipped Classroom"

STUDENT #2
KIRCH COMMENTS: #3 (one-on-one conversations!), #8 (take the wheel to your own education), #9 (I just think it's funny that she said "smile at fractions and decimals" :))

STUDENT #3
KIRCH COMMENTS: #2 (shorter lessons), #3 (take responsibility),  #5 (don't watch them all the way thru at once), #7 (work ahead, focus your work), #8 (accept the change and go with it)

STUDENT #4
KIRCH COMMENTS: #2 (videos available 24/7, can always go back), #3 (take responsibility for learning), #4 (if you can explain to someone else, you're good), #8 (take responsibility, don't cheat yourself out of anything, watch the videos early), #9 (ask a lot of questions!)

#flipclass chat Random Musings... (ideas for next year)

Thoughts spurred from the chat tonight on reading/writing strategies.  

Ideas for next year:

1. Vary submission of WSQs from Online (Google Form), Handwritten, and Student Blog.  I have started keeping track of student submissions on a Google Spreadsheet and making them resubmit until they are "approved".  If they don't get approved on the first submission, they can do a resubmission either by typing it, doing a quick in person interview with me, or submitting a quick webcam interview.  Students have until the end of the CHAPTER (instead of the end of the week) to get all WSQs for that chapter approved.  It's like part of their "I'm ready for the test" checklist.  If the WSQ is handwritten, it must actually be submitted so there is accountability that "I WILL read it".  Student Blogs would be more for summary WSQs or just overall unit reflections (separate from WSQ).  I still want to look into what I want to do with student blogs- I think I want more "big picture" reflections, summaries, student videos, etc on there.
*Is this idea for just Math Analysis, or would it work with my 9th/10th grade Algebra students? Is it too much responsibility for them to handle, or is it worth a try?
*Model what I am looking for in WSQ submissions.  Complete sentences, summaries, detailed answers, specifics, etc... not just 5 word sentence fragment answers like many of them give me, especially online.  Forcing them to resubmit helps with this.
*Can I incorporate more online DISCUSSION with students through the use of blogs?
*Can I utilize the "chat rooms" I've done for test review to have class discussion?  Where would I host that (want similar feature to Google Docs chat like I've done, but without anonymity).

2. Make WSQ charts for each UNIT instead of each week.  Include concept quizzes on the WSQ chart as something that must be "signed off".  ALL ASSIGNMENTS on WSQ chart must be completed. (This year they can miss one assignment a week and not receive "school-wide punishment"... I feel like every assignment I assign is valuable and needed so I don't like that rule).  If a student is falling behind, find out what is going on and provide schedule to catch up.  If student fails to follow through, then "school-wide punishment" can occur. (Still really have to think through this one with our school's policies...).
-If WSQs are submitted online and kept track of via Google Spreadsheet, I don't need the WSQ boxes on the WSQ chart to sign off individually in class (and that takes a lot of time as well!).  I would just "sign off" the assignments/learning activities that are completed.  This may reformat what the WSQ chart looks like for next year...
*I want to do this with both my classes, but my Algebra kids need more daily accountability or they will fall behind.  How do I balance this?

3. Do something more/better with the Question part of the WSQ.  The summary is a great reflective/processing tool, and now I am also using it as a formative assessment since students have to keep resubmitting until they get it right (learning, hopefully!).  The question part needs to be utilized better in class.  I need to come up with different "activities" and ways to utilize the questions to spur on discussion in class (stuff with whiteboards, sticky notes, musical share, carousel, etc is coming to mind).  Maybe have the Questions ALWAYS be handwritten and that is turned in daily?  That is a lot of paper... hmmmm... I definitely won't go through those daily.  Maybe have a "question journal" that they write their questions and answers in?  Need to see samples from @math_johnson with his journals and see what I want to do with that.  I just know I need to do a better job with actually utilizing the questions.  I have allowed myself to be satisfied with "crappy" answers this year even though I say that isn't okay.  How can I stand firm in that and not only challenge students to ask good questions (THIS REQUIRES TEACHING AND MODELING!!!) but also to get good, detailed, solid answers.

4. Curate more content... videos, demos, ARTICLES, etc that I can tie into the content to bring life and variety to it.  Have my students thinking critically about the math, but also how it applies in real-life situations.

5. Written portion to tests. Get students used to writing and having to explain their work.  They will complain, I know, but they should get used to it.

6. Continued use of student-created videos to a certain extent for EVERY chapter, even in Algebra 1.  With  our new school iPad lab, this will be made easier.

7. Two websites to look at

http://betterexplained.com/ (possible math articles to use)

  

http://bullis.haikulearning.com/roshast/apcalculusaab/cms_page/view/1458845 (examples of student created videos in AP Calc)

Productive Day... 6 things on my mind :)

I have 7 more flipped class videos to make for this school year. Seven. That's it. I'm so excited that summer is almost here!


I can't wait to start flipped class from the beginning of the school year.


I can't wait to start challenging my students to think more deeply and make connections from day 1.


I can't wait!

My Math Analysis students are doing a "teaching video" for Unit U - in groups of 3-4, they have to do a 5-10 minute video covering all the important concepts from Unit U.  I'm really excited to see how they turn out.  I don't want them to be major productions... I just want them to be clear, concise, and creative.  I want to hear them talking about the content with each other and sharing that with others.

I'm not doing the end of year project with my Algebra 1 kiddos.  We are going to spend the week instead re-assessing and re-working on concepts they have "holes" on so they are more prepared for next year.  Still thinking about how this will actually look in the classroom so they are productive and useful days, even for my top kids.  I've got another 2 weeks to brainstorm.

Getting visited tomorrow by 3 people from the District Office.  Excited but a little nervous, because they are visiting period 1, which is normally my "least favorite flipped class" meaning the kids haven't really quite gotten to the point where I wish they were in terms of discussions, challenging themselves, etc like my other class periods have.  Oh well, I hope it will still go great!


We have four weeks left and I am out of my class FOUR more times.  But, with the flipped classroom it is much less of a worry! Yay!  Send the sub the videos, kids are pretty well "trained", and we'll keep moving on!


I'm working on my End of Year Student Survey, Flipped Classroom Student interviews, and Flipped Classroom Parent survey.  If any of you have any questions that you think I should ask my students or parents, or have a sample end of year survey for students or parents, please share!

Should I "jump right in" next year?

One of the biggest questions I have for myself is HOW I am going to introduce the flipped classroom to my students next year.

Should I just jump right in from day one and start flipping lessons the first week, just expecting students to come on board and figure it out?

 Or, should I slowly get them used to it, transitioning them from traditional to a fully flipped class?

Before I say what I am thinking right now, I wanted to share what my students had to say.  I asked them this question:

How should I present "Flipped Classroom" to my students next year?  Jump in from day 1? Slowly teach them how it works?  What do you think would be best?



From My Algebra 1 Students:

• I think you should slowly teach them how the flipped classroom works because if you do it on the first day, they will get overwhelmed and it will be confusing to them. This is a hard decision because I think both ideas are good. If you jump in on the first day, it will help breaking the habit of the regular classroom. Also, the students might be excited to be doing something new.
• I think you should tell them about it on day one but begin it after school has been going on for a while. Show them the difference and they will most likely like it better because they can go at their own pace. Not only that you will be able to see who can take responsibility for their own actions.
• Show them some of your videos from this year to give them an idea of what to expect and slowly teach how it works.
• Yes from day 1 so by the end of the year they can keep up with the program. 
• Talk to them what is a flipped classroom and tell them the purpose of the flipped classroom. You can show them examples on your computer or take them to the lab and show them on school tube.
• I would tell them like you told us. only because it helped. BUT you should also teach them more on how to do it. (watch the video, do the W.S.Q)

From My Math Analysis Honors Students:

• In all honesty the best, I feel, to do would be to slowly teach them how it works for Algebra classes but for M.A.H classes jump right into it and give them a little explanation on how it works.
• I think you should just teach Flipped Classroom like it is the normal thing to do because that way, there is no transition, just something they would feel is normal.
• Slowly teach them how it works. Its a huge change.
• I think you should jump in from Day 1, but go through the process with them each day, just so they know exactly what to do. I think it'll be easier that way, because the videos and WSQ have gotten much more easier and simpler to do than our old methods (summary in notebook). 
• Teach them how it works explain procedures and be flexible for about the first week but from then on you can't give much room so that they stick to the schedule and so they can be accustomed to the new system as quickly as possible.
• I think you showed slowly teach them about flipped classroom because they might not be used to a flipped classroom being taught traditionally the previous year. You should slowly enforce the flipped classroom by giving them the easy concepts to do at home and so they get used to being taught through a video.
• I would say jump in from day 1 and teach/introduce "Flipped Classroom" there. That would be best, I think, because it gives them no reason to compare traditional to flipped. Personally, I have been comparing my experience from your traditional to our flipped teachings. If you had started flipped right from the start, I would be more aboard (It's because I liked your traditional teaching).
• Slowly teach them how it works. The first few units do not require a flipped classroom; therefore, it would be more beneficial for them to get used to the idea that they will be using this system from that point on out.
• I think it would be best to slowly introduce the "flipped classroom" so that students get used to the idea the way we did. I think it helped us get used to the idea of a flipped classroom and to learn the different things required of us.

Right now, I am thinking about jumping right in.  The comments in RED above are the ones that really resonate with me.  The expectations would be in the syllabus and from day 1, students would understand what this class would be like and what they need to do.   There would be no comparison to traditional, and all the routines and procedures taught at the beginning of the year would be in line with the Flipped Classroom.

With that, I would start the year with a lot of modeling and training - more for my Algebra 1 kids than for my Math Analysis kids.  I need to model HOW to watch a video and learn from it, how to take good notes, how to write a good summary, how to ask a good question, how to participate in "5 minute WSQ chats", how to manage their time in class, how to self-evaluate and know when they are ready to assess and move on, etc... lots and lots of modeling!

I'm hoping to not change as much next year as I did this year.  Because this was all new to me, I did keep trying new ideas, tweaking things, etc. this year, which did cause some confusion (on the part of me as well as the students) and some frustration.  While I do want to continue to tweak and adjust next year to best meet my students' needs, I am hoping to have a better idea of what I want to do and how I want it to look so my students don't get so overwhelmed with constant changes to the system.

I'm thinking things of doing things like this to teach/model:
1. Watching a video on the projector together as a class.
2. Taking the class to the computer lab and having the students watch them during class time while I walk around to monitor, model, and guide students.
3. Modeling WSQ chats similarly to how I did at the beginning of the year this year.

From the beginning of the year, I want to start:
1. Involving parents and gaining their support by having students call home when they do not show up to class prepared. [Idea from Tom below: Create a student/parent contract that clearly outlines the expectations for all involved - teacher, student, and parent].
2. Trying to figure out schedule-wise how to avoid assigning videos on the weekend.  Or, really emphasizing the fact that students need to be responsible, plan ahead, and work at their own pace.  Just because I suggest that a certain video be watched a certain night doesn't mean that video can't be watched ahead of time if the student doesn't want to watch a video one night due to any reason.

Do you have any thoughts, tips, or advice?  Please share in the comments!

What would you tell a student next year?

Imagine it was August 2012 and you were asked to come speak to Mrs. Kirch's classes next year about the flipped classroom.  What would you tell them?  Be as detailed as possible.

I am posting all responses that I receive - positive, negative, and neutral.  Students are given the opportunity weekly to submit a reflection on how things are going in the flipped classroom and how they are feeling about the different things we are doing.  Thus, this post will be updated weekly as more students choose to give their opinion on this question.

Responses from Week 15 (5/18/12)

• Flipped classroom is to get all the help you need but at home all your homework is to watch a video and come in the next day to start your homework.
• In reality you'll like it or not. you'll have to put up with it it's not your choice its the teachers choice
• I would tell them to watch the videos and do everything in the allotted time.
• To start off, I'd like to say... you guys have chosen a challenging class. It's very useful though. To be honest, Mrs. Kirch is great teacher who cares and is always there even though you keep stumbling shes willing to help. ^_^... Last year we experienced taking the course in another way then traditional class, where we would just copy down what teacher wrote mindlessly. In flipped classrooms its completely different. Basically your learning at home. 
• Well get ready for some easy homework, since you get the chance of doing it in class and all you have to do at home is watch a video, and answer 3 or 4 questions. So there's nothing to worry about other then getting perfect scores on your quizzes, and hoping to do good on your tests!
• If i was asked in August 2012 to come speak for Mrs. Kirch's class about flipped classroom i would have to say that this is probably one of the most helpful things any of my teachers has ever done to help her students out. Flipped classroom is basically watching videos at home on different days explaining the chapter/ concept and her giving us an SSS and on there is were we basically write "notes" that will definitely help us out when we need it. We basically watch the video at home, and then come to class and get to do our homework in class, which is very helpful because that way we get help from Mrs. Kirch as quick as possible.
• I would say that the flipped classroom was very helpful to me and it made it easier to understand the lessons being taught.
• I would say that flipped classroom is when you are assigned a idea for homework and in the video you watch the lesson you learn. The video is everything you would normally learn in class but in a video for homework. The next day you would come into class knowing the lesson and start your homework. Also if you don't quite understand the homework then you get help during class.
• I would tell them to keep up with the class and watch all there videos or they will not understand anything. 
• I would tell the up coming students that the flipped classroom was a great idea. Basically you don't have to come home all confused with the homework that Mrs. Kirch has given you. Now you could just ask her during class if you need any help. Also all you gotta do at home and watch some videos that Mrs. Kirch has assigned to you and answer some questions on the WSQV chart :) simple as that.
• It's not about how hard the class is...its about how much effort your willing to put in to pass this class. There's a lot of time so don't let it go to waste. 
• It is very difficult to do but when you put effort in it you will do alright.

Responses from Week 14 (5/11/12)

• The flipped classroom is mainly about doing your homework in class and getting help.and just watching videos at home. Mainly it helps you if you have any questions Mrs. Kirch can help you .
• The flipped classroom is the other way around. You learn at home and work on PT or PQ in the class. A flipped classroom is watching a video of what you are learning and if you don't get it there is other examples there in you tube or school tube. The flipped class room is better because you can work at your own pace without people rushing you. If you still don't get something or confused you can ask Mrs.Kirch for help.
• Hello class my name is "___", last year I had Mrs.Kirch. Last year was the first year of ""Flipped Classroom""(Finger quotations) Now there are three things you need in order to do well with this program;  One, being that you have to be on top of all of the homework.  Two, being that you have to be honest to yourself on how much you learn.  And three, Have maturity, in order to thrive in this hostile environment known as flipped classroom you have to make sure you understand the material and do not depend on it being a flipped classroom in order to pass the class.  Make sure that you all enjoy the tasks handed to you and make sure you make the best uses of them.
• I would tell them that not only do they need to watch the videos but also have to be active. When taking notes, they have to "take" notes instead of copying it down.
• I would say that a flipped class room is doing your homework in class and your class work at home. It is when you watch a video online and learn a new concept all by yourself. It helps because you get your "homework" done but if you have questions about  it you can ask your group members. you have to write a summary, and ask a question AFTER you watch the video so you can talk about it the next day with your group.  
• I'd tell them to do the work and write down all questions in SSS as they come along so that if they are not resolved by the end of the videos then you can always ask in class that way there are never any unanswered questions about a concept.

Responses from Week 13 (5/4/12)

• I would tell them, "This is high school, they really do mean it when they say you have to grow up and be more responsible. Using flipped classroom only benefits you if you do your work and stay on task and up to date with your assignments. Mrs. Kirch is here to help you and modivate you, not to be your baby sitter.
• I would tell them that flipped class room is one of the most important and the most helpful idea i ever liked because it helped me on my quizzes and its making me feel more confident to my self to pass this. 
• it's a different experience, but you shouldn't be intimidated. be open to Mrs. Kirch's different ideas. you watch your lessons at home, and get all the help you need in class with Mrs. kirch.
• I would say its a good idea because i have seen drastic improvement in my work ethic and i would recommend that more classes pick up this type of learning process.
•  I would tell them that for me it wasn't that easy i didn't actually like the flipped classroom but the good thing about this is that you don't get a lot of homework just to watch the videos.
• I would say something along the lines of, "The flipped classroom is basically flipping the classroom, hence the name. Instead of Mrs. Kirch teaching you everything in class, you go home and she teaches you from the computer. Then the next day you come to class and you do the homework in class. I feel like the flipped classroom helps students a lot better than the normal lesson in class because when you go to school and do the work in class, you have classmates and the teacher who can help you if you don't understand something versus sitting there at home trying to figure it out and getting nowhere." 
• I would say that flipped classroom is very helpful and it helps you understand the concepts even more because this time you can rewind to the parts that you didn't understand. You have to watch this on your own time so flipped classroom also builds responsibility
• that  it was a great help for me it also help me get the lesson really fast and its fun.

Responses from Week 12 (4/28/12)

• I would tell them it was a great experience and that we should take advantage of it because we are able to stay on task, and it really does keep us on track and we are able to move on if we get the material. We are able to re watch any videos that we need help on and there are extra videos for extra help 
• I would tell them that the videos can get a bit annoying but they are very helpful and the best part is you can pause, rewind and rewatch if you don't get the material being taught. In class you get to work in groups to do classwork and homework and you get to help each other out.
• I would say this flipped classroom was an effective and new experience for me. Although there were times when I did not like the flipped classroom, overall it was quite useful. It helped me review for the test, and if I did not fully understand one concept, I could watch it all over again. Also, since I learned the new concepts at home, this gave me more time to ask questions in class and get help for the problems I didn't know in class. Therefore, this flipped classroom did help me get good grades. However, what I did not like was that I felt I had more homework in a flipped classroom than if it was a traditional classroom.  But, overall I liked the new experience and I think it would be all helpful to other students too.
• At first, i thought it was a joke, but when i found out we would do it for one night, i actually looked forward to doing my "homework" because i would do it in a new way that i have never tried before. When one night turned to one month, i started getting a bit tired of it. Before i knew it, summaries came along, then wsq charts, then questions then online wsqs...the more it changed the more I disliked it because it just gave us more homework than we already have. After I realized that my test grades are almost always a B or A, i realized it is the flipped classroom that might be helping me. I haven't been close to an A in math since geometry and 7th grade, so i think that even though we have a lot of homework for this class, in the end it helps out if you use your resources given to you correctly.
• I would tell them something like  "A flipped classroom is a class environment that is positive on people who want to learn, helpful enough for people who have a hard time with math, and different enough to attract the attention of others who don't get the opportunity. It's an experience that gets everyone to help each other and leaves no one in the dark. The only downside is that if your too stubborn to try something new like this, then the opportunity is wasted on a person that most likely will fail in the class and possibly later on in life." =P
• I would tell them "There is no way your complaining can change Mrs. Kirch's teaching methods; the flipped classroom is here to stay. Though it may be a pain at times, she takes the initiative and wastes her time making the videos when she could easily lecture the class. Just put up with it and your year won't be as hellish as some others.(; 
• It is a little hard to get used to. But it helps out in the end. Just make sure to watch the videos because you will be sooo lost if you don't.
• i would most likely tell them how great it is when you are an overachiever and you like to work ahead of time...and that this class is about doing and trying your best because everything is made so easy for you and if you cant pass with a B you are obviously being lazy.
• "Hello everyone my name is Miguel and I personally experienced a little more then a semester of flipped classroom. The flipped classroom worked like this The lesson starts at home, or wherever you have internet access. You watch a video that has been recorded by Mrs.Kirch that teaches you a concept. You have the option of pausing, rewinding and even fast forwarding the video so that you are not rushed. This allows you to learn at your own pace but at the same time you are given a "quota" so to speak so that it is guaranteed that you watch the video. This quota is called a WSQ and it stand for watch summarize and question. This WSQ is completed in your notebook or online or both. By following this process your understanding of the concept is hightened. I felt like the flipped classroom method put your learning in your hands and teaches more than responsibility. It felt like a college course. I'm sure you will all enjoy the flipped classroom experience as long as you stay on track."
• I would say that it is a good way to learn because you get to watch the video at home with out being distracted by classmates like in a traditional class. That it's also helpful because if you don;t understand something you could go rewind to see it again and make sure you didn't miss something. Or vise versa if you understand what the work is you could fast forward the explanation of the example and make sure you got the answer correct and if you didn't you could watch to see what you did wrong. It also helps that we do the pq's in class because if you still don't understand you could ask while doing the work in class. Another thing is that the videos are there for you to watch later and refresh your memory on the material.
• I would tell them to always do their work on time! Otherwise, you will just fall behind in class, and you will bring your group down with you. Also, I would tell them not to lie about watching the videos, because Mrs. Kirch ALWAYS finds out. 
• I would tell them to give it a chance before they say they don't like it. At fist I was sort of hesitant towards the flipped classroom idea, but now I love it. If I am absent or simply want to understand the concept better I can simply look at the videos that are provided. The flipped classroom is only there to benefit the student it will not harm your studies in any negative way. 
• I would tell Mrs. Kirch's class that the flipped classroom helps a lot only if you watch and pay attention to them. The videos, in my opinion, help me understand the concepts better than traditional classrooms because I can rewind the video if I didn't understand it and the videos are like having your own tutor. Some advice that I would give them would be to do your work and watch the videos, only because there videos and you watch them at home, doesn't mean you should lie and say you watched a video when you haven't because Mrs. Kirch will find out somehow, like your test scores.
• If I were to tell them anything, it would be to take advantage of EVERYthing that mrs. Kirch lets us utilize to learn, and to appreciate all the time and effort that she invests into our learning. I would also tell them NOT to lag behind because pretty soon a few videos turn into the who unit and then you won't be ahead of the game. 
• I would tell them that flipped classroom is giving them the responsibility of their own education because you are putting the information and resources there for them, but it is their choice to either take it or not. Also, i would tell them to watch the videos unless they want a phone call home!  
• I would say it is more of an independent class. It is not about the videos and how you learn the concept but the chance to get more help if needed.  It is preparing you for college and everyday life. It is a lot more work but at the end you feel a sense of satisfaction toward  yourself.
• I would tell next year's students to be careful with all the freedom because as cool as it is, it's also a lot of responsibility and if you're not careful with how you manage your time you can find yourself sort of drowning in catch-up work. I would also tell them to take advantage of having the rest of the class around when they're doing homework because it's such a great opportunity to collaborate, help each other, and learn from one another.
• i would tell them to be prepared for a brand new experience in learning. that this is a new method that is more helpful and you learn at the rate you can by watching videos and having the ability to rewind, pause, etc. that this method teaches you to become more prepared and responsible in doing hw.
• What i would tell them would be how the videos were explained clearly and the benefits of a recorded video has to a student who doesn't understand the concept very well. The benefits would be that the recorded video would have a replay button and it will always be there whenever needed. Another thing i would mention would be that when coming into class i would talk about the concept with 3 other students and ask or answer questions about the current concept about the homework or about how to solve the problem in the SSS. In addition, i would mention the help i would get from the teacher, Mrs. Kirch, when it comes to the Homework/Classwork given.
• I would most likely tell them to really watch the videos not copy from someone else or pretend to watch it when they didn't because for one, it will be obvious and you'll get caught, but most of all because you won't truly learn the material. Which would result in doing poorly in the class but also feel like a fool when you know you are able to do it and it's all just basically given to you and all you have to do is watch, listen and learn. 
• I would tell them to follow and keep on track of learning the videos everyday and don't procrastinate your homework at the last minute.
• i would say even though you might not like it, you need to do it because thats the only way you'll learn
• I would tell them to watch the videos if they want to learn the materials; unless they wish to learn themselves without the videos.

Responses from Week 11 (4/21/12)

• I would tell them what the flipped classroom is and how it is more beneficial than a regular classroom.  I would tell them how the process goes and what you do everyday. I would tell them that they would watch a video everyday and come to class prepared to talk about it and do the homework
• I would say that flipped classroom requires a lot of responsibility on the students' part because it is their responsibility to watch the videos at home.  It's really easy to blow it off (especially with the new WSQ system) but when you do, it adds up quickly and a red signature may only be a loss of 1 point but it adds up.
• I would tell them that the flipped classroom helps a lot and its a better concept then learning all at one time in class.....
• I would tell students that this is not any regular math class where you're left to struggle on your own.  There are so many resources that even if you do struggle on some concepts, there are ways to learn the concept even if it isn't directly from Mrs. Kirch.  I would also tell them that although there are so many resources, the only way to pass this class, or any class, is to use those resources.  (I would also tell them to look out for Mrs. Kirch handing out "fake" tardy cards and standing at the doorway to watch students' reactions even though it's always so much fun.)
• I would tell them that it does help in the long run. Not only are you able to ask for help in class, but you can also review the problems and material covered by rewatching the videos. Plus, there are extra links on edmodo, so there's always sources that can help you. Furthermore, for those cheaters and sneaky snakes, I would tell them that it does catch up with you. It gets harder and harder to sneak by, and it's just easier to do your homework on time. Also, make sure that you actually pay attention, because it actually does matter. It's not fair to you or to your group if you didn't do your work. 
• i would tell the students that flipped classroom is something to take advantage of, because they will have all the resources necessary to succeed in the class it will just be up to them to take responsibility. I would also tell them that they need to have good time management because it is important to stay on schedule with what needs to be done. But overall it's a great new experience that will just take time to adapt to.
• I really liked flipped classroom. It helped me learn better because i could slow the lesson and be able to repeat things that in class would have been missed if one does not pay attention. 
• I would tell them it really does help if you give your undivided attention to the video. Also that it helps without all the distraction of school and the people. Its a quicker way to learn about things because there are no interuptions. If you are able to explain it in a detailed summary then you have fully learned the concept.
• I would tell them that the flipped classroom is a good way to teach however at times its nice to have a traditional lecture. What's beneficial is when you are able to finish your work on time and get help at the moment you need it. However, at times when you watch the video at night you have questions that you forget the next morning or like me, when i sometimes forget how we got from one step to another. Luckily we have group discussions in which help us with it. 
• I would tell the students that it was a great experience, and it was something that i would try again in any class. it was a good thing that we were introduced to this new type of teaching because whenever we need help we can go back and look at the videos instead of asking. if we need help mrs kirch doesnt have to be there, you can just go back and look at the video. if you are a faster learner then you can watch the next concept.
• I would tell them that flipped classroom is different. You have to get used to it. Once you do, you realize how fun it is, also  how useful it is. The fact that you can watch your teacher do the problems for you at your own convenience is pretty useful.
• If i was to come and speak to Mrs.Kirch's class in 2012 i would tell them to be happy for the flipped classroom. I would tell them how easy it is to find the vidoes and what they should be doing while watching them. And that they can go at their own pace. 

[I will update with more responses as they come in!]

And, from one of my freshman students who has been anti-flipping from the beginning... she doesn't ask questions in class, she doesn't participate in group discussions, etc.  But in traditional, she didn't ask any questions in class and didn't participate in discussions.  (But I thought I would share her thoughts anyways!)

• I would tell them not to vote for the flipped classroom because its hard to understand and if you would teach regular in class you ask questions right away, and the good thing about the flipped classroom is that your only home work is to watch the videos and take notes.

Thinking about Next Year...

Okay, so tonight's #flipclass chat got me starting to think about next year and starting to flip from Day 1.

So, this is the first "brainstorming" post of the spring!

This post is a work in progress and more questions and thoughts may be added as time goes on!

Please join in the conversation in the comments below.  I know there are a lot of teachers out there who are asking the same questions!  If you have further questions along these same lines, please put them in the comments as well!

Some thoughts and questions:


1. How do you present the Flipped Class to your students from the first day?  What "training " do you do for them?  Do you "wean them off" traditional or just jump right in?


2. How do you present the Flipped Class to parents from the first day, before they get to know you as a teacher?


3. Do you have any letters written or intro videos made that you used at the beginning of the year that you would be willing to share?


Things I want to do:


1. Have my students from this year make some short intro videos for next year:


Ideas for topics:
-What is the flipped classroom?
-How to be successful in the flipped classroom
-How to get the most out of the videos
-How to get the most out of class time
-What challenges they can expect
-What rewards they can anticipate


Things I want to consider more deeply:


1. Student-created videos as an assessment tool.  When are mini-quizzes better?  When would short videos be better? Individual or partner? Times for both?


2. Do I want to let kids move more at their own pace (mastery-learning type), or do I still want to take a full year to get this whole thing under my belt before charging into that next level?  What are the pros and cons of keeping everyone on the same page vs. mastery learning?


3. I see much lower video-completion rates on the weekends.  How can I adjust the "pacing" of my class so students don't have to watch videos every night (or at least 3-4 times a week right now).  Since I teach a new concept every day (with rare exceptions), how would this work?  Should I have them watch "two concepts" worth of videos and then spend two days practicing it, etc?  Or would that one night of video watching be overbearing if it was really two days worth of material?