A Flipped Classroom Evolution

 It's been a hot minute since I've made a blog post!

We transitioned from hybrid to full in-person learning; we've now transitioned back to hybrid learning.

I have had a couple of things I want to blog about but just haven't had or made the time.

One of the biggest things that has happened in my classroom is a change I've made in my flipped lessons.

I realize I am extremely late to the party, but I began using Edpuzzle!

While there are always students who "click through" a video and simply copy things down without any thought about the material or engagement with the instruction, it seems to have been worse or particularly bad the last couple of years. This year I am especially dependent on flipped instruction, and it is more important than ever that students actually understand and absorb what is being presented in a video.

Students this year were sharing with me how they were just "clicking through" videos. I could tell by the difficulties students were having with practice material in class that they were just "clicking through." A few students began asking for a way that would "make them" watch - and pay attention to - the video, and a few of them mentioned Edpuzzle.

So, after our Fall Break, I took the plunge. As I have recorded new videos, I upload them into Edpuzzle and add questions.

I L-O-V-E adding questions. Where I used to say, "Pause the video here and do ________" (few students actually did), I now put a question where students have to try the problem and enter their answer before they move on. Then the video shares the answer, and they can make any necessary corrections to their work. I'll ask students to make predictions about things or tell me what connections they see between topics. At the end of the video - this has become my very favorite - I ask for a summary or a "in your own words, tell me how to do this" or for any questions they might have or for some other sort of reflection about the video.

I don't grade the Edpuzzle questions, but I do read through them. I can tell if there is a particular problem students found challenging. I enjoy reading the answers to the summary/explanation/reflection questions.

There has been a little bit of complaining about the videos being moved to Edpuzzle; it is taking more time for them to complete video notes (this, of course, is expected and sort of the point). Overall, though, I am a huge fan, and students say they like it better. They say they are "actually" paying attention to the videos and understanding material. I can tell by the way they interact with material in class that their understanding is better.

The one feature I wish Edpuzzle had is the ability to watch the video at a faster speed. I, myself, like to watch YouTube videos at a faster speed, and I know not every student needs the material at a slow pace.

I also upload my videos to YouTube when it is time to get ready for a test. This allows students to use the videos to study at their own pace, skipping and watching faster as needed. (This was also a suggestion from a student.)

I've been flipping my classes in some capacity for...7 years...now??? And this is the first big update I've made in a long time. I'm so happy I did!

Student Thoughts about Hybrid Learning

Week before last I asked students some feedback questions about hybrid learning. We are pivoting off of hybrid this coming week, so I really should have written this post last weekend, but the information I received is still relevant, as I will continue to use some of the things I implemented for hybrid learning AND I feel it is very likely we will have to move back into hybrid learning at some point.

I've said it before, but I love gathering student thoughts. Yes, they think and communicate like young teenagers, but I always get good information and ideas from them.

I asked students about four aspects of hybrid learning: how it was going for them, Zoom sessions, the Weekly Planner, and lesson videos.

The Hybrid Experience

Students enjoy the slower pace of remote learning. They only had to Zoom for academic classes, so they had periods of time during the day that had no official obligations. They like being able to sleep a little later. They like moving at their own pace.

Their favorite aspect of being at home? Being able to eat what they want when they want it.

They don't like not having direct access to teachers while doing their work. They don't like having to deal with sometimes-glitchy technology. They feel they are more distracted at home and have a harder time completing their work (I would agree).

Zoom Sessions

I specifically asked about the Zoom sessions for my class, because every teacher did it a little differently.

In general, they liked the length of my sessions. Since I flipped lessons, I took attendance, did some sort of warm-up/introduction, and then explained the day's tasks/assignments. Students were free to hang around and work on their assignments while still on the Zoom session, but they seldom did.

I didn't realize how much Zoom lagged for many of them. Many mentioned they missed things that were said due to glitches.

The Weekly Planner

The Weekly Planner is a huge hit. One student said, "I live by the planner." I was talking to a group of students about continuing the use of the Weekly Planner, and one student asked, "You haven't always used the Planner?!?"

They like the Planner being organized and being able to find their assignments all in one place. They like knowing if they have completed everything they needed to do for a particular day.

Several asked for due dates to be listed in the Planner. The due dates are on the assignments in Google Classroom, but it is probably easy enough to also add that information to the Planner.

Lesson Videos

I must admit, I was a little nervous asking about the lesson videos. I just wasn't sure this group was "jiving" really well with the videos.

My fears were unfounded. They like all the aspects of videos that are the reasons I use videos: going at their own pace, being able to rewind, having the videos available to watch again later. Yesterday a student wanted to ensure that I would still be doing videos even when we are not following the hybrid model.

Interestingly, several mentioned wishing there was a way to encourage them to watch and engage with the video instead of "clicking through." One class actually asked me to play a video from the board so they could watch it as a class. I think EdPuzzle would do what they're asking for, but then they lose the ability to watch the video at a faster or slower pace if they want??? I'm still thinking about it. The fact that they're self-aware enough to know they're doing something that is not in their best interest is positive.

I can say I am seeing growth in their use of the videos and the notes they take. I sometimes forget the learning curve for how to use an academic video.

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Overall, I thought the feedback I received from students was positive. Most of them are doing what they can given the circumstances and are rising to the challenge. Most of them feel I am adequately meeting their needs.

This coming week I will get to see all of my students at the same time and watch them all work on the same assignment. Things are still not "normal," but I am thankful for any amount of time I get to be with them all together.

This school year will continue to require frequent reflection and adaptation, and we will all continue to take one week...one day...one class period at a time.

For Such a Time as This? #MTBoSBlaugust

Two days, two blog posts. Wow!

Today I want to look back and reflect a bit on teaching during the quarantine.

When I first learned that we would be teaching remotely and virtually, I thought, "I've got this!" Having been a "flipped" teacher for many years, I was familiar with cranking out videos. My students were familiar with watching instructional videos (although not as many this past year, due to various circumstances).

THIS is the type of situation for which I'm prepared!

Umm...maybe not.

One place where flipped lessons shine is in face-to-face time with students in the classroom. They've watched the video in their personal space, so we do the work in our shared space. They explore. They collaborate. They practice. I circulate, assisting and encouraging and stretching where needed.

This all looked very different in the virtual space.

For one, I allowed my students to have their video off (I would do this differently, now). I was looking at a screen full of names. No facial expressions, no body language to let me know who was or wasn't understanding.

Not every student watched the videos ahead of time, so I had to use the first chunk of our Zoom time reteaching the lesson.

Ways for students to explore and practice material via Zoom were limited.

I felt like our time together (virtually) was a lot of me, me, me, something from which I had gotten away in my flipped classroom transformation.

There was little interaction and no back-and-forth. I missed it so much.

As we moved through the quarter, I got better with ways to make a virtual class more interactive, and that helped. But it still wasn't the same.

The move to virtual instruction in the spring was sudden with little preparation time.

It feels likely we'll have to do at least some of this coming year virtually.

I have a few ideas about how I'll do things differently next time. And I attended a couple of virtual PD sessions that modeled ways to make the most of remote instruction; I will definitely implement those if/when we have to teach from home.

But the learning curve was surprisingly steep for virtual teaching, and - to my dismay - I was not near as prepared as I thought I would have been.

Thankfully it's an opportunity for growth of which I can take advantage the next time around.

Video Reboot, Part 2 #flipblogs

I'm not sure if there's a current #flipblogs challenge, but since I started this series with #flipblogs, I'll continue it that way.

Video templates for the first grading period are done!

Nine sets of Google Slides are complete, covering the Pythagorean Theorem, solving equations, and solving inequalities (including compound and absolute value).

Man...that took a long time! Each lesson took, on average, two evenings to complete.

As I went along, there were elements of creating the slides that became a little more efficient and quicker.

As I got into the templates dealing with inequalities, I had to figure out how to make number lines and how I wanted to "click" them in while explaining how to do them. I was pretty proud of those first number lines.

Now I'm ready to begin recording.

I'm going to rewatch the videos about how to use Google Slides with Snagit and maybe try one or two this weekend.

My goal is to have all the videos recorded and ready to go by the end of June.

Stay tuned!

Video Reboot, Part 1 #flipblogs

I have needed and wanted to refresh some of my videos for the past 2 years. I have made new videos every year, but some of the videos I use are now 4 years old. Life has conspired against my best intentions, however, and there has been no opportunity to remake the videos that need remaking.

Since I'm currently on leave, I have more time, and the planning bug that bit a few weeks ago led to looking at video creation.

I have used Explain Everything for 4 years. My typical make-a-video routine is:

• Create blank notes in Smart.
• Export the notes as a PDF.
• Upload the notes into Explain Everything.
• Record the video as a screen-cast. I write on the blank notes as I explain what I am doing.

At the beginning of the year, I upgraded to Snagit 2019, and I decided I would like to try to use Snagit for video creation.

I looked at some videos explaining how to record Google Slides presentations using Snagit.

So I have spent the past week or so creating Google Slides. I am using Equatio to create the math. I am doing many things one line at a time so I can click in a line and explain it as I go.

It is taking a LONG time to create a video template.

I like the more professional look of the slides, and I like being able to use a few effects to make things look a little more "done."

I like that I'll be able to use the cursor as a pointer as I talk about things on the slide.

I'm afraid I'm going to miss writing on the notes.

The next step is to actually do some recording and see what it all looks like. Stay tuned!

Pressing the Pause Button

I meant to be a better participant in the last #flipblogs challenge, but...well, you know...life.

Since my last post, life has led to some unexpected changes.

I am on leave.

The week before Thanksgiving was my last week in the classroom. One of my former students is covering my leave.

Things have felt very weird, but I'm beginning to settle into my current "normal."

My videos now have a new use, as I am sending links to my sub so that she can see how I would approach content. She has posted my videos for test review, and she would also like to post my videos for students who have been absent.

I have many goals for my time at home, and some of that includes reflecting on and learning how to improve as a teacher when I return to the classroom. I have joined Angela Watson's 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club (I can dream, right?) to work through her material and make plans to improve efficiency.

I don't know what I'll have to blog about in the next few months, but who knows? I might have something I want to talk about from time to time.

Working One-on-One and Seeing Growth #flipblogs

This week I have been reminded of another benefit of flipped lessons: the ability to work one-on-one with students in class and see the resulting growth.

In Algebra 1, we are solving equations right now. I've had several students who can get to the right answer but struggle to show their thinking in a way that is organized and easy to follow. And often, when students can't organize their thinking, they can't get to the right answer, either. Many students are seeing that a little negative sign - easy to lose when one's work is not well-organized - can cause big problems.

As students have worked through activities in class, I have sat with students who have been having difficulty demonstrating their thinking. Yesterday we did an activity where I asked some students to let me see each problem as they finished it. We talked through each problem together.

Today I gave a "quick check" with two equations to solve. Several students showed marked improvement in the organization and presentation of their thinking. I wrote "Bee-you-ti-ful!" on a couple of papers.

This improvement happened because students were able to work on content in class after watching the lesson at home. And I was able to circulate amongst students and spend time with those who needed me.

Another #flipclass win.

Why I STILL Love Flipping #flipblogs

I was so proud of my Algebra 1 students today.

I blogged last week about introducing them to flipped lessons. We watched 2 videos as a class. Monday, they watched one in class but individually.

Then I assigned 2 videos for the rest of the week, one due today and one due Friday.

Last year, I didn't assign videos for homework. But it really slowed me down. Some things that could have been done in one day took two days, and I didn't get to all my content.

So, this year, I decided to assign some videos for out-of-class viewing.

I was a little worried that my first assigned video was on a football night. It was only a 13-minute video, but game nights are challenging. And then we had storms come through last night with widespread internet outages.

I have never made a huge deal out of videos not being watched at home - sit down & watch the video and join the activities when you're finished - but it does put kids a little bit behind, and they miss some in-class practice time.

I decided there would probably be a good many of my students who did not watch last night's video, so I prepared for that.

First Period comes in this morning, and EVERYONE had watched the video. Even the student who had been absent the previous two days! Out of 4 class periods and almost 80 kids, only 4 had not watched the video!

I remembered two big reasons I love flipping:
1) Accessibility - students watched the video in their study hall yesterday, some watched it after the power came back on last night, some got up a few minutes early this morning to watch it. It was there when they were able to watch it.
2) Student ownership - two students who were absent yesterday watched the video. I LOVE this. It's responsibility at its highest level. "I wasn't at school, but I don't have to get farther behind."

I was so proud of my students. After a night that gave several reasons for excuses - some of them likely valid - they all stepped up and took control of their learning.

In just a few days, I have been reminded of why I choose to flip lessons. And I still love it.

An Improvement in Feedback

Timely, efficient feedback is an area I consistently find challenging. I believe I have improved over the years, but I could often be so much better.

A flipped classroom obviously allows for better feedback. I am with students as they work with content, and I am able to give frequent, verbal feedback as I walk around and watch students work.

I struggle with stuff I take up. Things I would like to look at, make comments on, and return to students. The turn-around on these things is seldom quick enough to make a difference. And students aren't keen on reading comments I've written on something they completed yesterday (or...before yesterday).

I want them to learn from feedback. I want them to be able to try and try again until they get something right.

A few weeks ago I had a mini A-Ha.

I gave a warm-up on material from previous days' content. When students finished they were to let me check their work. If everything was correct, they moved on to the next thing in the day's agenda (I love self-paced days, and kids do, too). If they missed anything, I returned the paper to them, and they continued to work.

My feedback got more specific the more I returned to a student. At first, I told them which problems they missed. The next time, I would give them something more specific about where they were missing a problem. Eventually, we might have some one-on-one instruction about difficulties they were having.

Students worked until they got everything correct.

They received immediate, meaningful feedback.

They acted on the feedback. Immediately.

I've used the process a few times since then, and I like it. Students are improving at finding their mistakes. They are developing perseverance. I think the process helps with stress levels, as they know they can work with problems until they get them right. I am able to give lots of high-fives as students conquer a problem that is giving them difficulties.

The only issue I saw is that one issue that permeates every aspect of what I would like to accomplish in class: time. A few students (not many) have spent most of the class on a few problems and not had a lot of time with the new material for the day. It hasn't been a deal-breaker, but it is something I will have to continue to look at and see if there's something I can do to make it better.

Overall, though, I like this way of delivering feedback. Anytime I can tell students right NOW what they need to work on, and they can work on those things right NOW, students will make progress and deepen their learning.

The Retention Conundrum

Retention.

While it's always been an issue and something I deal with as a teacher of middle school students (who - in the words of one of my interviewers years ago - wake up in a new world every morning), lately I have found myself particularly frustrated by it. Confused, even.

It doesn't seem to matter if we covered a topic last week, last month, or last semester. It doesn't seem to matter if it's something we spent a good deal of time with or how successful they were when we covered it (solving equations). It doesn't seem to matter if it's something we've been on for months, step away for a lesson or two, and return to (graphing linear equations). Sometimes it doesn't matter if we were working on it yesterday.

I find myself saying things such as, "We've covered this!" "You knew how to do this _____ long ago!" "You learned this in ______ grade!" All in an increasingly exasperated tone and more often than I would like.

Before the end of the first semester, I was determined to figure out a plan for spiral review for the start of the second semester.

I have NEVER been happy with the times I have tried to incorporate spiral review. Most of the time the process has involved students being given a few minutes to work a few problems. There is a handful of students in each class who will sit through the time allotted and not attempt anything, waiting for me to work the problems. After the designated time, I work the problems, and those who sat there for five minutes copy what I write, learning very little.

I found an eighth-grade spiral review product I liked and tweaked it some for my classes. Students have four problems to work, four days a week.

When I first started, I told students, "This is review material. You know how to do this. Look things up you don't remember. I'm not working the problems for you. Try SOMEthing." My goal was to check their work at the end of the week, highlight mistakes, and then work through problem areas together.

This was met with a little success in my Algebra 1 classes, but my Pre-Algebra classes were really struggling with the work. And checking all the papers of all my classes every week proved to not be my best plan.

So, I softened my approach a bit. I walk around and answer questions as students work. At the end of the allotted time, I ask for questions and will work a problem or two (but I seldom work all of them). Problems through the week are similar with a few included from previous weeks (hence the spiral, LOL), and students are seeing things over and over.

This week I had the idea of giving a "quiz" with a few problems similar to the ones students had been working to see how they are doing with the concepts we are reviewing.

I am seeing some progress.

Concepts that I would not have thought students would lose - like determining how many solutions an equation has - have been reviewed and strengthened.

Students are coming up with strategies that might not be the process I taught them the first time, but the "new" strategies are ones they understand and, therefore, will have a better chance of remembering.

I am learning - and am surprised by - how many times students must be exposed to material before it "sticks."

Rather than continuing to be frustrated, I am trying to figure out what I need to do to ensure students REALLY learn concepts for the long haul.

During this same process, I am in the middle of solving systems of equations with my Algebra 1 students, and I have seen that students need spiral review within a unit on top of the spiral review they need for topics from throughout the year.

And then I'm hit with the constant amidst all the variables of my day: I have 50 minutes a class period. My students need spiral review from older topics, spiral review from current topics, introduction to and practice with new material all within those 50 minutes.

Sigh.

Flipped lessons help. Self-pacing helps.

But it still feels very overwhelming. Insurmountable, at times.

I don't have it all figured out, yet. But the wheels are turning, and I will continue to work on keeping topics in front of students until we don't feel like we're starting over every time a concept reappears.

What Keeps Me Going? #flipblogs

Life is still happening in my little corner of the world, and things such as blogging and participating in Twitter chats continue to get pushed to the side.

But I decided to at least add a blog post to this weeks #flipblogs to get a post out there and add my two cents' worth.

What keeps me going?

The follow-up question is: What tools, tech, ideas, beliefs, etc., sustain your flipping?

This is my fourth flipped year. What sustains me?

I still use the same tools and tech I used when I began flipping. I make videos in Explain Everything; I host them on YouTube.

My goal for this year was to begin remaking some of the videos that are now in their fourth year of use (I have made new videos each year, but a few are still the originals). I have not been able to do that. But it has been so nice that, when my extra time and energy is otherwise occupied, my flipped classroom is, in many ways, running itself. I'm still tweaking lessons and looking for new ideas, of course, but when I need to I can post a previously-made video, prepare a previously-used activity, and have a successful class.

What really sustains me are my experiences and the experiences of my students.

Students continue to tell me they enjoy their time in class.  They continue to tell me how useful videos are for self-pacing and studying. They continue to say videos are one of their favorite aspects of the class.

I can't imagine my class any other way. I can no longer stand to hear myself for more than a few minutes at a time (I know...I know...I apologize to all those students through the years who had to listen to me for 30-40 minutes each day). I enjoy seeing students work together and help one another. I enjoy the interaction I get with students as they work through and learn material.

I continue to see all the benefits of a flipped classroom I saw when I first flipped, and that's what keeps me going.

Annual "Start of School" Post

The last couple of years I posted about the start of school at the end of Week 2. That wasn't possible this year, so here I am at the end of Week 3.

The school year has gotten off to a good start.  My classes are good, and I'm excited about the potential the year holds.

I've done many of the same beginning activities blogged about here and here.

I adjusted the integer review for my Pre-Algebra kids, and they were introduced to in-class flipped lessons earlier than last year. Several of them have commented how much they like the videos and learning that way.

I bought a clothesline from Amazon in the summer and have done a few "clothesline math" activities, mostly drawing from this page on the Estimation 180 site. My Algebra kids LOVED the integer target game and have mentioned liking several of the clothesline activities we have done. I used this post from Kent Haines to estimate and order square roots.

I was out of school the day my students worked through the "Thinking Rationally" activity, and I was so sad to have missed any conversations they had. So, one day this week I put up double clotheslines and we talked about the placement of the expressions involving pi. In the process, we got to talk about calculator use AND why some expressions that appear to be irrational really aren't.

My Pre-Algebra kids got to "speed math" yesterday with simplifying expressions. They seemed to enjoy it.

My plan this year is to do a "weekly check-in" with students to see how things are going for them, what they have enjoyed during the week, and suggestions they have for improvement.

I have been out-of-pocket some, so I gave the first "check-in" yesterday. Kids seem very satisfied with the start we have had and how the class is structured. As always, the ability to work together is a favorite.

This coming week, Algebra gets to work with the Pythagorean Theorem. My square roots, real numbers, and Pythagorean Theorem weeks of my year are still some of my favorites. After that, they'll enter equations, and I'm brainstorming how to self-pace that unit and let kids skip things they already know.

Pre-Algebra is reviewing 7th-grade equation stuff and will continue with that (multi-step equations, rational coefficients) this coming week before we introduce equations with variables on both sides.

I continue to try to use technology and Google Classroom to make feedback quicker and more efficient. There is still much I would like to create digital activities for  - I must say I am a huge fan of our new Chromebooks - but I have to approach them as I have time and not try to do too much at once.

I think it's going to be a great school year, and I can't wait to see what unfolds for both me and my students!

End of Term Reflections: College Edition

Look who's being all productive! Two blog posts this weekend, plus several other school tasks.

The summer term of MTH 113 is almost over. We had our last regular class meeting this past Thursday; the final exam is next week.

I had my Pre-Cal Trig students write a reflection/evaluation for me this week. There's not a lot of technology use (I've missed it!), so I asked them to get out a piece of paper and write.

I asked them to address some or all of the following prompts:
What worked? What didn't? (particularly in the areas of videos, how class time was structured, and practice)
Suggestions for changes/improvements
What did you learn?
What do you wish you understood better?
What advice would you give a student taking MTH 113 with me this fall?

My students had good insight and gave good suggestions. They were very thorough and wrote more than I expected. (I would say something about this being a surprise to me since the class is made up entirely of young men, but someone near and dear to my heart told me an observation I made about my all-male class in a previous blog post was a bit sexist, so I'll leave that out, LOL)

Students liked the videos. They liked the length, the format, and my explanations. While I'm glad all of this worked for the students, I know elements of all three of these can be improved. There are several videos I am going to rework for the fall.

The biggest complaint about the class was the one-day-a-week schedule. That is completely out of my hands, but it was my biggest complaint, too. Students felt they would have gotten more out of the class if it had met two days a week.

One thing I was unsure about the entire summer was the way I structured class time. I pretty much put all the videos and suggested practice out there and told students to do what they needed as they needed. Several students indicated they would have liked a little more teacher-directed time in class working problems. If I teach this class again next summer, I will definitely try to incorporate a different structure into class time. A couple of students didn't need the extra structure, but a few would have benefitted from it.

Students felt weakest with the trigonometric identities. They wished they had had more time and practice with those. I agree.

One student - the most independent of the group - had an interesting observation about the flipped class. He said he treated it like online classes he has taken, except he actually showed up to class once a week. He said students who didn't like online classes might not like the flipped format. And he might have a point. None of the other students (in my very small sample size) indicated that, but I can see where a student who signed up to have a "3-D" teacher might be a little caught off guard that a portion of the class was going to be conducted via video.

I think the difference was made in having access to me in class. Several students have taken online/blended classes and said they liked the flipped format much better.

So...as I prepare for the fall semester of MTH 113, I have a lot to think about. Class time will be shorter, and I have more weeks of instruction to work with, but I am thinking about what I am going to do differently. I have a few ideas about class time, and I think I want to restructure a couple of the tests.

I told these guys they were my guinea pigs, and I appreciate their willingness to try some things out for me and give me useful feedback.

Let's Start at the Very Beginning #flipblogs

Life happened, and I missed the first #flipblogs Twitter chat. I start school next Tuesday, so who knows what will be going on Wednesday evening? I hope to get to participate in the next #flipblogs Twitter chat, but even if I don't I can write a blog.

This week's #flipblogs prompts:

1) What inspired you to start flipping?

and

2) What was your first step to make the change?

I've shared this story before, but it's always good to reflect on "where it all began."

I first heard about flipped classrooms from our district tech guy as we were launching our 1:1 iPad initiative. The description of the methodology was basically, "Students watch the lecture via video at home and do homework in class."

I quickly dismissed the idea.

How on earth would I have time to make all those videos (because I wouldn't want to use videos others made)?

And the thought of trying to keep a classroom controlled while working "p. 222: 2 - 222 even" was a nightmare.

But the idea stayed in the back of my mind, for whatever reason.

Then one summer, while teaching summer school, I began to seriously consider it. I don't even remember the exact trigger. But sometime in the month of June, I thought, "I can do this."

I read Jon Bergmann and Aaron Sams' Flip Your Classroom. I figured out how to take aspects of a flipped classroom and make them work for me.

And I took the plunge. I decided to start with my Algebra 1 classes.

The first thing I did was begin to create guided notes. I stayed after Summer School sessions and worked on notes for the rest of June.

Then, in July, I began to record videos. I think I had a couple of weeks' worth recorded by the time school started.

So...that's where it all began. But I feel I need to address my two initial concerns.

Yes, it took TIME. Loads and loads of time. I still like to use my own videos (and my students and their parents appreciate that I do so). But I've always said every bit of time I've spent has been worth it. And I've gotten pretty quick at churning out videos when I need them.

And pages of book work with loads of problems? Fuhgetaboutit! I've learned (and continue to learn) how to choose activities for class time that keep students engaged, collaborating, and communicating. We can go weeks or months without referring to a textbook.

My flipped classroom today looks different than my flipped classroom that first year. It has evolved more than I ever thought possible (a topic for a different post). But every journey has to start somewhere, and I'm thankful decided to take the risk and start.

Already?!? #flipblogs

Thanks to the brainstorming of Andrew Swan (@flipping_A_tchr), Crystal Kirch (@crystalkirch), and Matthew Moore (@matthew_t_moore), a new way to share ideas about flipped learning has launched: #flipblogs!

The idea is we will blog about a common topic then participate in a live Twitter chat.

Here is Andrew's blog post with information about the new venture.

The first assignment for #flipblogs is:

"Write about a fun, rewarding, gratifying, or otherwise super-positive class experience that you can be pretty sure only happened because of flipped-learning practices."

I've blogged about all sorts of experiences that only happened because I flip my instruction. I thought about summarizing - again - these experiences but that felt like a cop-out. I tried hard to think of something specific.

And I did.

Her name is Taylor. She was in my Algebra 1 class my second flipped year.

Many times during the year, when I said, "Time to pack up!" at the end of class, Taylor would say, "What? Class is over already?!? That was fast!"

Taylor is not the only student who has said this since I flipped my classroom, but she probably said it the most frequently and enthusiastically.

And that statement would NOT have been said before I flipped my instruction.

Sighs? Yes.

Loud yawns? Frequently.

"How much longer until the bell rings?" Most definitely.

Listening to me talk for 30-40 minutes and then being told to "Start on these problems" - and work quietly, please - for the last 10 or 15 minutes makes for a L-O-N-G 51-minute class period.

But when you come to class having watched a 10-15 minute instructional video (or watch it as part of class activities), pick a partner, and work on an activity that requires communication and collaboration and might be even a little bit enjoyable, time moves much quicker. Having access to the teacher to answer questions as they come up helps, too.

Flipping my classroom has made my math class fun (yes, students have used that word). Those 51 minutes will be over before you know it.

And I find that extremely gratifying.

Hope - It's a Beautiful Thing

So, I'm teaching this Pre-Calculus Trigonometry class for a local community college. As I mentioned in my previous post, it is scheduled for one night a week, 4.5 hours. There are 9 class meetings and the exam.

I have a lot of material to cover in 9 class meetings.

After the first test, we have a test scheduled for every other week until the final. That means a whole unit of material in about a class and a half.

It's overwhelming (for students AND me).

Even with the flipped format - which, I'm sure, makes the situation more bearable - it is hard to make sure material is covered AND students understand it in a class and a half. I still feel I am throwing material at my students and hoping some of it sticks.

Our second test covered trigonometric expressions, identities, and equations.

Yikes. Learn all these trig concepts AND use every algebra skill you might have ever been shown.

Students were nervous and unsure as they came to class. Watching them take the test was hard for me. I made the test as straightforward as I could, and I gave them a reference sheet to use, but it covered. so. much. stuff.

I graded the test as a few students took a retest of Test 1. They were not pretty. A few knew parts of the material well, no one really showed mastery of all of it, and a few were completely lost.

After I returned Test 1 a couple of weeks ago, I told my students I was a big believer in hope.

I've been giving retakes in my 8th-grade classroom for several years, and I wanted to do something similar in the college class. I told students if they'd correct their original test, they could retake it the following week after they finished the scheduled test.

I plan to do the same thing for Test 2.

I was able to talk to a few of the students about the retake for Test 2 before they left.

As I gave one student his test, telling him to begin working through it this week and making corrections, another student asked, "We're going to get to retake that test?" When I said, "Yes," the look on his face was one of complete relief. Of hope.

I reminded them I was a big believer in hope.

The first student said, "I'm so glad you have hope in us." I think he meant "faith," but the thought is the same. These students can keep trying because they have hope.

I talked to another student who was extremely frustrated after the test. But he looked at me and said, "I'm not going to quit. I will not drop this class."

And I was able to tell him he didn't have to. He can work on the material he found difficult, work with me in class, and learn the material.

I'm still trying to figure out how to "do" this summer class format. Flipping instruction was the way to go, allowing retakes is the way to go, but there are a lot of things I'm still not sure I've approached correctly. Or how to approach things so I am better assured of students' grasp of the material. I'm hoping to get some feedback from the students by the end of the summer to see what worked and what I could have done better.

But I'm pretty sure of this: these students know I care, they know I want them to learn, and they know I'm going to give them time and opportunity to do so.

At this point, no one has dropped the class, and everyone is still working and trying.

All because of a little thing called hope.

Taking My Flipped Game to a New Level

Last spring I was asked to teach two classes for our local community college. I agreed (spring is a blur, so I'm not sure I can be held accountable for my actions, LOL). Only one of the classes made: Pre-Calculus Trigonometry.

The class meets one night a week for four and half hours.

That's right. Four and a half. Hours.

This flipped teacher can't stand to listen to herself for more than 10 or 15 minutes anymore.

And I'm supposed to teach for 270 minutes?

And my students. My poor students. They're supposed to listen to me (and absorb) for 4.5 hours?

I knew from the get-go I would be flipping my class.

Everything about this - the class structure, the students, the material - is completely different from my 8th Grade Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1 classroom.

But I took what I know and ran with it.

I decided what I needed to cover each week - with only 9 class sessions, it's a TON - and split it into topics for videos.

I decide what to give as practice for material.

I give students a list for each class session with the videos and suggested practice. I give this list a week ahead of time so students can be watching videos throughout the week.

I told them the idea of the flipped classroom: they can watch videos to get the instruction whenever they want, and then they can practice with me so that I can help them.

It's been interesting. Time in class is mostly quiet. Not at all like a group of 20 or so 8th graders. Granted, the class is made up of 7 college males, but it's still pretty quiet. Students don't stay for the full scheduled time. Some leave after an hour; a few stay 3 hours.

The first night after a week of videos was particularly quiet.

The second time of flipped lessons was more of what I was hoping for and expecting. A couple of students worked together, everyone was working on something different, several asked me questions and I got to work one-on-one with students.

That night, students told me they liked the flipped class. They thought my videos were helpful, they liked being able to watch and rewatch and go at their own pace, they liked the class structure. They particularly like that they don't have to listen to me for 4.5 hours.

I think the students are still trying to figure out how to get the most out of the flipped environment. I think they like that they can stay with me for as long - or as little - as they feel necessary, but I'm not sure they're all staying long enough to get the help they need. That might change after they get their first test back. :)

I have learned something about videos that I think I'll implement in my middle school classroom this fall: smaller chunking of videos. One of the first videos I made for Trig was 18 minutes long. Now...these are college students and not 14-year olds, but still. I decided videos needed to be about topics, not entire lessons. That 18-minute video should have been 3 videos. Since that first week, the videos range from 7 to 10 minutes long.

It's time to rework my Algebra 1 videos this year, and I think I'm going to make videos by topic, not lesson. That will potentially mean more than one video per lesson - something I've fought against - but I think it will work nicely into self-pacing. It will also allow students to work with one thing at a time and give me more opportunities for formative assessment.

So...I've graded the first test, and students did about what I expected (there's that benefit of knowing who is where with grasping the material).

The student who obviously doesn't need me and loves the flipped format demonstrated understanding.

The student who stays and works and asks questions also demonstrated understanding.

A couple of students struggled.

Next task? Figure out how to structure a retake opportunity at this level.

Thoughts on End-of-Year Reflections

OK...so school's been out over a week, and I gave my end-of-year reflection Google Form over two weeks ago, but I did want to jot a few thoughts to help me remember what I wanted to continue to work on next year.

WIN: "Mrs. Gibbs provides opportunities to work together" got 100% "agree" or "strongly agree"! Partner work/group work/working together/working with friends was probably the most-mentioned in "Things I enjoy about this class."

Flipped lessons/videos were a close runner-up, and one student said s/he would probably use my YouTube channel in the future.

Students wished we did more activities involving food (the Pythagorean Theorem activity with Cheez-Its was a favorite with my Pre-Algebra kids).

"Cheat sheets" and partner tests were a plus, according to my Algebra 1 kids. (As I blogged here, this is an area I continue to explore.)

The Pythagorean Theorem was once again the winner of "What is one thing you learned you will remember or use?" Slope-intercept form was an unexpected runner-up (Yea!).

One student said s/he learned to be patient with finding solutions (another win!).

Several students said they should have retaken more tests and would advise next year's students to do the same.

While many answers to questions were similar and not unexpected, I looked through for little nuggets of information that might be helpful.

One student marked "Disagree" or "Strongly Disagree" to almost every question. I collected email addresses on the Google Form (due to some inappropriate answers to an earlier questionnaire), and I never knew that this student had an issue with me. I'm not sure if the answers were serious or not, but if the student was being serious, I wish I had known something wasn't working. This student was also NOT a fan of flipped lessons. No details or reasons were given, but it was mentioned more than once by this student.

"Punchlines" were mentioned numerous times in the reflections. Students either love them or hate them. I believe I did better in not over-using them this year, but, for some students, there were still too many.

It is important to me that students be able to self-check as they work. I want students to know as they practice if they doing things correctly or if they need help. Punchlines allow for that.

I had started giving students choices for their practice as the year went on. I would allow students to choose between a Punchline or a "normal" worksheet (with answers attached, of course) or some other form of practice.

I obviously need to work on that more. I'd like to learn how to use Formative or Quizziz or something similar to give more options for self-checking practice.

One student mentioned the need for more spiral review (I agree!).

A couple of students wanted more of the self-pacing (planning on it).

One student mentioned the need to go over tests after they were graded. This is an area I KNOW needs improvement.

In fact, I've been giving thought to - and we've discussed in our department - giving more time to the day after a test (or when it's graded) than the day before the test (review). I believe it is important for students to have time to "tie it all together," but maybe there's a better way than taking the day before the test?

I'm considering giving tests back with no grades, just problems marked that were worked incorrectly, and letting students correct their papers. I think this could lead to more student learning than a review day.

I'm not sure how that would change my retake policy (test corrections are part of the procedure). Would in-class test corrections be worth some points? Then complete the process and retake the test if you want a shot at improving your grade even more? Do in-class corrections take the place of retakes?

Lots to think about.

And all part of the process.

The (continuing) Evolution of Grading

Happy End-of-Spring Break!

I've had a great break with some much-needed brain rest. I got a few things done around the house and a nice chunk of National Board Certification renewal work accomplished.

I feel ready to tackle the last nine (YIKES! The school year is almost DONE!) weeks of the school year.

Before the break, I had a mini-breakthrough with grades in my classroom.

I've blogged about grading before. Most of my grading conundrums have continued since that post.

I don't grade everything. Much of what we do in class is practice, and I don't want to put a grade on practice. Many things we do are hard to quantify with a grade. When I give a grade for something, I want that grade to mean something. I want a grade to communicate what a student knows, not how compliant he/she is. As a result, I give relatively (or comparatively) few "effort" grades.

Thanks to my flipped classroom and the amount of time I spend with students as they work, formative assessment is ongoing. I don't necessarily need an end-of-class "exit slip" to know where my students are or what I need to do the next day.

My ideal world would not include grades.

But, unfortunately (or, fortunately), this is not Mickie's world with everyone else getting to live in it.

I have district requirements for the number of grades I must record each grading period. I have requirements for what percentage "tests" and "daily grades" must count.

And so, I grade.

But I continue to struggle with WHAT to grade. Summative tests are easy. But the stuff between the summative tests has confounded me for a few years, given how my classroom has changed.

A few weeks ago, a lightbulb came on.

I need some sort of check after each standard. Something more specific than the intuitive feelings I have after working with my students in class. Something that would give me more information about individual students that I might otherwise miss.

The check doesn't have to be long or hard to grade. It doesn't have to be a worksheet of 25 problems (ugh - for students AND me). It can be a few carefully chosen problems that let me know if students are able to do what they need to be able to do.

So, after every standard - or part of a standard - I give a "quick check." They happen every 2 or 3 days. They're similar to an exit slip, but they can occur at the end of a class period or the beginning of the next class period. They're usually three to five questions. I give them in whatever form works best for the standard, whether that is digital or paper. And they usually count between 10 and 20 points ("daily" points). They're easy to grade.

I like the idea and have no idea why I didn't think of it sooner. I'm getting regular daily grades that reflect students' knowledge.

A couple of things I need to work out:

Turnaround - for these to be effective and result in STUDENTS knowing what they do and don't understand - and take steps to improve their understanding - I will need to have each Quick Check graded and returned before the next Quick Check. They are NOT long or hard to grade; I just need to make immediate feedback on the checks a priority.

Redos - I have a broad retake and redo policy. Typically, for daily grades, students correct what they missed on an assignment and turn the corrections in to be re-graded. With the Quick Checks only being worth a few points and only having a few questions, I'm not sure corrections by themselves are the way to go for a student to improve their score on the checks. I'm thinking students correct the Quick Check and I have a second check ready for them to take, similar to a retest.

This actually moves me a little closer to standards-based grading.

The Quick Checks also work well with self-pacing, which I continue to try to develop in my classroom.

Sometimes I'm slow. But I'm thankful for the eventual "a-ha"s that come after I mentally struggle with an aspect of my classroom I desire to change.

UNRELATED to this post on my grading breakthrough and a shameless self-plug:

I was THRILLED to get to talk with my flipped classroom hero, Crystal Kirch, as a "Flipped Educator Spotlight" for the Flipped Learning Network. I had a hard time not turning into a complete fan-girl.

The interview is 20 minutes, and I completely understand that your time is precious, and 20 minutes is a long time to listen to someone talk about her classroom. But one of my favorite things to do is share my flipped journey, so here is the link if you'd like to see any or all of the interview. I haven't tried it, yet, but the posts says to go to YouTube to click on Time Tags and see only the portions of the interview that might interest you.

Reflections on a Surprising Unit

First: I am not happy it has taken me more than a couple of weeks to get to this blog post. I like to blog while things are fresh and I remember all of the little things.

I probably shouldn't even be blogging today. There are so many other things I need to be doing.

But this is a post that needs to be written, and it needs to be written before I forget EVERYthing (and I know I've already forgotten a lot of the things I wanted to write about).

It was just systems of equations. Nothing special. I teach it every year. I didn't expect anything too different.

But the unit surprised me.

This was the first unit I attempted some self-pacing. I have always struggled with how to handle the kids who "get it" quickly, finish the work I need them to do, and then have time to spare.

I don't want them to feel punished with extra (or busy) work.

I don't want them wasting time.

I don't want to lose whole class activities and discussions.

But I decided it was time to experiment some.

The way I approached it was having the "next thing" - the next video, the next activity - ready, and if anyone finished the day's work, I gave them the "next thing."

It worked well. No one got too far ahead. In fact, one day I had several ahead, and I knew there was a big thing for their English class they were working on, and I was able to give them time to work on it.

When it was a "whole class" day, we did whole class activities.

We all tested on the same day.

Overall, I was pleased with the process and plan to implement it some more. I would like to do as other self-pacing teachers have suggested and map out an entire unit with what needs to be done and give it to students ahead of time. I still have much to figure out about self-pacing, but I am happy I took the plunge and tried it.

The second surprise of the unit came when we looked at applications of systems of equations. Systems applications are so contrived and have little relevance to students. But they are a standard, and students need to know how to do them.

I began an Internet search for how to approach them differently, and I found these two gems:

Those Horrible Coin Problems (and What We Can Do About Them)

Piling up Systems of Linear Equations

I did the coin problem first. Rather than work an example (or three) of "how to work a coin problem" I showed Dan Meyer's video and gave guiding information and questions to lead students to the system of equations AFTER they had done some "guess and check" to find the solution. We got to talk about the number of solutions, which we later verified with Desmos.

Third Period (my first Algebra 1 class of the day) was magic. The students were making so many connections, and the light bulbs I was seeing all over the room were exciting. I am working on renewing my National Board Certification, and I kicked myself at the end of class for not recording the lesson.

Full disclosure, though: Fifth and Seventh Period were not as successful. It was a Friday afternoon, and they are tougher crowds to begin with. We completed the lesson, and some of them saw what I needed them to see, but I felt those two classes were more organized chaos than genuine learning.

I followed the Friday coin problem with the glue problems on Monday. Students were successful taking the information from the video and creating equations.

But after the two "Three Act" days, I found students struggled with written problems similar to the coin and glue problems. I did not do a good enough job of connecting what we had done as a class to how these problems would be presented in classwork and on assessments. I have an instructional video about how to solve systems of equations application problems, and I told students to "watch it if you need to." While I try hard to give students options and not make students who don't need to do things do them, this doesn't always work with the eighth-grade brain. Many students who do, in fact, need the extra instruction opt out and then struggle later.

We had a day with an altered/shortened schedule, and I chose that day to introduce Desmos linear "marbleslides." While not exactly connected to systems of equations, it was a way to review and reinforce why linear equations behave in a certain way. Many students found it enjoyable, and several worked on at home, even though it wasn't required.

I gave a reflection at the end of the unit. Student responses let me know how to change up the unit next year. Students told me they struggled most with solving systems by substitution and the application problems. I already knew the application problems were an issue, and I know why substitution probably presented some difficulties and how to do it differently next time.

The unit was a roller coaster (which is really not any different than this entire school year). There were days I was so excited at what I was seeing my students do and days I felt I had failed them completely. There were days I thought, "I have got to blog about this!" and days I thought "Maybe this unit isn't worth blogging about" (probably one reason I kept putting off the blog post).

But I did hear great things from my kids. When students use words like "magic," "math-gic," "cool," and "fun" over the course of a couple of weeks, the unit can't be all bad.