Thanks for the Challenge, Andrew! #flipblogs

If I've counted correctly, I've made it! This is Post #20 for the month!

So much for front-loading posts near the beginning of the month, given that this is the last day of September, and I'm blogging today to finish the challenge. But that's OK.

The 20 out of 30 Challenge was made by @flipping_A_tchr, Andrew Swan, and I just gotta say, "Thanks!"

I have more blog posts this month than in each of the previous two years.

As I've mentioned from time to time, there has been a lot going on in my personal world over the last year and a half. That plus "normal" school goings-on has meant little time or energy for blogging.

I'm hoping this challenge has been the jump-start the blog has needed.

It's been good to reflect. I am constantly reflecting, but it's been nice to once again put some of that reflection "out there."

The challenge has encouraged me to look for the positives in my classroom that deserve a shout-out. It's also encouraged me to think about and share those days that don't go so well.

I can't promise that there will be another 20 posts over the next month (I can almost guarantee there won't), but I hope the next post will happen before 2019!

Know as You Go #flipblogs

My students completed individual practice the same way for a long time.

Me: here are these (probably way too many) problems. Go home and do them.

Students: Ugh. OK.

Return to school the next day. Post the answers for students to check their work.

A chorus of students: I missed all of those!

Me: What? OK...let's go on to this next lesson.

It was terrible.

Over the last several years - since flipping my classes - it has become very important to me that students know if they are doing something correctly WHILE they are working, not after they have finished.

Different types of activities allow for self-checking, but one I have begun to use on a fairly regular basis is a self-checking Google Form.

I first started using them last year (and mentioned them briefly in this post) and have continued with them this year.

Questions are put in a form, and "Response Validation" is used to let students know if they have the correct answer. Students can be prevented from moving to the next question until they get the right answer.

What I like about self-checking is that, while some students randomly guess answers until they accidentally hit the correct one, most will get help if they are missing questions.

It is a great tool for me to teach students to try to find their own mistake. I usually direct students to try the problem again before they ask for assistance from me or a fellow student.

Students get tired of the same type of activity over and over again, so I try to mix Google Forms up with other self-checking activities, but they're a great addition to my rotation. This week I used a "plug-your-answer-into-the-next-question" activity where, if students got a question wrong, a problem down the line would be affected. A few begged me to never use that type of activity again because it could be 2 or 3 questions before an issue was discovered, and they would have to go rework several problems. They requested more Google Forms.

One thing I discovered they really like on a Google Form: the progress bar. Knowing how many questions there are and how many more they have to do helps them focus better on what they're doing. Having filled out many Google Form surveys, I have to say I agree with them.

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.