I was so fortunate to meet Stacey Roshan this summer at the Teachers of the Future gathering, and since then have marveled at her ability to be "flipping" awesome. Having always struggled at math, her videos would have been really helpful all of those nights that I was frustrated with not understanding the process of math. If you have not checked out
Stacey's youtube channel, I strongly recommend it. I recommend her flips because it shows what is possible regardless of content. I love how the flipped classroom model really emphasizes process, and have tried it out a few times in my eighth grade English class. Here is one of my flipped lessons:
Teaching a Sonnet with SMART Notebook in the Flipped Classroom
Through the process of creating a flipped lesson, I have gained appreciation for teachers like Stacey, because creating these videos can be a flipping challenge. Here are a few suggestions that I hope will help others as they begin their own flips.
-In the beginning, simple is better. My first flip ever was one that went over directions on how to access the online databases on campus, and utilize the citation function of the databases to assist in forming their reference pages. For that flip, I just did a simple screen recording of me navigating our library site with a voice over. There weren't any bells and whistles, but my students found it useful to be able to refer back to the visual directions as they were accessing the site. The video allowed my students to access directions as they researched in class, and the students were less confused by the workflow of the site when they were at home (flipping this lesson increased the number of students who completed their research, and decreased the number of procedural questions I had). Here is an example of how I have used the flipped model for providing directions:
Database Instructions.
-Work on lessons that you are comfortable with, and one that can be captured well with a flip. Like any teaching tool, it is not great for every lesson. There are some complex tasks that require more question and answer. I have to admit that the sonnet lesson that appears in the beginning of this blog post was not just shared with students without pretense or follow-up. It was the latter part of a broader Shakespeare unit that centered around Romeo and Juliet, so the students were already exposed to sonnets, iambic pentameter, rhyme scheme, and a common vocabulary. The flip was also followed up with a discussion in class before they started their writing workshop.
-Start with software that you are already familiar with, but be open to new tools. I have used SMART Notebook and Screencast-o-matic in the past, as well as tried Explain Everything and found them to have different pros and cons. Here is a simple flip that I created using Explain Everything:
Whirligig Instructions. I have also used Explain Everything to assist new summer school teachers on where a building is on campus:
Directions on Campus. There are other software options as well, as I believe Stacey uses Camtasia. Play with a few, and find what works best for you and your students.
-Flipping can be as difficult or easy as you make it. I have prepared flipped lessons that have taken five minutes to prepare, and others that have taken three hours. I am still experimenting with flipping, and although I find it challenging, I am excited about the possibilities. Ultimately, flipping is an incredible tool, but it all starts with the purpose of the lesson and elements of what is fundamentally good teaching.
I hope this post has been helpful, and please respond or contribute with feedback and/or questions.