The classroom: To flip or not to flip?

 

 

That is the question. Flipping the classroom seems to be in vogue now.  It’s an interesting concept. Just what is the flipped classroom all about?  I decided to do some research on the topic.

The first thing I did was consult Wikipedia and found this:

In flip teaching, the students first study the topic by themselves, typically using video lessons prepared by the teacher^[5][6] or third parties. In class students apply the knowledge by solving problems and doing practical work.^[7][8][9] The teacher tutors the students when they become stuck, rather than imparting the initial lesson in person. Complementary techniques include^[10] differentiated instruction and project-based learning.^[11] Teachers are blending flipped learning with traditional in-class lecturing through tools like eduCanon or EDpuzzle^[12] that keep students accountable to video lessons at home through time-embedded formative assessments.^{[13]   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip_teaching )}

As I continued to read on the trend, I thought and wondered  if I could do this.  Could I flip my classroom? I’ve already been blending my teaching strategies. As a technology and English-language instructor, I’ve used web-based learning to reach all my students. I’ve used Google apps, Socrative, Slideshare,  Flickr,  Wikispaces, YouTube e-mail communications, and a class blog to insure that the students have every opportunity to access class content.  And I’m seriously considering using Twitter and Pinterest. Maybe I’m already doing most of what’s involved.  One thing I haven’t done is record a video of  one of my lectures. So I’ll have to check out how to record my class content and make it available for those students taking one of my courses.

I checked out the DailyGenuis 6- step guide to flipping the classroom and found it to be easy enough to try out. Let’s see how it goes. If I do decide to engage in the practice and I obtain reasonable success (hopefully), well, I’ll definitely write a post on it!

You think this trend will stick around or is it one of those fads that will fade away? Would you venture into this new teaching experience? ~~LMM

 

 

 

Teaching “Two kinds” by Amy Tan

I thought this was an excellent post! I’ll be using it as a guide for my English class blog during the new school year!

The digital classroom, transforming the way we learn

Two Kinds” is a story in Amy Tan’s immensely successful first book, The Joy Luck Club. Tan intended the book to be read as a loose collection of interrelated stories, but it is often referred to as a novel. Several of the stories appeared in periodicals separately, many of them in Atlantic Monthly, which purchased the serial rights to the book prior to its publication. “Two Kinds” was initially published in the Atlanticin February 1989, one month before the book was released.

The Joy Luck Club (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Like all the stories in the book, “Two Kinds” is concerned with the complex relationships between mothers and daughters. In particular, Tan’s subject is the distance between mothers who were born in China before the communist revolution and thus have been cut off from their native culture for decades, and their American-born daughters who must negotiate the twin…

View original post 275 more words

Reassessing goals for the coming school year

 

During the summer months, most educators take some time out to reflect on what goals  to establish for a more productive school year.  I am one of those souls who likes to reflect on my teaching strategies. I ask myself: What did I do the previous year that worked well? In what areas did I fail to reach the goals I established?  What  could I have done better? What can I do differently next year to reach those goals? Effective teaching practices involve a thoughtful reassessment of goals.

Between walks on the beach or puttering in the garden, I let my mind go and think of all the scenarios of a learning environment that might get the kids emotionally fired up to get going. Vacation time gives me the opportunity to think about those activities that can inspire the students to become self-learning individuals.  I’d like to create the kind of activity that will motivate any student and provide the chance to use the brain in creative ways. Whatever the activity, it should be one that results in a feeling of satisfaction and pride. The kind of feeling that makes one say proudly: “Wow! I did that!”

Recently, I’ve been following some boards on Pinterest related to the academic field and I’m fascinated by all the bright ideas that some teachers have to get their students motivated.  Just goes to show that when you put your mind to it, clever ideas emerge. Even if I have a number of years of experience under my belt, I’m sure I’ll pick up something new to try out for the coming school year. A person is never “too experienced” to learn new tricks and set new goals! ~~LMM