Watched first flipped videos today!

So today, on our first full day of school, I had the Algebra class and Physics class watch my flipped videos and take notes on them in class (links are in titles).  And it went well, the students said they see the advantages and are excited to try it.  They understood the need to take notes and worked through it with me -- best of all it took less time and the students had better engagement.

So the first step is done!  I had set my lessons to watch all videos together this week, doing a few homework problems at home and reevaluate next week.  But I am already thinking of flipping Friday so they can start at home.   I will see how tomorrow goes then decide.

I am not sure what I expected, I did not think they would fight it but also did not think they would buy-in so easy. I am really glad FIZZ has there independent program with steps to getting you to flip (was the motivation I needed to make videos).

So now to get everyone more comfortable and move videos to homework - then the truly new part - getting better in the hour - making students higher order thinkers!

Why flip my classroom?

So this year I am 'flipping,' recording mini-lectures, and asking my students to watch a video for homework -- in essence I am 'flipping' the lecture and homework. I see it as a way to help differentiate for my students and gain precious class time.  Some students, maybe even a majority (arguable), do okay with the traditional lecture, but that leaves a large portion who cannot follow the lecture due to many factors - whether they struggle or excel, or are more kin esthetic -- the point is lectures are not the best for a sizable segment of a class.

And it looks like the videos will really work well for nearly all the students -- this is based on the instructional videos I have been watching at FIZZ.  The traditional lecture students will still get what they need, the advanced students can fast forward and students that want or need more review can stop me and repeat me!

The challenge will be planning higher order activities in the open time.  I am starting slowly, just my Algebra Class and maybe a couple of Physics things.   And as I finish the first group of 20-30 videos I will spin my attention to how the class will run from bell-to-bell.

It means changing the work they do, how they do it and how they show they did it.   Now the FIZZ site does have a team grouping worksheets and a lesson plan that I want to work with (just starting to work with it).  It kind of matches what I want to start doing, which is taking more time with students working out problems in groups and presenting out solutions. 

But I also want to have them spend more time working out bigger problems too.  Ones requiring research, assumptions, conjectures and revisions.  And I truly believe this is how we will make students ready for the world.  So watch out world - here comes math videos co-starring Mr. Anderson, remember the math is the star.

Homework in 2013, changing what I do -- how to keep the class "high-level"

So I posted some of the things I am working on with respect to homework before and I am still trying to figure out the last part.  The last part was how to get my students the practice they need and have it be more like 2013 versus 1985, which I previously posted as:

Finally the workbook/text book combo.  I am currently looking for ways to move low level things out of my class (by flipping, out of class reading/note taking, etc) and doing a combo of text reading (needed for college) and ....

So I have been trying to figure out what this workbook/text combo idea looks like and how it fits into my classroom.  The more I work at it, the more I lean towards flipping the classroom and having problems completed in class.  I still remain quite unsure of how it will work but have located a resource.

I have been following the FIZZ ideas for how to flip (about style of video, content, etc) and have basically completed their entire first module, I am actually now applying but either way I am again moving forward with their ideas.

I like it because it has that teacher touch, my students taking instruction from me.  It also makes me really think about what I am teaching, how I will integrate and follow up on.  There are plenty of details but I have upload my first couple of videos (fractions, classify triangles by angles and/or sides) and they are better than my previous ones I feel - so it is progress!  With school only 3 weeks away I now have a path (at least).

Again - no more 1985.....