Are You Ready to Flip?

Flipped classrooms. The new rage. I found the course we completed quite interesting. I struggled at first to come up with an idea and then implement it, but I think I finally got the hand of it. I think that flipped classrooms can be a great tool. I feel that flipping the classroom would be amazing for high school classrooms. I think that many middle school classrooms could really benefit from this too! I understand the purpose behind the concept and what it looks like, I just find it difficult to imagine myself implementing this in an elementary classroom. First of all, no student is guaranteed to have internet or computer access at home. Some teachers make arrangements for students to come in before school or stay after. That could be a good alternative, but there are students that this isn't possible for either. Other teachers make DVD's to send home with their students. Once again, you don't know every students home life and situation. In the county that I live in have students without power. 

Forget being able to access the videos or resources. I still have to consider that these are elementary age students. They need the one-on-one contact in the classroom. They need the conversation and discussion. They need to truly be learning and taking in the content being taught. 

This week, I found an article on edutopia that discusses an alternative to the flipped classroom. This method is called the "In-Class Flip". Basically this involves still recording and making a video lecture. Once in the classroom, students are split up into groups. Watching the video becomes one of many stations that students will rotate through. Other stations include group work, individual work, and other activities related to the lesson. This gives students the opportunity to quickly watch the lesson and take turns discussing and practicing what they've learned. 

There are some advantages to this technique and also some disadvantages. 

A few of the advantages include the teacher is able to monitor student participation, the lecture has a better chance to sink in, and hardware is safer. Disadvantages include more preparation required, you don't "gain" class time like you would in the flipped classroom, and it is difficult to implement in one-period classrooms. 

Overall, I feel that this technique would apply much easier in my own future classroom. I want my students to be able to succeed and learn as much as possible. I fear that it could be difficult to flip the classroom in many situations. This gives teachers the opportunity to practice a certain version of this. 

This subject could apply to all areas of standard 4 of the teaching standards. Teachers need to facilitate learning for their students. Practicing a technique like this would show that appropriate measures are being taken to meet students needs but they are being challenged and encouraged to learn. 

Read the article to find out more about the "In-Class Flip":

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/flipped-classroom-in-class-version-jennifer-gonzalez