Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Where I'm Headed

I first heard about flip classrooms last year. And, true to form, I began reading and learning all I could about them. I didn't jump right in. I sat back and watched and learned.  Here's what I believe and where  I am headed (and in many ways, I'm already there).

Flip class--giving students what they need when they need it. Not on my time. Their time. So I'm not flipping lectures. If I need to say something to the whole class, then I'll talk to the whole class (and record it for those who are absent. A bonus for those kids who want to go back and see it again.) And maybe that's blended learning.....

Flip class--expecting students to take charge of their learning. Yes. I know I have to help them along the way. Yes. I am the teacher. Yes. I need to give them a gentle nudge once in awhile.  But they need to take charge. What do they need to know to move forward in their learning?  I expect them to tell me and find some of the information themselves.

Google it. The most powerful words I know.

If I want to learn more about something, I first google it and get the basics. Then I find a book. Then I find people who know more than I do. Or sometimes, I flip this. I go to the people first. I move on to google. Then I find a book. It really depends on what I want to know more about.

And I don't limit myself to those things--I blog and love the comments. I use Twitter. I have asked my Facebook friends. I ask students.

Flipped Learning. That's where I'm going. I expect my students to take control of their lives and their learning.

Besides modeling what a lifelong reader and a lifelong writer look like, I want to show them what a lifelong learner looks like.

Because I am one.

8 comments:

  1. Hurrah, Deb. This is exactly what my school is all about, from 5 to 14, the kids are in charge of their learning. It does work, for sure! I love how you put the words on the table this way. Now if you can only get the students to come eat! and I bet you can.

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  2. It would seem that this type of learning would help these guys start thinking and preparing more for life than the sit back and feed me knowledge way. So many unmotivated, waiting to be entertained young people out there...needs to start early on, so they don't get that way. Thanks for nudging into taking control of their lives!

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  3. Control of their learning, that's awesome! I think you have the right idea, you are on an interesting and exciting road of education. Your kids will be so much better prepared for life.

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  4. I love your way of analyzing the process. It makes flipped classroom look like an attainable goal! Thank you!

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  5. I'll definitely be googling this. Haven't heard of it before!

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  6. I am intrigued that your explanation of flipped classrooms go far deeper than the surface learning I've picked up from skimming. It sounds much more like a concept, like an approach, like a belief system than like a gimmick when I read your reflections. Thank you for sharing your thoughts like this!

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  7. Me too. I hope we get to keep learning together for a very long time.

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  8. To me, the videos, the computers, all that you will hear mentioned in discussions of the flipped classroom are really methods of delivery. I really want the kids to take charge of their learning and that's hard. Kids are used to being receptacles. They aren't used to having to dig and sweat when it comes to learning. But, we'll get there

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