This was the second week of school, and we have officially now ended the "summer review" and have started the "real" flipped classroom. Friday was the first day, and overall it was really great. Here are some reflections:
1. Students were to watch Unit E Concept 1 before class on Friday. We had a review test on Thursday, so they were told this on Wednesday. I had a feeling many would forget, so I sent out a reminder on Edmodo. Regardless, out of my 107ish Math Analysis students, I had 65 submit the WSQ. Some students said they just forgot; others said they weren't really sure what they were supposed to do.
So, what did I do? Well, right when the students walked in if they did not have their WSQ submitted they were instructed to go off to the side of the classroom and not take a seat in their groups. This ranged anywhere from 10 kids to 20 kids in my 3 classes. I began class and went over the WSQ expectations for all the students and just reviewed what they were supposed to have done. I also went over the technology policies in class (laptops, iPods, personal devices).
Then, the students who were not prepared completed the WSQ in class, using one of many devices available to them. They were told that today's date (9/6) would be listed next to their name on the "Unprepared Roster" (still coming up with a good name for it, thinking something to do with Cheesebucket :)). If it only happens every so often, no biggie, just come in and take care of it. If it continually happens where they are behind, then there will be parent phone calls and other consequences.
I will keep reminding my students, "You can work ahead, but you can't fall behind"
2. I spent the rest of the period focusing on the students who came prepared. They got in (modified) groups and had their first WSQ chat. We did a short class review of the key vocabulary, and then I chose 4 HOT questions that the students came up with to go over with the class. I think that is what I'm going to do first this year. Then, they got into their activity today. My goal this year is to really come up with different activities for them to do during WSQ chat time. Today, they had to write their own quadratic equation to complete the square and put in graphable form, identifying all key parts (sorry if you're not a math person and I totally lost you!). This is something they are going to be posting on their blog as a "Student Problem". So, they worked with one another, each coming up with their own problem but checking with each other. Once that was complete, they could move on to the regular practice and other activities for that day.
3. Speaking of HOT questions, I was SO impressed with my students for the first submission. I would say 80% of them phrased their response in the form of a question and 100% of them ask a question (rather than saying "I understood everything"). I'm making them submit the question on the google form but also write it in their SSS packets on the corresponding concept's page. So, I can quickly skim through the questions before class to pick out 2-4 ones that seem to be repeated over and over again... then, as I walk around and work with students, I can glance at the question they have written down and make sure they got it answered. Hopefully the good questions will continue!
Other randomness:
1. I had one student ask me if she could work ahead. I said, "Of Course!" Later, I followed up with her and she said that she is super busy some nights with Marching Band practice and it would be nice to not have to do homework that night. I explained that she can get it done as early as she wants, and that some busy students would do all the WSQs for the week on the weekend and have nothing to do during the week. She thought that was awesome! :)
2. I FINALLY figured out how to make the iPods more useful. Last year I could not figure out for the life of me how to get pics and vids off of the iPods in an efficient manner. YouTube upload was blocked, I couldn't email pictures from the iPods because of the way they were configured... it was annoying. Well, last week I came up with the brilliant idea of having a class dropbox account installed on the class laptops, and having every iPod sync with that dropbox account. How did I not think of this before? Now, when any student takes a pic or vid on any of the 14 iPods, it syncs automatically to the three class laptops and they can get the file to put straight onto their blog. Woo hoo!
I'm looking forward to a full week of flipping coming up and hope to see improvement in the student's completion of the WSQs, now that they know what to expect, and continued goodness in the questioning and focus in class time!
Showing posts with label introduction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label introduction. Show all posts
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Monday, September 2, 2013
Week 1: Getting Started!
Whew! The first week of school is in the books, which means another summer with my baby boy is that much closer! It's been a very rough transition being back to work, but I am very thankful that my husband works from home and is able to be the primary caretaker for Grayson. He does such a wonderful job, and it is great to be able to Skype with them every day during lunch.
As of right now, I am only "flipping" my Math Analysis classes. The "Algebra 1" class I am teaching (which is in quotes because it's not really Algebra 1 anymore, and I only have the curriculum for the next few weeks so I can't really plan ahead or see the big picture of things) is just too new and I am still trying to figure everything out. I will say though, after four days of "traditional" teaching - I am SICK of it! How did I do this for FOUR years before beginning to flip? I don't feel like I am meeting the needs of all learners. Even after four days, I already know who the top kids are and can already see them getting bored and frustrated. I can tell who my really low students are but I don't have time to work with them one on one in class anymore because I have to deliver instruction to the whole class. The students are not being held accountable for their individual work, and I can see many students just trying to hide behind the others, hoping they can just get by without having to do much work or be noticed.
I am trying a lot of new activities with them, and really trying to make this cookie cutter curriculum work for me, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't a struggle. I need to find a way to get some of this direct instruction out of the group learning space so I can better differentiate during class time. The other hurdle I'm trying to overcome is that we have absolutely no resources for practice activities - no textbook, no website, no nothing. So, we have to come up with it all on our own. Thankfully, I have a great colleague I am working with this year and we are meeting several times a week and splitting up the workload. But still, it would be nice to have some resources!! At least what we are making this year will (hopefully) be able to be used next year. It's just not what I was hoping my first year teaching as a mom would turn out to be...
Ok, so let's talk about Math Analysis. The "real" class doesn't start until this coming Friday, since we do some Algebra 2 review and assessments the first week and a half. But, I'm using this time for "teaching and training" of what the flipped classroom is about, why we are doing it, and learning to work in their groups and collaborate. I'm really trying to get my students to realize that a flipped classroom is not about watching video tutorials, but about the fact that class time is so much more active, engaging, and enjoyable because they don't have to listen to me the whole time, and that they can receive individual support and work at their own pace. So far, I feel like it's coming across okay. We will see after a couple of weeks how they adjust. Here's what they said in a survey they took the first night of school:
Students are getting their blogs set up this weekend and posting their first WPPs using MentorMob. I put together several instructional sites for them and basically told them to set it up and if they had trouble to ask for help. I did NOT spend more than 5 minutes of class time going over instructions. I figured that more than half the students could probably do it on their own no problem, another 25% could probably do it if they actually read, and the last 25% would need some help... but only after trying themselves. So far, this has proven to be accurate.
Check out the resources below:
bit.ly/kirchblogsetup - General tips/tricks/FAQ about student blogs in my class
bit.ly/kirchblogsetup1 - Specific Setup instructions and rules/policies regarding blogging
bit.ly/blogpostdetails - details for the whole year
I am going to really try and focus on "You can work ahead, but you can't fall behind" this year. I don't want students staying up until 3am stressing because they didn't do a WSQ because they were up studying for APUSH all night. I want them to take responsibility and plan ahead with their crazy schedules, but also have flexibility that comes with that responsibility. I know students will have a hard time managing this at first but I hope that it will get better with time.
We shall see how this next week goes! I'm glad it's another 4-dayer. Having one more day at home with Grayson has been absolutely marvelous :)
As of right now, I am only "flipping" my Math Analysis classes. The "Algebra 1" class I am teaching (which is in quotes because it's not really Algebra 1 anymore, and I only have the curriculum for the next few weeks so I can't really plan ahead or see the big picture of things) is just too new and I am still trying to figure everything out. I will say though, after four days of "traditional" teaching - I am SICK of it! How did I do this for FOUR years before beginning to flip? I don't feel like I am meeting the needs of all learners. Even after four days, I already know who the top kids are and can already see them getting bored and frustrated. I can tell who my really low students are but I don't have time to work with them one on one in class anymore because I have to deliver instruction to the whole class. The students are not being held accountable for their individual work, and I can see many students just trying to hide behind the others, hoping they can just get by without having to do much work or be noticed.
I am trying a lot of new activities with them, and really trying to make this cookie cutter curriculum work for me, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't a struggle. I need to find a way to get some of this direct instruction out of the group learning space so I can better differentiate during class time. The other hurdle I'm trying to overcome is that we have absolutely no resources for practice activities - no textbook, no website, no nothing. So, we have to come up with it all on our own. Thankfully, I have a great colleague I am working with this year and we are meeting several times a week and splitting up the workload. But still, it would be nice to have some resources!! At least what we are making this year will (hopefully) be able to be used next year. It's just not what I was hoping my first year teaching as a mom would turn out to be...
Ok, so let's talk about Math Analysis. The "real" class doesn't start until this coming Friday, since we do some Algebra 2 review and assessments the first week and a half. But, I'm using this time for "teaching and training" of what the flipped classroom is about, why we are doing it, and learning to work in their groups and collaborate. I'm really trying to get my students to realize that a flipped classroom is not about watching video tutorials, but about the fact that class time is so much more active, engaging, and enjoyable because they don't have to listen to me the whole time, and that they can receive individual support and work at their own pace. So far, I feel like it's coming across okay. We will see after a couple of weeks how they adjust. Here's what they said in a survey they took the first night of school:
Students are getting their blogs set up this weekend and posting their first WPPs using MentorMob. I put together several instructional sites for them and basically told them to set it up and if they had trouble to ask for help. I did NOT spend more than 5 minutes of class time going over instructions. I figured that more than half the students could probably do it on their own no problem, another 25% could probably do it if they actually read, and the last 25% would need some help... but only after trying themselves. So far, this has proven to be accurate.
Check out the resources below:
bit.ly/kirchblogsetup - General tips/tricks/FAQ about student blogs in my class
bit.ly/kirchblogsetup1 - Specific Setup instructions and rules/policies regarding blogging
bit.ly/blogpostdetails - details for the whole year
I am going to really try and focus on "You can work ahead, but you can't fall behind" this year. I don't want students staying up until 3am stressing because they didn't do a WSQ because they were up studying for APUSH all night. I want them to take responsibility and plan ahead with their crazy schedules, but also have flexibility that comes with that responsibility. I know students will have a hard time managing this at first but I hope that it will get better with time.
We shall see how this next week goes! I'm glad it's another 4-dayer. Having one more day at home with Grayson has been absolutely marvelous :)
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Intro to #flipclass for the new year
I decided to make some changes to my "Intro Packet" for this year. In years past, I have had:
- Syllabus
- Student "checklist"
- Flipped Class Letter
- Student Information Survey
- ... probably more!
Talk about crazy overwhelming stack of papers for students!
So, this year, I decided to put it all in one 3 page (Front and back) packet. I struggled with deciding if it was too much, but with all the consolidation, I'm happy with it for now and will see how the feedback goes this year to make changes for next year.
So, here are some links! Feel free to utilize any of this as a resource for making your own.
(I do ask that you don't just copy this word for word though...just like we would teach our students :))
(I do ask that you don't just copy this word for word though...just like we would teach our students :))
- "Intro Packet" - includes #flipclass "letter" for parents and students as well as syllabus info, student checklist, links, etc!
- First week of School WSQ chart for Math Analysis
- Intro Video for students - same as last year
- Intro Video for parents - same as last year
- Another general intro video to use as a resource
- Other intro videos I used last year
- ADD YOUR INTRO VIDEOS AND LETTERS to the collaborative spreadsheet.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Warning: Challenges Ahead!
I have about two weeks until I head back into my classroom, so it's time to try and get back into the swing of things. It would be much easier to spend all my time with this cutie (2 months old today!), but duty calls...This year is going to bring on its own set of new and exciting, yet scary, challenges. Our district is going full force into implementing Common Core math classes, and have chosen the Integrated rather than Traditional pathway. What this means is that "Algebra 1" is no longer really a class, it is what we are currently calling "Course 1", and includes a mix of standards from the three traditional courses of Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2.
What this means is that the majority of the work I have dedicated my time to the last 5 years, which is posted on www.kirchalgebra1.blogspot.com, is now obselete and I am starting from scratch for this coming year. (Thankfully my Math Analysis course will be staying status quo for at least this year, so www.kirchmathanalysis.blogspot.com is still good to go!) Curriculum writing teams have been hard at work creating units of study for these new courses and we should be able to see them by about a week before school begins this year. Due to my joyful interruption this year, I was not a part of these writing teams as I would have liked and greatly enjoyed.
While I am very excited about the deeper level of learning the Common Core can bring, my Type-A planner self is basically freaking out. My mindset of teaching and learning has shifted so drastically in the last 2 years, that I don't know how I will do with a cookie cutter curriculum that I haven't had time to tweak and modify to fit my style. I keep telling myself that it will all work out and everything will fall into place... but I'm one of those people that likes to have everything organized and planned for the first 3-4 months of the school year before the year even begins! I like to see the big picture and figure out how to structure it best to meet student needs. This year, I will be teaching what has been handed to me with little to no time to plan ahead in the way that I always have.
One of the biggest questions I have for all of you, especially math teachers but all subject areas are welcome to chime in, is how you structure a flipped classroom in math with little to no video instruction.
Now, let me clarify, I am 100% on board with the fact that a flipped classroom is not about the video, but about what you do in class, the face to face time you have with students, the higher order thinking that is able to occur, etc. The activities and lessons that are embedded within the curriculum should be really great and support my mindset of what I want to be happening in my class (again, I have yet to see most of it, so I'm kind of hanging in limbo here but have confidence in what is coming).
However, there is still a level of direct instruction that must occur at this level for the students to be successful. I don't believe direct instruction should occur in the group learning space, but rather in the individual learning space where students can learn at their own pace, in their own time, and in their own place. The easiest way for this to happen is for direct instruction to be placed on a video. (Please note that I do not consider direct instruction to HAVE to occur before the lesson is introduced; in fact, many lessons for this year from what I've seen I can see an exploration phase in class, direct instruction coming afterwards, and then more application and practice in class... similar to the Explore-Flip-Apply model). To put it bluntly, I simply will not have the time or energy to dedicate to making videos like I have the last two school years, and I cannot see myself sacrificing the time with my little one to run a flipped classroom in my new "Algebra 1/Course 1" in the same way as I have the last two years.
And, on a random note...I feel like I want to have this figured out before the school year begins and not change my mind midway through because this level of students has a tough time adjusting to major changes. If they are going to be doing anything similar to my previous two years with videos, WSQs, online work, etc, I want to start it from Day 1.
Okay, I hope that made sense :) I have been on Mommy brain for the last several months, so it's time to try and get back in the groove!
So, please share your experiences, your thoughts, and your ideas.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
updated: "My Flipped Classroom" Prezi
I made some edits/updates to this Prezi that I originally created in January for a presentation to my staff about the flipped classroom.
Since then, I have used it for several presentations and webinars (see link to my first webinar at the bottom of the guest blog post here), and thought it could use an "upgrade".
This Prezi is targeted towards educators and serves to inform them on
1) What is a flipped classroom?
2) What are the benefits of a flipped classroom for both teachers and students?
3) What does a "sample" flipped classroom look like (both at home and at school)
4) Why do students like the flipped classroom (video clip)
This summer, I am hoping to update it a little more with some more video clips of my class in action as well as some updated quotes from my students that I recorded at the end of the school year. (Still got lots to sift thru and edit before they are ready!). I'll re-post a "final" version here once I get everything edited.
Please note: You are welcome to use and modify this Prezi for educational purposes. All I ask is that you give me credit, and let me know that you are using it! If you do "save a copy" and modify it, please send me the link to your modified version. Thank you!
I also want to create the Prezi I am going to use to introduce STUDENTS to the concept during the first week of school as well as to introduce PARENTS to the flipped classroom.
I'll post those when I get them done... probably in August :)
Until then, here is the updated version of "My Flipped Classroom"
(if you would prefer to view this on the Prezi Website, the direct link is http://prezi.com/-vbtn0xnnyzx/my-flipped-classroom/)
(if you would prefer to view this on the Prezi Website, the direct link is http://prezi.com/-vbtn0xnnyzx/my-flipped-classroom/)
Sunday, January 22, 2012
What does my Flipped Classroom look like? (letter to parents)
I have updated the letter I will be sending home to parents at the
beginning of the next school year about what my flipped classroom looks
like. It is edited from an earlier version (January 2012) and is still
under construction until I hand it out next August!
Updated letter link here:
January 2012 letter below:
Dear Parents,
Starting in 2012, things will be a little different in your student’s math class than you may be used to. We will be fully implementing a teaching model known widely as the “flipped classroom”. What is a “flipped classroom”? Please take a few moments to watch the presentation I have put together for you, which can be found at http://prezi.com/8wuzpv14scke/flipped-classroom-instructions/ .
In short, a “flipped classroom” switches around the traditional order of teaching with the purpose of creating a more in depth and supportive environment in the classroom when the teacher is present and able to help students. It allows for students to receive a more individualized math education, thus resulting in them understanding the content at a higher and deeper level than before. In addition, it challenges students to learn how to take charge of their learning, becoming resourceful learners. Lastly, it provides time for more discussion and questioning during class time, helping students to become reflective communicators and to think more deeply about the subject.
What does homework look like now?
For homework, students will be required to watch video lectures created by me, where I will teach them the lesson and give examples in the same way they would receive it in class. However, because the students are watching the lessons on video, they can pause, rewind, or re-watch any segments of the video at any time. This allows students to learn at their own pace and become more self-directed, having to know when they need to go back over a certain concept they did not fully grasp the first time it was explained. Each lesson is specifically designed to be around 8 to 15 minutes long.
These videos can be accessed at www.youtube.com/crystalkirch for home viewing, on SchoolTube for school viewing, or students can get the videos on a flash drive in order to watch them without internet access. All direct links are also accessible at the class website, www.edmodo.com . Because the videos are online, they can be accessed on any internet-capable device, such as a cell phone. Videos can also be uploaded to iTunes from a flash drive and synced with a student’s iPod to watch offline. Other options are also available by request, such as getting the videos on DVD to watch on a TV instead of a computer.
While watching the videos, students are taking copious notes of important concepts and examples in their SSS packets that are provided for them. When they are done watching the video, they write a summary of the concept they learned about. The quality and depth of their summary informs me of how much they truly understood what they watched and what misconceptions they may have that need to be further explained. After the summary, students write at least one question regarding the content. This may be a question that they do not know how to answer and need explained, or it may be a question that they do know the answer to, but is an important piece of the concept from the video. Students are challenged to make their questions “HOT” questions (“Higher Order Thinking” questions) and have been provided with question starters on Edmodo to help deepen their thinking. This process is called a “WSQ” (pronounced wisk), and stands for “Watch – Summary – Question”. Underclassmen (9th-10th graders) are also required to add a “V”erification portion to their “WSQ” (making it a “WSQV”, pronounced wis-quiv) where a parent or guardian signs their summary and question, along with the time frame in which the student watched the video. Upperclassmen (11th-12th graders) parents can request that their students be put on a required “WSQV” contract if their students need more monitoring in finishing the homework.
There will still be a few nights where homework will look like regular “homework”... students will be doing review worksheets and practice problems. This generally occurs the few nights before a test. However, now students have access to the lesson online and can re-watch it if they don’t remember how to do the problems assigned in the homework.
What does classwork look like now?
When students come into class, we begin by reviewing their “WSQ’s” in a variety of ways. We may go over a few sample summaries as a class, or students may discuss their summaries either in partners or in small groups. This time allows the class to refresh their memory on what was watched last night as well as to clarify anything that was not clear during the video lesson. We also go over the questions that students have asked. Similarly, we may go over a few questions as a class, but most often students work in their small groups to ask and answer each others’ questions, whether they know the answer or not. If no student in the group can answer the question, or the group needs more clarification, I am there to be able to answer the question and explain anything that needs further clarification.
After the “WSQ” portion of class is over, students work in small groups on a set of practice problems or activities to help them practice and develop full understanding of the concept. Students are encouraged to work with each other and help each other out and are constantly reminded that one of the ways they can really find out if they understand a concept is by explaining it to someone else. I am constantly walking around from group to group, helping explain things and clarifying confusing parts.
In the “flipped classroom” model, we still take short quizzes on each concept a few times a week and still practice learning concepts by using the songs and chants I have developed. In addition, there is still the opportunity for whole-class teaching and review if the large group needs to go back over a concept. However, most of the teaching is now focused on smaller groups of students who need help on certain concepts, leading to fully differentiated instruction and support.
What does a “flipped classroom” require of you as a parent?
The “flipped classroom” enables you as a parent to be more involved in your student’s math education. Most parents tend to agree that they do not remember much from their high school math classes and do not feel they can support or help their student at all when they are home doing homework. However, with the “flipped classroom”, there are several very easy ways you can help your student:
(1) Provide your student with a quiet place to watch the lecture video (preferably with headphones to limit distractions) each night. If internet access is not available at your house, provide your student with the time to stay after school to watch the video in the school library or my classroom.
(2) Ask your student questions about what they watched and have them read their summary out loud to you.
(3) Read their summary yourself to make sure it sounds complete and makes sense.
(4) Read the question they asked and see if they can answer it.
(5) Encourage them to take their time while watching the videos, which means they pause, rewind, or re-watch portions of the video when the teaching is going too fast or when students need a minute to
make sense of what was taught.
(6) Watch the videos with them so you can learn along with them and help them when it comes to doing regular practice at home the night before the test!
What does a “flipped classroom” require of your student?
In reality, a “flipped classroom” does not change the fact that students are expected to go home and do “math homework” for 30-45 minutes a night. The only thing that is different is the type of “math homework” that they are doing. Instead of doing mindless practice problems where they can do the problems without really thinking about them, get stuck on the problems or do them incorrectly, or simply not do the problems at all because they think the problems are too difficult, students simply have to watch a video, take notes, and reflect in a summary and question. Students are expected to come prepared to class each day with the background knowledge of each concept, ready to learn it better, deeper, and faster. Students are not expected to have full mastery of the content before they arrive in class, although many students will be at that level.
The “flipped classroom” requires your student to take responsibility for their learning in several ways:
(1) Students must plan time to watch the video when they are still fully awake and able to make connections between content. (Before 10pm is highly suggested).
(2) Students must take initiative to re-watch videos they need to see again.
(3) Students must make sure that if they are absent, they still watch the required videos and come to class prepared.
(4) Students must make sure that they take initiative to communicate with me either online or in person if there are issues with watching the videos. This includes coming and seeing me before school, during seminar, or during lunch to watch the videos before class begins as often as possible.
What if your student watches the videos every night but still does not understand the content?
Individualized or small group tutoring and support is still available for students before, during, and after the school day. During that time, I can sit down with them and go over more examples and try to explain it in a different way. Students can contact me anytime via www.edmodo.com to ask when I am available, although I generally have a consistent schedule that is posted in the classroom.
How does the “flipped classroom” work with the Fundamental Structures at [our high school]?
Students will still be held accountable for completing the “WSQ” on a nightly basis, just like a regular homework assignment. Failure to do so will result in the progress discipline policies of the Missed Assignment Cards (“Homework Cards”). The policies listed below are subject to change.
• “WSQ” charts (see sample at end of letter) will be collected on a weekly basis, and students must have a minimum of 60% of the available points to not receive a homework card. Students will receive differing amount of points based on if the assignments are completed on time.
• If a student does not have the video watched before class begins twice in one week, they will receive a homework card automatically.
• The assignments that correspond with the WSQ’s must be fully completed by the next class day. Students are given plenty of class time to finish these assignments working with me and other classmates; however, if they are off task or absent they will have to make it up on their own time and make sure it is fully completed before entering class the next day.
Students will receive points in the HW/CW category of their grade for each week based on the percentage they have completed, so it is very important that students strive to reach 100% of the boxes filled with two points each.
STUDENT NAME: ___________________________________________ PERIOD: _________
[ ] I understand the changes that will be taking place and the expectations for my student. We have internet access at home and watching the videos nightly should not be a problem.
[ ] I understand the changes that will be taking place and the expectations for my student. We do have a computer at home; however, we do not have consistent internet access at home, so please make accommodations for my student.
[ ] I understand the changes that will be taking place and the expectations for my student. We do not have a computer at home, so please make accommodations for my student.
Parent/Guardian Name: ________________________ Relationship to Student: ____________
Parent Signature: ___________________________________________
Best way to contact me from 8am-2pm during the week
[ ] Email: ____________________________________________________________
[ ] Phone: ____________________________________________________________
Questions, comments, or concerns:
Updated letter link here:
January 2012 letter below:
Dear Parents,
Starting in 2012, things will be a little different in your student’s math class than you may be used to. We will be fully implementing a teaching model known widely as the “flipped classroom”. What is a “flipped classroom”? Please take a few moments to watch the presentation I have put together for you, which can be found at http://prezi.com/8wuzpv14scke/flipped-classroom-instructions/ .
In short, a “flipped classroom” switches around the traditional order of teaching with the purpose of creating a more in depth and supportive environment in the classroom when the teacher is present and able to help students. It allows for students to receive a more individualized math education, thus resulting in them understanding the content at a higher and deeper level than before. In addition, it challenges students to learn how to take charge of their learning, becoming resourceful learners. Lastly, it provides time for more discussion and questioning during class time, helping students to become reflective communicators and to think more deeply about the subject.
What does homework look like now?
For homework, students will be required to watch video lectures created by me, where I will teach them the lesson and give examples in the same way they would receive it in class. However, because the students are watching the lessons on video, they can pause, rewind, or re-watch any segments of the video at any time. This allows students to learn at their own pace and become more self-directed, having to know when they need to go back over a certain concept they did not fully grasp the first time it was explained. Each lesson is specifically designed to be around 8 to 15 minutes long.
These videos can be accessed at www.youtube.com/crystalkirch for home viewing, on SchoolTube for school viewing, or students can get the videos on a flash drive in order to watch them without internet access. All direct links are also accessible at the class website, www.edmodo.com . Because the videos are online, they can be accessed on any internet-capable device, such as a cell phone. Videos can also be uploaded to iTunes from a flash drive and synced with a student’s iPod to watch offline. Other options are also available by request, such as getting the videos on DVD to watch on a TV instead of a computer.
While watching the videos, students are taking copious notes of important concepts and examples in their SSS packets that are provided for them. When they are done watching the video, they write a summary of the concept they learned about. The quality and depth of their summary informs me of how much they truly understood what they watched and what misconceptions they may have that need to be further explained. After the summary, students write at least one question regarding the content. This may be a question that they do not know how to answer and need explained, or it may be a question that they do know the answer to, but is an important piece of the concept from the video. Students are challenged to make their questions “HOT” questions (“Higher Order Thinking” questions) and have been provided with question starters on Edmodo to help deepen their thinking. This process is called a “WSQ” (pronounced wisk), and stands for “Watch – Summary – Question”. Underclassmen (9th-10th graders) are also required to add a “V”erification portion to their “WSQ” (making it a “WSQV”, pronounced wis-quiv) where a parent or guardian signs their summary and question, along with the time frame in which the student watched the video. Upperclassmen (11th-12th graders) parents can request that their students be put on a required “WSQV” contract if their students need more monitoring in finishing the homework.
There will still be a few nights where homework will look like regular “homework”... students will be doing review worksheets and practice problems. This generally occurs the few nights before a test. However, now students have access to the lesson online and can re-watch it if they don’t remember how to do the problems assigned in the homework.
What does classwork look like now?
When students come into class, we begin by reviewing their “WSQ’s” in a variety of ways. We may go over a few sample summaries as a class, or students may discuss their summaries either in partners or in small groups. This time allows the class to refresh their memory on what was watched last night as well as to clarify anything that was not clear during the video lesson. We also go over the questions that students have asked. Similarly, we may go over a few questions as a class, but most often students work in their small groups to ask and answer each others’ questions, whether they know the answer or not. If no student in the group can answer the question, or the group needs more clarification, I am there to be able to answer the question and explain anything that needs further clarification.
After the “WSQ” portion of class is over, students work in small groups on a set of practice problems or activities to help them practice and develop full understanding of the concept. Students are encouraged to work with each other and help each other out and are constantly reminded that one of the ways they can really find out if they understand a concept is by explaining it to someone else. I am constantly walking around from group to group, helping explain things and clarifying confusing parts.
In the “flipped classroom” model, we still take short quizzes on each concept a few times a week and still practice learning concepts by using the songs and chants I have developed. In addition, there is still the opportunity for whole-class teaching and review if the large group needs to go back over a concept. However, most of the teaching is now focused on smaller groups of students who need help on certain concepts, leading to fully differentiated instruction and support.
What does a “flipped classroom” require of you as a parent?
The “flipped classroom” enables you as a parent to be more involved in your student’s math education. Most parents tend to agree that they do not remember much from their high school math classes and do not feel they can support or help their student at all when they are home doing homework. However, with the “flipped classroom”, there are several very easy ways you can help your student:
(1) Provide your student with a quiet place to watch the lecture video (preferably with headphones to limit distractions) each night. If internet access is not available at your house, provide your student with the time to stay after school to watch the video in the school library or my classroom.
(2) Ask your student questions about what they watched and have them read their summary out loud to you.
(3) Read their summary yourself to make sure it sounds complete and makes sense.
(4) Read the question they asked and see if they can answer it.
(5) Encourage them to take their time while watching the videos, which means they pause, rewind, or re-watch portions of the video when the teaching is going too fast or when students need a minute to
make sense of what was taught.
(6) Watch the videos with them so you can learn along with them and help them when it comes to doing regular practice at home the night before the test!
What does a “flipped classroom” require of your student?
In reality, a “flipped classroom” does not change the fact that students are expected to go home and do “math homework” for 30-45 minutes a night. The only thing that is different is the type of “math homework” that they are doing. Instead of doing mindless practice problems where they can do the problems without really thinking about them, get stuck on the problems or do them incorrectly, or simply not do the problems at all because they think the problems are too difficult, students simply have to watch a video, take notes, and reflect in a summary and question. Students are expected to come prepared to class each day with the background knowledge of each concept, ready to learn it better, deeper, and faster. Students are not expected to have full mastery of the content before they arrive in class, although many students will be at that level.
The “flipped classroom” requires your student to take responsibility for their learning in several ways:
(1) Students must plan time to watch the video when they are still fully awake and able to make connections between content. (Before 10pm is highly suggested).
(2) Students must take initiative to re-watch videos they need to see again.
(3) Students must make sure that if they are absent, they still watch the required videos and come to class prepared.
(4) Students must make sure that they take initiative to communicate with me either online or in person if there are issues with watching the videos. This includes coming and seeing me before school, during seminar, or during lunch to watch the videos before class begins as often as possible.
What if your student watches the videos every night but still does not understand the content?
Individualized or small group tutoring and support is still available for students before, during, and after the school day. During that time, I can sit down with them and go over more examples and try to explain it in a different way. Students can contact me anytime via www.edmodo.com to ask when I am available, although I generally have a consistent schedule that is posted in the classroom.
How does the “flipped classroom” work with the Fundamental Structures at [our high school]?
Students will still be held accountable for completing the “WSQ” on a nightly basis, just like a regular homework assignment. Failure to do so will result in the progress discipline policies of the Missed Assignment Cards (“Homework Cards”). The policies listed below are subject to change.
• “WSQ” charts (see sample at end of letter) will be collected on a weekly basis, and students must have a minimum of 60% of the available points to not receive a homework card. Students will receive differing amount of points based on if the assignments are completed on time.
• If a student does not have the video watched before class begins twice in one week, they will receive a homework card automatically.
• The assignments that correspond with the WSQ’s must be fully completed by the next class day. Students are given plenty of class time to finish these assignments working with me and other classmates; however, if they are off task or absent they will have to make it up on their own time and make sure it is fully completed before entering class the next day.
Students will receive points in the HW/CW category of their grade for each week based on the percentage they have completed, so it is very important that students strive to reach 100% of the boxes filled with two points each.
STUDENT NAME: ___________________________________________ PERIOD: _________
[ ] I understand the changes that will be taking place and the expectations for my student. We have internet access at home and watching the videos nightly should not be a problem.
[ ] I understand the changes that will be taking place and the expectations for my student. We do have a computer at home; however, we do not have consistent internet access at home, so please make accommodations for my student.
[ ] I understand the changes that will be taking place and the expectations for my student. We do not have a computer at home, so please make accommodations for my student.
Parent/Guardian Name: ________________________ Relationship to Student: ____________
Parent Signature: ___________________________________________
Best way to contact me from 8am-2pm during the week
[ ] Email: ____________________________________________________________
[ ] Phone: ____________________________________________________________
Questions, comments, or concerns:
Letter to Admin and Counselors about the change
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to make sure you were informed on some changes that will be taking place in my classroom next semester that will affect the students you will be seeing from my class. (Which will hopefully be a lot less than last semester!)
After struggling last semester with a lot of students not completing homework, I began thinking of what I could do differently to help support them at home. After much research and trial during 1st semester, I have adopted a flipped classroom approach that I will be keeping in place for the 2nd semester. My goal is that we see a huge decrease in the number of students receiving homework cards because their homework will now entail (1) watching a video lesson created by me, (2) writing a summary and question, and (3) coming prepared to discuss, ask questions, get help, and work on the problems that formerly would have been "homework" in class where there is support available. I found that a lot of my students would not do homework because they would go home and have no idea how to start even though they thought they understood it in class.
If you would take a minute to read through the letter I have put together so you are informed of what is going on and the purposes of utilizing this teaching method, that would be great. The end of the letter indicates how this method will integrate with the homework card system we have in place at school. ("FLIPPED CLASSROOM LETTER updated"). If you would like any more information or details on the Flipped Classroom, please ask as I have a plethora of resources (blogs, articles, videos, etc) that I have collected during my research period.
A letter has already been sent home to all of my Algebra 1 students and has been returned signed by their parent/guardian indicating their access to technology at home (all but a few have computer and internet access at home). Accommodations have been made for all students without full access to technology. The shortened version of that letter is also attached. (this is the one just titled "FLIPPED CLASSROOM LETTER" and does not include as many details).
Thank you for your support - I really appreciate all that you do! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about the new method that will be used next semester. I am excited to see positive changes by the end of the semester that will inform me if I should continue using this method of teaching.
Thanks,
I just wanted to make sure you were informed on some changes that will be taking place in my classroom next semester that will affect the students you will be seeing from my class. (Which will hopefully be a lot less than last semester!)
After struggling last semester with a lot of students not completing homework, I began thinking of what I could do differently to help support them at home. After much research and trial during 1st semester, I have adopted a flipped classroom approach that I will be keeping in place for the 2nd semester. My goal is that we see a huge decrease in the number of students receiving homework cards because their homework will now entail (1) watching a video lesson created by me, (2) writing a summary and question, and (3) coming prepared to discuss, ask questions, get help, and work on the problems that formerly would have been "homework" in class where there is support available. I found that a lot of my students would not do homework because they would go home and have no idea how to start even though they thought they understood it in class.
If you would take a minute to read through the letter I have put together so you are informed of what is going on and the purposes of utilizing this teaching method, that would be great. The end of the letter indicates how this method will integrate with the homework card system we have in place at school. ("FLIPPED CLASSROOM LETTER updated"). If you would like any more information or details on the Flipped Classroom, please ask as I have a plethora of resources (blogs, articles, videos, etc) that I have collected during my research period.
A letter has already been sent home to all of my Algebra 1 students and has been returned signed by their parent/guardian indicating their access to technology at home (all but a few have computer and internet access at home). Accommodations have been made for all students without full access to technology. The shortened version of that letter is also attached. (this is the one just titled "FLIPPED CLASSROOM LETTER" and does not include as many details).
Thank you for your support - I really appreciate all that you do! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about the new method that will be used next semester. I am excited to see positive changes by the end of the semester that will inform me if I should continue using this method of teaching.
Thanks,
Why I am Flipping my Classroom.
I'm not sure when the decision was made. I'm not even sure when I first read about it. All I remember is that one night during the 2010-2011 school year, a student contacted me on our class website www.edmodo.com and said "I'm so confused about how to find our scale for the trig graphs, can you explain it again?". It was hard to explain in words, so I took my digital camera, and holding it above a paper, worked out a quick example and sent it his way. That led to me working out more and more homework problems for students as the year went on and posting them online. The quality of all the videos, honestly, was horrible, as I was holding the camera and trying not to shake too bad as I went over the problem.
I had a solid set of videos for tricky concepts to begin the 2011-2012 school year with. About a month into the school year, I tried a new teaching approach called "Expert Teacher" that pretty much sucked. My students went home completely confused about what they were supposed to learn, so I took a poll on Edmodo and asked "Who would watch a video of Concepts 2 and 3 worked out for you on video?" and got an almost unanimous response. By this time, I had an AverVision Document Camera in my classroom that recorded straight to my Mac, so I recorded the explanations and sent them out to my students.
It must have been at that point that I stumbled across the phrase known widely as "flipped classroom" and proposed to my Math Analysis Honors class if they were interested in trying it out. I would say about 75-80% of the students were excited about it at first. We began by having videos 2-4 days a week (between 8-15 minutes long). However, class time was very unguided and sometimes was not that beneficial. I kept trying to do all these "fun activities" with the students that ended up wasting a lot of class time. I continued to get feedback from the students on how they were feeling - most of them still enjoyed it, but there were a few students who were getting a little tired of it. Several students really had trouble with the fact that it was "different" and struggled to adjust to the change in how their math class was compared to the last 10 years of their educational career.
Another month or so went by and I was very happy with what I was seeing. I saw slightly higher test percentages for several units compared to my previous years' classes. What struck me the most, however, was the students "in the middle" succeeding at such higher levels. I came to the realization that the top students are going to succeed with my videos or not. The lower, unmotivated students are going to show up to class unprepared whether the homework is a problem set or a video. But, the students in the middle (which I would say is 70% of my class) really succeed when they are given the opportunity to learn at their own pace, pause/rewind/re-watch parts of the lesson, and to ask questions in class.
I was so happy with what I was seeing that I proposed the idea to my Algebra 1 class (9th-10th graders), not really knowing what their thoughts would be. They really struggle with completing regular homework and I was to the point of major frustration. Surprisingly, they were actually very excited about it and we did a "test chapter" to see how it would work. While some students still did not watch the video before class, there was definitely a higher rate of "homework" completion.
So, starting second semester 2012 (Jan 31st is the first day), I am fully flipping all of my classes - 3 sections of Algebra 1 and 2 sections of Math Analysis Honors. I have come up with a better idea of what I am looking for and what to do. The purpose of this blog is to have a place to reflect so in June I can look back and decide if this is a change I want to continue to do, and how I can continue to improve it to help my students succeed.
I had a solid set of videos for tricky concepts to begin the 2011-2012 school year with. About a month into the school year, I tried a new teaching approach called "Expert Teacher" that pretty much sucked. My students went home completely confused about what they were supposed to learn, so I took a poll on Edmodo and asked "Who would watch a video of Concepts 2 and 3 worked out for you on video?" and got an almost unanimous response. By this time, I had an AverVision Document Camera in my classroom that recorded straight to my Mac, so I recorded the explanations and sent them out to my students.
It must have been at that point that I stumbled across the phrase known widely as "flipped classroom" and proposed to my Math Analysis Honors class if they were interested in trying it out. I would say about 75-80% of the students were excited about it at first. We began by having videos 2-4 days a week (between 8-15 minutes long). However, class time was very unguided and sometimes was not that beneficial. I kept trying to do all these "fun activities" with the students that ended up wasting a lot of class time. I continued to get feedback from the students on how they were feeling - most of them still enjoyed it, but there were a few students who were getting a little tired of it. Several students really had trouble with the fact that it was "different" and struggled to adjust to the change in how their math class was compared to the last 10 years of their educational career.
Another month or so went by and I was very happy with what I was seeing. I saw slightly higher test percentages for several units compared to my previous years' classes. What struck me the most, however, was the students "in the middle" succeeding at such higher levels. I came to the realization that the top students are going to succeed with my videos or not. The lower, unmotivated students are going to show up to class unprepared whether the homework is a problem set or a video. But, the students in the middle (which I would say is 70% of my class) really succeed when they are given the opportunity to learn at their own pace, pause/rewind/re-watch parts of the lesson, and to ask questions in class.
I was so happy with what I was seeing that I proposed the idea to my Algebra 1 class (9th-10th graders), not really knowing what their thoughts would be. They really struggle with completing regular homework and I was to the point of major frustration. Surprisingly, they were actually very excited about it and we did a "test chapter" to see how it would work. While some students still did not watch the video before class, there was definitely a higher rate of "homework" completion.
So, starting second semester 2012 (Jan 31st is the first day), I am fully flipping all of my classes - 3 sections of Algebra 1 and 2 sections of Math Analysis Honors. I have come up with a better idea of what I am looking for and what to do. The purpose of this blog is to have a place to reflect so in June I can look back and decide if this is a change I want to continue to do, and how I can continue to improve it to help my students succeed.
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