Free Flipped Lesson Logs

I have loved your feedback and questions in regards to flipped classrooms.  Keep them coming!  :)    One of the most asked questions is about how to hold students accountable for homework assignments.

Unfortunately, flipped homework is just like any other homework assignment.  If they aren't going to do their regular homework, they most likely will not initially do their flipped homework.  However, I did find that as the year progressed, all of my children did their flipped homework and their regular homework as well.  I think this comes from feeling successful.   Think about it...why do children not do homework?   Most of the time, it comes out of not having time or not understanding what they are doing.   With flipped homework, children don't have to understand concepts immediately. (I know...crazy thought) :)   It's nice if they do, BUT for those kiddos that don't, you are just front-loading the next day's lesson and repeating how many times they are exposed to a concept.  For those that get it from the video, the next day is all about extending and going deeper. That is why this works so well!    And the bonus...for the kids that don't usually do homework because they don't understand, by they time they have paper pencil homework to do, they get it and feel successful!  They start to understand the importance of doing the flip video and how it helps them to understand concepts easily.  :)

But how do I know they did or didn't do it?   I've created a flipped homework log that they must fill out as they watch their video.   Your freebie for reading my blog today!  :)   Just click on the link below.   Edit it and use it as you see fit in your class.    These logs go into their math folder and become  reference material should they need them later.

Flipped Log

So how does this all work?   I have included a video that I created so that you can see how my log goes with my videos.  It's important though that you make it your own and do what works best for your classroom.   The video was created using the Knowmia Teach app (see previous post and future posts to come).    Please know up front that I know I make mistakes and there may be some in the video.  The kids LOVE to find these and correct me.  I am not perfect and that is the beauty of this concept...reflecting on your teaching helps make you better.   Remember these videos are designed for third graders.  :)


The big question of the day, what do you do with the children that don't do homework?   This is a decision you will need to make based on your classroom policy.   In my opinion, they need the homework if it is going to be the lesson of the day.   I handle this two ways.   I try to make time in the morning for the child to watch the video and complete their log before math time.  However, I have found the best way to handle this is instead of math centers where they get to play review games and collaborate with their peers, they go to the computer lab and watch the video.  (If I can't do center time, I do some other "fun" time).  They really don't like missing out on center time and being with their friends.  They also have to be in my group for the day that doesn't usually grasp the concept quickly.  My reasoning behind this is that it is my job to deliver the curriculum.  If they aren't going to do it for homework, then they need to do it in groups with me.  After a few times of missing the fun stuff, they tend to start doing homework so they can feel caught up with the others.

Hope this helps!   I'd love your comments, questions, or suggestions!

How to Flip Your Classroom - Part 4 and Beyond

Thank you to those of you who have read and commented on my previous posts or sent emails.    I am by no means an expert in this concept, just very passionate about it.  This will be my last post in this series.  Why you ask?   Mostly because this is the point I am at in my learning of flipped classrooms and am now depending on you all to help me out.  :) 

Making videos while learning the common core and finishing up grad school was about all I could do last year.  I forgot the three boys and a husband I also tried to keep up with.  :)     I attempted the differentiation of in-class time but I know it wasn't nearly as good as it could have been.   The heart of a flipped classroom lies in the collaborative, hands-on, differentiated real-world problem-based learning that is happening in the classroom during the school day.   You will find that when you flip your classroom, you really do have a lot more time to do these kinds of things.

Now on to the fun part...planning and designing instruction! 

This summer I have been working diligently to unpack each of the math common core standards.  I've been really looking at what each standard looks like and what differentiated learning looks like at each standard.   I have a storm cloud of ideas going on in my head about what my math block will look like next year and I get more excited each day.  (More on these to come...)   I am finding some really great resources to use to incorporate the real-world problem-based learning I wasn't able to wrap my head around last year.    I've even found time to create some of my own.   I can't wait!!  :) 

I know you keep asking yourself....really you had extra time???   Yes!  :)     On Mondays, I would use this as an assessment day. Assessments don't take forever so we would have lots of extra time to do review games etc. to keep skills sharp.   I would do this because I would not start a new lesson on Monday.  Instead I would flip a video on Monday night for Tuesday's lesson.   So right there was an extra hour of math.   This upcoming school year I will be implementing Monday as a STEM integration or PBL day instead of keeping skills sharp games (those will come in review centers).    There is no set day on when to flip.  I selected to flip on Monday and Wednesday just because it kept my younger ones on a schedule. Parents also liked the consistent schedule and there was no guess work in what homework was for the night.  Tuesday's math class would start with a quick discussion about the video, questions, etc.  I would do a quick assessment either informally or formally.  My kids really loved our SENTEO clicker system.  These came in really handy for quick assessments and gave me great data!  Tuesday would be a day for me to pull in the children that didn't fully grasp the concept. But for the kids that did...they started working on differentiated or extension activities.  I would also meet with these children in groups to facilitate their critical thinking and problem solving skills.   Wednesday would be one more day for me to grab the kiddos that needed support (and this group of children was typically smaller by this third day).  I would flip again on Wednesday night, repeating on Thursday and Friday pulling small groups based on assessments etc.    On Monday I would give a formal assessment and then start the cycle over again.  The data on Monday would be used to design my intervention groups or focus for RtI groups that week.    What do you think...can you see where you would find some extra time during your math time to really take students deep into learning?    The kids really become the collaborators where you become the facilitator and catch them when they begin to form misconceptions in their learning.

As you can see this type of instruction is fully data driven.  It also takes a lot of time to create the enrichment/extension lessons, remediation lessons, assessments, SENTEO lessons, and videos.  This is partially why I stated earlier, flipping a classroom takes more than a full year to be really effective.  HOWEVER, you will see benefits very early on!   I promise!    I am at the point where I have the video library and assessments handled and can now focus on differentiating and extending learning during the school day.  Hopefully by summer's end I will have a great plan of attack.  And to think....this is only one subject area.   :)  Next year, I am planning on taking on some ELA standards as well.

I'd love to hear your feedback.  Are any of you ready to try a flip?   What other information, suggestions, or resources can I offer?    

P.S.   I promise my future blogs won't be this long.   I just had so much to get out.  :)   

How to Flip Your Classroom - Part 3

Now that you have decided to take the plunge, it's time to dive in and get dirty.  :)  (If you are just joining me, I am doing a series on How to Flip Your Classroom.  Be sure to check out parts 1 and 2 also.) Deciding what to flip should be easy.   I suggest starting with one content area until you master the video making and differentiated lessons in the classroom.   I chose to stick with math my first year.   Once you have decided what content area or subject you are going to flip, get your standards ready.

Take a look at the standards.  Can they be broken down into 10 minute or less chunks?  A good rule of thumb is that you do not want your videos more than 10-15 minutes long.  I try to stay around 10 minutes  for my third graders.  Within my videos I did give key vocabulary and practice problems so their lessons would take 15-20 minutes.   The next important thing to ask yourself before you flip is, can my students learn this without me through video or will they need me there?  If they need you there then you need to do it in class.  If it is a concept that can be mastered through basically whole group lecture, then flip it.  :)   Just about anything I could do whole group, I flipped.  This allowed me to do my whole group instruction as homework and then dive into small groups the next day.  (More on this to come.)   :)  It is important to keep in mind that just because you use videos, you aren't flipping your classroom.

Remember, videos are only a part of a flipped classroom.  Flipping a classroom involves so many different things.  Videos are the tool that allows you extra time to create a differentiated, 21st Century collaborative environment in your classroom.

Once you have decided what to flip, it's time to think about how you want to create your videos.  Some of this may depend on your school system's requirements.  (See How to Flip - Part 2).    Because my system required me to use my website, I had to post videos through that.  This meant either through embedding them or a URL code.   I felt it important that since my children were young in this adventure, I needed it to be as easy as possible.  I wanted to embed my videos so that it was as few clicks as possible to get there.   I also felt that since this was their first exposure to flipping it needed to be me they saw teaching the lesson.  I also wanted parents to know I was still responsible for instruction, not someone else on a video.  I think it helped them see I was still delivering the required curriculum.   Of course there are many places online for you to go and get videos.  Some of these include Khan Academy and something new I've come across called LearnZillion.   This is really going to depend on your philosophy.  

Now it is time to create your videos.  I used two methods this past year.  My parent's enjoyed both buy commented they really liked seeing me in the videos.  However, they did comment they understand the time commitment so either way was valuable.  The first did cost some money and the second was free.

Since I wanted to be the one in the videos, I first chose to go with Dr. Lodge McCammon's video philosophy.  You can check him out at The Friday Institute.   All I needed was 6 white boards (that is all that will fit on a chalk tray), a video camera,  a tri-pod (or video cameraman), a quiet place to record, and an editing program.  I used Camtasia.   If you use this method try to make your video in one take.  If not, you will drive yourself crazy doing it over and over.  It is OK to make mistakes.  BTW, kids LOVE it!  :)    My first videos were horrible and filled with so many mistakes!!!!   You get better with time.   You need to plan your lesson out in 6 slides.  This makes your teaching so much more targeted.  It's hard to get it all in but it really does keep you right to the point which is good instruction.    I use the editing software to cut out the beginning and end where I am getting up and down out of the chair and maybe any mistakes I make.   I also use the editing program to turn the videos into MP4 files to burn onto DVDs.    This is a time consuming method.  However, it really does get easier the more you do it and you really can get videos down to a science.  It happens very quickly!  I promise.   One bonus use of Camtasia is that you can use PowerPoint and save it as a MP4 file through Camtasia to burn on DVDs.  I've done this a few times.  However, I did find it more time consuming since I am so slow in creating the PowerPoint and then recording the screen.  For me, it was easier to do it live.

About January, I stumbled upon an app that has made my life so much easier.  It is the Teach app by Knowmia. 

This app allows you to create videos slide by slide, import media (pictures and video), and record the screen as you go so the instruction is happening in real time.   AND the kicker is, you can even record yourself in the videos!  I've not attempted this yet but am planning to this fall.  
 

 

You do need to register for a free account through Knowmia.com to house your videos in.  

However, I have found this company to be so helpful and user friendly.   Through the website you get a URL code and an embed code.  You can even make MP4 files of your videos to burn DVDs.

 

You need to chose a way that is good for you and good for your learners.   No matter what, not everyone is going to have Internet access.  You will need to burn DVDs for some of your learners.  However, with Smartphones and free Wi-Fi, you should only have to do a few of these.   I have found that most families either have a gaming system that plays DVDs, a DVD player, or an old computer that isn't hooked up to the Internet.    At the beginning of the year, I send home a survey asking who has Internet connection and with what carrier.  This is important so you can help with troubleshooting along the way.   I also like to know what type of computer PC, Mac, tablet, or iPad they are using.  This comes in handy also for troubleshooting.   I also have a spot where they can check if they can use their parents Smartphone if needed.  I don't want them to have to because it does use data.  However, I had a little girl that would do her homework while waiting for dance on her mom's phone.  Some parents don't know they have access this way unless you ask.   I also have a blank spot for them to check if they do not have Internet.   If so, what gaming device do they have.     This may sound horrible, but I don't try to sell the fact that I will burn DVDs.  This is something you want to do only if you have to.   It does become expensive and time consuming.  However, it does need to be done for those that need it.  You just don't want to do it unless you have to.   You want your students who have Internet using Internet.  The videos become a resource to them and they are always there.  DVDs get lost, scratched, broken, or have to be returned like ours do.  

Now the hard part is out of the way.   Next up...part 4 what to do with all your extra class time.  :)  

How to Flip Your Classroom - Part 2

After all of your research you should be armed and ready to go with any questions you may be asked.  Don't worry, you won't know all of the answers.  However, make sure you have some resources that you can reference should you need them. 

Now it is time to get others on board.  Start with making a list of pros and cons.   Really be honest with yourself and put everything you can think of down.   I'm hoping that your list will look a lot like my finished list.  It seemed all of the cons on my list were because I, or other adults, would be stretched outside of our comfort zones and/or were forced to think outside of the box.    Almost all of my pros benefited children.   To me, this is when whether to flip or not, became an easy decision.   I began with my school administrator.  Thankfully she was already sold on this idea before I even approached her.   However, once your administrators sees your list of pros and cons, and can see how flipping is best practices and 21st century learning at its finest, they will quickly jump on board too.

Our next stop was the technology department of our school system.  This was not as easy.

If you are planning on flipping, have a good solid conversation with your technology department about your resources and any obstacles you may encounter with technology along the way.   Our technology department was fully on board.  However, I had to work within the allowed resources that we have.   YouTube for posting videos was out.  I was ok with this though because when videos are done playing on YouTube they open up many new videos that could take my little ones into places I didn't want them to go.   I either had to use Gaggle or Eduvision to post my videos through.   I love Gaggle but, it didn't allow my videos to be accessed by others who needed them.  I wanted this to be as easy as possible to access.  So this left me with Eduvision.   Not a bad choice, but it has taken a lot of patience and working out a lot of kinks along the way.   Between the folks at Eduvision and my technology department, we finally got things worked out about November.  Both were really supportive and willing to keep working at it.  I'm grateful for all of their hard work.   Thankfully, Eduvision generates an embed code and allows me to house all of my videos on my school website where parents and students can easily find lessons.  These are all conversations to have with the technology powers that be so that you do not break any Internet Accountability Agreements you may have with your school system.

One last technology issue to work out and know how to do ahead of time, is how to burn DVDs so that they can be played on DVD players as well as gaming devices such as Xbox or Playstation.    If children do not have Internet, they most likely have one of these.   This also took some trial and error.  Try this out on all devices possible before sending any DVDs home with children.   If you need help on this email me, I'll be glad to share how I do it.

You may also want to find you a partner in crime to flip with you.  (This is what I lovingly call one of my teammates).   :)   It always helps to have someone else on board with you working through ideas, problems, and solutions.  However, this may be easier said than done.   Not every teacher is going to think this is a great idea until they see it in the works.  And even then, they may not agree.  It is OK!  Not everyone has to love what you are getting ready to do.  So you may be a pioneer in your school for awhile.  I am very thankful I did not have to go on this adventure alone.   However, if you have to do so, feel free to reach out to those of us that are flipping.  I have found everyone that I have asked questions of has been supportive and extremely helpful.   Flipping teachers stick together!   I think this is credited to the fact that we truly believe in the art of collaboration which is the heart of a flipped classroom.

Now that everyone is on board it is time to decided what and how to flip. 

Stay tuned for Part 3...Deciding What and How to Flip.

How to Flip a Classroom - Part 1

Flipping a classroom takes time.  With all of the demands of teaching, it can not be done in one year.   However, the first year is extremely beneficial for not only the students but also the teacher.   I found that through this first year of implementation I learned a lot about how to reflect on my teaching practices, how to deliver targeted content, a ton about technology, and even more about the new Common Core.   I've decided to document this process for those that may be interested in this concept.

Before you begin, you need to really be honest with yourself.  Do you believe this is a valuable experience or do you want to just try something new?   Both are good reasons to flip, however you will have many people question its value and you need to really buy into the concept.   Just wanting to try something new can help motivate you in this process but it won't answer the hard questions of why.   Research the concept of flipping and wrap your head around its benefits AND it drawbacks.  Be prepared to answer questions on both.    One thing to realize in your research is that this innovative concept is done mostly at the middle and high school levels.  Very little is documented about the elementary level.  One important thing you need to keep in mind while you are researching is what will flipping look like at your level of instruction.

One thing I discovered in my research is that there is no one way to flip a classroom.  Flipping depends on the teacher, the students, the school, and the community.  When I decided to flip, I wanted to focus on one content area.   My teaching strength is math so that is where I felt most confident.   I wanted to use flipping to front load my students so that I could use class time to differentiate lessons and extend concepts during face to fact time.  

After you have enough background information, are armed with answers to possible questions/comments, and know how you want to implement your flip, it is time to get your school system and administration on board.

Stay tuned for Part 2...Getting Your School System and Administration on Board.