Flipped Classrooms

A flipped classroom is new and interactive way to manage class time efficiently.  The typical school day is switched with the typical out of class work in a flipped classroom.  Instead of lectures, in a flipped classroom, teacher record on vodcasts or given instructions for students to view outside of class as homework.  During class time, the students put what they learned as homework to practice with the teacher there to guide and assist as needed.

 A vodcast is an online delivery of a video, sometime is blog form. Vodcasting experts, Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams, developed the concept of a flipped classroom.  To do this, they thought about what would be the best use of class time for my students.  Apply the strategies learned is a higher level of thinking than passively listening to a lecture.  Applying is also more difficult so students might need extra help.  The teacher is in the classroom during practice time in a flipped classroom.  If it was a traditional classroom, the students will me one their own to figure out the problem.

Read Jonathan Bergmann's blog!  

How do I create a flipped classroom?

Step by step instructions:

• Record yourself doing and explaining the skill through a vodcast
• Have students watch vodcast as homework
• In class, have students put the skill to use by doing the activity or skill explained in the vodcast
• Kidwatch, observe, and assist where needed as students do their work

The benefits of a flipped classroom:

• Less time lecturing
• Hand-on learning for students
• Interactive exchange between teacher and student
• Students can pause and replay vodcast if more explanation is needed
• Teacher can explain the concept in a variety of ways to specialize to different learning styles without wasting class time
• Students who are absent can stay with the class and not fall behind in their studies
• Students who already understand the concept do not have to sit through an explanation of the same skill over and over again

A flipped classroom can cater to many different student needs.  Most, if not all, of the multiple intelligences can be reached through different vodcasts of the same skill or through further explanation by the teacher during these videos.  EC, ESL or ELL students can listen and see what the teacher is doing, pause it, slow it down, and replay it if they need extra time.  Students who speak other languages could have the option to watch it in their own language to ensure comprehension.  AG students will probably understand the concept or skill faster than the average student.  They will not have to waste their time sitting in on a lecture they already understand. 

The idea of the flipped classroom is a great way to save and use class time efficiently. Students will get authentic learning and practice with the skills and concept while teachers get the chance to help out and guide practice.
References:

Aaron Sams - Educator, Consultant, Author. (2012, April 10). Aaron Sams - Educator, Consultant, Author. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from http://www.aaronsams.com/

Bergmann, J. (2012, September 8). Flipped learning and spaghetti sauce.Flipped Learning. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from flipped-learning.com/ http://flipped-learning.com/

Educational Podcasting, Educational Vodcasting. (n.d.). Educational Technology Network. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from http://www.edtechnetwork.com/podcasting_vodcasting.html

Gill, H. (n.d.). Kid Watching: A Naturalistic Assessment Technique.arslpedconsultant. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from http://arslpedconsultant.com/documents/Handouts%20Goals%20for%20the%20Future/Kid%20Watching.pdf

Jon Bergmann | Profile on TED.com. (n.d.). TED: Ideas worth spreading. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from http://www.ted.com/speakers/jon_bergmann.html

Learning Styles Online.com - including a free inventory. (n.d.). Learning Styles Online.com - including a free inventory. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from http://www.learning-styles-online.com/

Smith, M. (n.d.). Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences and education .contents @ the informal education homepage. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.html

The Flipped Classroom is Born - YouTube. (n.d.). YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-y9vR7YTak

The Flipped Classroom: Turning the Traditional Classroom on its Head. (n.d.).Knewton - Adaptive Learning Platformâ„¢ . Retrieved September 16, 2012, from http://www.knewton.com/flipped-classroom/

Podcast Update

In the podcast Math dude, I listened to the podcast "What is Pi?"  This was a great podcast because of its relevance to the time of the year.  The episode was updated in the middle of march because the first three numbers of pi are 3, 1, and 4.  So, March 14th is pi day.  It is great to tie lessons into everyday life so students can make connections.  It is also used as a hook to engage and keep the students entertained and excited to learn.

The podcast talked about how to figure out the circumference using a string to go around the outside of a circle and measuring the length to get the diameter.  He gave the formula to figure out the circumference of a circle in a fun and easy to understand way.  It is pi (3.14) times the diameter.  He also told us that pi is a constant ratio between the circumference of a circle and its diameter.  My favorite part of this podcast were the cheesy jokes he made.
The Math Dude is a trustworthy and informative podcast to listen to.  His facts are accurate and podcasts are interesting to listen to.
Another podcast that is very informative at teaching math to young grades is Discovering the Basics.  I listened to a podcast about adding and subtracting simple numbers.  The first example it used was to numbers 1-9 plus one.  The podcast gave tips to teachers on how to introduce the topic of adding and number sentences.

Here a few tips from the podcast:

• Teacher should say the number sentence and students should repeat it
• Have the students point to the first number, to the second number, the equals sign, and the plus sign
• Teacher should say that the plus and equals sign are symbols
• Teacher should say that the + symbol means to put the value of the numbers together and that the = symbol means that is where you write down the new number that you get

This podcast is a great resource for teachers looking for ways to reach out and get the students to concretely understand what is needed to be learned.  I think that teachers should use this podcast to get tips and advice on how to introduce lessons, especially for the younger grades.  Even though this podcast can be a little boring, it is informative and accurate.

Podcasts

Podcasts are a great way to receive information in an easy to use and fun way.  You can get podcast through iTunes.  Listening to podcasts about math has certainly helped me as an educator get tips and develop strategies to use in my classroom.  The first podcast I listened to it the Math Dude quick and dirty tips to make math easier.  This podcast gives different strategies and techniques to help get ahead and stay on track in math.  Each episode features a different topic.

The topic that stuck out for me while listening to most of the podcast was the episode about patterns.  I am creating a unit about patterns so this was especially helpful for me.  In the episode, it told students to start on a small scale investigation of the pattern in order to figure out what the pattern is.  The math dude said students can make problems easier by simplifying the numbers by rounding and finding patterns in multiplication facts.  In a different episode, he gives hints on how to memorize numbers.  He does thinks by turning the digits of a number into consonant sounds and then adding vowels to make words and images.  By picturing this image in your head, you will remember the words, the consonants and the digits in turn which will make you remember the number.  All of the episodes give off specific and helpful tricks to make math easier and more enjoyable.
Other episodes feature:

• how to quickly check your answers
• how to use math to make estimates
• how to make and use venn diagrams
• ways to remember standard deviation formula
• what the batting average for a baseball player means

The other podcast that I followed was Discovering the basics- Math podcast.  It got teachers to think of their instruction in their students point of view.  This will help the students out more because they will be taught according to what they need instead of what the teacher is willing to give them.  

In one episode, a teachers explanations are not always helpful because they are based on our own experiences and observations.  Students need to make their own through inquiry to really understand the topic at hand.  The importance of fast facts were discussed in another episode.  It said that the students who memorized quick facts were a step ahead of those who are not.  Math fluency is important in math in the future because students will be able to skip steps and get more problems done.  This podcast was helpful in math instruction.  It discussed the reasons behind instruction and why these topics are important when teaching students.  It puts the educator in the students shoes through examples.   

Final Blog on Useful Technology

In the 21st century, teachers need to be up to date and current with the way the project information to students.  Technology is a wonderful medium to use for teaching students information in a variety of ways. With activities like the ones described below, teachers can introduce topics, teach aspects of skills, practice skills, and review skills in many different forms so students do not notice it is the same information being taught in many different forms to ensure student learning.  Here is a link to a site that has many different strategies to keep students' attention and keep them engaged.  
Some useful tools to use in the classroom are PowerPoint, ActivInspire, and Glogster.  All of these applications are free downloads or come with a typical computer software.  This is great for teachers because they do not have to go out of there way and spend more of there own money (we all know that teachers use a lot of money out of their own pockets to pay for things for their students already).

PowerPoint is no longer just a presentation tool to be used by adult professionals.  It can also be transformed into an interactive activity for students to complete by themselves or in pairs.  This is revolutionary because the teacher no longer has to stand in front of the class and lecture.  The students now get to explore and discover the information rather than have it handed to them.  Through virtual field trips, students are having fun and learning at the same time.  They will be excited to do work instead of dreading it.  I will use this in the classroom by introducing a topic like aquatic life and have the students work in pairs to travel through the exhibits in an aquarium learning about each animal as the go.

ActivInspire is another tool that can be used in the classroom as a smart board activity at the front of the classroom.  It allows for students to come up to the board and do activities in front of the class.  This is great for students because it keeps them active and paying attention.  It also helps them to learn through doing which is a very beneficial part of the learning process.  In the classroom, ActivInspire can be used by giving a spelling lesson on the smart board.  Introduce the section of spelling, like -ake words, have them practice writing them, recognizing them, writing them, and using them in sentences.

Glogster is a tool that serves as an interactive poster for students to explore.  It allows for graphics, videos, text and other media to be on a page that can be linked to other pages also.  This tool is great because the students can go through the webpage at their own pace on their on computers.  Also, the teacher could send a link and have the students review the skills at home or outside of class.  In a classroom, a teacher can introduce a topic, such as the solar system.  The students can click on different aspects of the solar system like the planets, the sun, and moon.  Each aspect will bring them to a new page that has activities, games, videos, pictures, and information about the subject.  This is a great way to introduce this topic.

How are iPads being used in elementary classrooms?

New technology is revolutionizing the way elementary classrooms look, the way teachers connect with students, and the way students learn.  With this new technology, students are able to experience a lesson rather than watch a lesson.  An esspecially useful peice of technology that every elementary classroom should have is an iPad.  By bringing iPads into the classroom, teachers are able to make special accomodations for students, they can be eco-friendly by saving paper, and can share information with other classes, students, and parents. 

Most elementary classrooms do not have access to enough computers for every student.  IPads would take up less room, are less expensive, and can share information between students and teachers easier.  With all this new technology, soon textsbooks will not even be relevent to classrooms.  Now-a-days, students can access all the information they need to know for any project on the internet or by using applications on an iPad (as Apple would say "There's an app for that").  Having new and improved technology in the classroom will get students ready and excited to learn!

Here are some useful apps to use in a third grade classroom:

iBooks- This is an app that lets you download, read, and store any book.

Pandora- This app is a music player that predicts songs that you would like.  Teachers can put on Pandora to have relaxing background noise or to get students energy out using music and physical actvity.

iStudiez pro- Helps students (and teachers) keep track of classes and assignemnts.

Vocabulary Builder Grade 3- Students get the chance to go through vitrual flashcard and play games to learn new words.
BrainQuest Blast Off: Grade 3- Sutedents can go through and quiz themeselves and other on trivia questions.

The iPad has a lot more to offer than just apps.  It has access to YouTube which can show tutorials on how to do something or just be another medium for students to learn from.  The iPad has an area where notes can be taken.  It is easy to send and recieve emails, notifications, and assignments that can be read and replyed to immeaditatly.  Attendence can be taken quickly and efficeintly on this device.  IPads come with a calender system that syncronizes with other applications and keeps schedules neat and organized.   

Walking around the classroom teachers always observe important things that they need to keep track of.  By having a small hald held device where they can take notes and do informal assessments, there lives are a lot easier.  Teachers can use the iPad to administer reading level tests while the student is the only holding the tablet to give the confidence and make it easier for them.  Also, publishing students work and gaining access to the most recent information and data is neccessary to keep a 21st century classroom up to date.  Teachers are able to create interactive lessons that keep students focused and having fun.  Another great way for teachers to keep students happy is by making there tests and quizes on the iPads.  This will help the students relax while being tested to get rid of any test anxiety they might have.  This quizes can also be self-correcting which will save the teacher a lot of time as well. 

There are many informative apps, helpful features, and great used for an iPad in an elementary school classroom.  They releive some of the teachers' stress, students' anxiety, and is just a lot of fun to have around!  Being up to date is recomended for any classroom to keep the students engaged and get them prepared for their 21st century life.