Starting week 4- looking for regular routine

So far flipping the class is taking a lot of training of my students with organizing and note taking from video. This is the beginning of week four. I am hoping we are into the swing this week. I also have to teach them how to collaborate more in their groups in class. One thing for sure, running a flipped class uses all the 21st century skills, collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creating. I think all the training will be worth it in the long run. It will make the students better learners and thinkers. 

We have achieved:

•  getting everyone trained and online with different web resources. Some students are still working out issues at home with devices. I don't think everyone understands this is not a one time online experience, we are learning this way all year. Many students inform me they just can't get online for one reason or another. They seem to think I am going to say ok, just skip it. I question and problem solve with them. Once they realize they will have to stay for late bus after school work to get online, they seem to find answers to their device problems. hmmmmm.....
• Everyone seems to have done well with the introductions to problem solving but many are still mixing up work in one notebook
• The 2-column notes are starting to shape up. There are a handful in each class that still need lots of instruction and I will continue to follow them closely.

My goals for week 4:

• to launch the students into independent note-taking from video content. We are using 2-column notes which is what my whole school uses but I have found out that not all students are clear on the structure of this after learning in 5th grade. I have created my own notes for students to compare on the second night. This is good for students who need support and models.
• encourage group collaboration and discussion by asking good questions 
• assign regular videos, notes, classwork, assistment input, data discussions and get the cycle into a regular routine.
• train on data driven learning and discussion from online item reports on homework (classwork input to online feedback at night)
• teach more problem solving thinking, noticing and wondering (extra period to do this starting this week), straighten out notebook organization
• video some class discussions for reflection and planning

Week 5 goals:

• make some more of my own videos for lessons. Students enjoy this effort on my part and I am modeling for end of unit video projects.
• plan some differentiated lessons as we move deeper into the standards
• video tape a good lesson discussion of an item report for NCTM Dallas presentation

Day 3 of school, taking it slow...

 I am trying to keep the flipped as simple as I can. I am still trying to decide where is the best place to host flipped lessons. Mentormob is nice and so is sophia.com but I don't want to send the students to a million different sites. I want to develop a strong routine from the start so it is always clear. I have a google site that I am organizing with all my content by chapters and standards so students can refer to this for review, documents, links....but I still need a place to present each flipped lesson. I love Edmodo and was thinking I could organize chapters and lessons in the library and share folders but they still need a path. Then I was thinking I could just post the path each night. Video link here, write notes, answer two assessment questions here.....all in Edmodo post. I could make each flipped lesson an assignment in Edmodo and ask the students to write a brief summary, or questions, or maybe a different thing each time to assess they watched the video.

So this is my path:

Google site for all references, content, standards, documents, video links

Edmodo as the door into all flipped lessons

1. Create library of folders by chapters and lessons for students. 
2. Post each flipped lesson,
3.  video, 
4. lesson objectives, 
5. notes templete or other documents (google?)
6.  Edmodo turn in assignment for summary, questions...etc. ,
7. Assistment link for formative assessment at adjustment points of lessons

My goal is to create a strong routine that is not too complicated for term 1. Get a strong start and maybe add some new technology in term 2.

Reflecting on flipping and structure while writing to another teacher......

 I am flipping all my lessons this year. Last year I only tried it a little in term 4 but I also only had 45 min and it was very challenging. This year I will have 54 min. What I learned last year for most of my classes, flipped or not, was to reduce the number of problems by choosing ones that are specific to the learning goals. If a student knows how to add fractions with like denominators then they only need to show me 1-2 times and move on to the next skill in the learning progression. Interestingly, my students seem to put more effort into the smaller assignments once they realized I was using this work as daily formative assessment. This daily formative assessment became our exit ticket for the lesson. They enter answers on an assessment system for feedback and tracking data. I had more control, was able to track each skill and each student daily. My students became so good at inferring their data that they knew which group to sit in each day without me organizing. I also visited each group every day because I knew from my data which groups and students were struggling the most. Homework is to finish  any classwork and enter on assessment system if they don't get it done in class because the formative assessment data drives the next class. Next they watch video, takes notes and do the launch problem for next day which is also entered on assessment system. This cycle seemed to motivate students to get the work done in class with my support rather than at home along with the next day's flipped lesson. I hope that helps. I don't start school until 8/27 so I will let you know how this plan works this year.

Here is what the cycle should look like and I am going to try it on a small scale from day one and then build up to full lessons.

1. classroom intro to standards, topic, take a preview or review on paper to be entered on Assistment for homework.

2. homework: 

• complete any classwork and enter on Assistments.org
• watch video, take notes, do launch problem, enter on assistments

3. next class:

• grouped by data
• review notes in groups
• whole class discuss data on launch problem
• groups work on next lesson problems 
• teacher visit groups based on data and need

Lastly, I plan to not dive in and overwhelm myself and my students. I plan to teach them how to do each part of the cycle well and demonstrate how it will help them learn better. My goal is to be running this cycle fully by Monday 9/10.  We will see...........

Scoop it link

Flipping Middle School Math Scoop it

Flipping with Kirch: Intro to #flipclass for parents

Flipping with Kirch: Intro to #flipclass for parents

Students need to experience the benefits of change to believe in the value of it.

I read somewhere recently that students can't be expected to believe in the value of changes for their learning before they have experienced the benefits of such changes. 


Thank you MathManTP for reminding me out how important it is to teach students how to change the way they learn in order to make them accountable for their learning. Once they experience the value of the changes they will make it their way of learning. 


It is important to teach students how to listen to a video. I model (in a funny way) I am the student and I watch a video the wrong way. Next, I ask for ideas on what would make good listening with a "video for learning" which is different than a "video for entertainment." A few tips I have learned from other teachers doing this; keep the videos short (2-3 min) at least in the beginning and set the learning goals of the video up front so students know what they are listening for. I also provide 2 column note templates with very clear goals or some parts started so all they have to do is complete the notes. My school uses 2-column notes in all grades and content areas so my students come trained with this skill. Also, have follow up discussions about the at home experience. I think my biggest mistake in the classroom is not taking the time for discussions because I am rushing through the curriculum. Students always surprise me with their rich ideas.


6 Things to remember in September:

• Start flipping lessons with quick (2min) videos
• Model listening to a "learning video"
• Clearly state goals of video
• Provide 2 column notes with some parts left blank for notes from video
• Quick online formative assessment for data to structure collaborative class groups
•  Make collaborative class groups dynamic, fun, interesting so students experience the value of the change to flipped lessons

Everybody wins with flipping lessons!

It occurs to me as we all discuss flipping lessons that this is really not any different than asking students to go home and read a chapter for tomorrow's lesson. Yesterday someone asked me what I do about the student that doesn't do the homework. The good news is I don't have to do anything! I don't have to repeat the lesson. Absent or non-homework students can go sit at a classroom computer and do the lesson at the start of class while all the other students jump into the collaborative math work with me. My absent students often check Edmodo for the lesson before class because they don't like to be left out of the collaborative work. Everybody winds with flipping lessons! :-)