Brandi J. Clark

Disclaimer: The article I am basing my discussion on, left many questions. Hopefully there are some good answers.

This article about Walter State Community College came across my Google alerts yesterday.

It got me riled up!

Why so Brandi?

Here is the gist:

An Assistant Professor of Education, Darlene Smith, talks about a flipping the classroom for a group of undergraduate teachers.

Quote #1

“In a flipped classroom, almost everything is removed, including paper, pencils and books,” said the writer of the article, Drew Garner.

This is not true of most flipped classrooms. While it is common that in a “true” flipped classroom lectures can viewed at home; process work at school can involve paper, pencil, books and tech!!!

So they use an ipad/tablet for everything?

Okay….but ….

Here are my questions:
Did the teachers have an online classroom?
Did the teachers have digital textbooks?
Did the teachers store their lessons online?
Did the teachers use children’s literature? (yes, you can find some online, but not all)

Quote #2

“I can pop up a Common Core standard,” said Caylor. “I can pop up an app, a grade, a subject and have you an assignment in 10 minutes”

So they spend class time matching standards and apps?

Here are my questions:

Did the teachers discuss child development?
Did the teachers discuss assessment?
Did the teachers discuss alternatives to apps and tech if they happen to teach in a school that might lack these requirements?
Did the teachers try these lessons out with students?
Will the teachers realize the importance of using use hands on learning with their students, in addition to “touching” apps? (math manipulatives, foldables etc)
Will the teachers understand that other important classroom instruction methods, such as project-based learning can involve paper, pencil and other materials?
Check here for some thoughts about incorporating a flipped classroom model.

This would scare you more, if you heard doctors were doing the same thing. Imagine doctors in training choosing a diagnosis, an app and suggesting treatment.

Maybe I am being silly…

Oh..not you Brandi…

I can’t help it. There is much missing from this article. It is misleading to other educators, students and parents. It is possible that my questions have some answers from Walter State.

However, until I hear otherwise…

You can call this alternative learning, but please don’t call it flipping a classroom.

Until Next Time,
When I will be Talkin’ About Something Else…

Brandi

Related Posts

10 Tips for Flipping Teacher Professional Development

Flip Your Classroom…Jeff Lewis Says Yes!

Check out my Flipped Classroom Resource Page!

Looking to jazz up professional development at your school?

Who wouldn’t? Right!

But how, Brandi?

As I discussed in my previous article, you can choose flipped learning for your students.

And…

Learning is the same for grown-ups.

Right!

So…What does this look like with teachers in the “student” role?

In her article, Scott (2014) describes the intention for flipping teacher professional development. She explains:

the goal of this approach to professional learning is to provide teachers the time they need to understand the new content (such as a key strategy) on their own, leaving the face-to-face time to focus on collaboration, discussion, activities, and analysis of the content (p75).

Sounds great! But how?

10 Steps to Flipping Teacher PD

1. Free Up Meeting Time. Principal e-mails staff meeting business on videos or written text. This would include updates on school events unrelated to teacher PD. Teachers are expected to respond to the e-mail via several short questions.

2. Choose a topic for the group PD. This can be a survey given to the staff or based on the school growth plan. In some school districts there might be ongoing initiatives that can provide the focus. Scott (2014) suggests the topic of flipped classrooms as a logical topic for the first flipped PD.

3. Gather materials at a variety of levels. . These might be videos, slideshares, PowerPoints and articles. Look for materials that can support all the learning levels of your staff.

4. Consider materials that can be found online or created by teachers. One place to view examples of flipped classroom is this youtube channel.

5. Match materials with a guiding question. Each of the materials has a guiding question to keep teachers focused.

6. Set expectations before the group learning day. Teachers are asked to review the material posted, choose the formats that best suit their learning needs and learn the content.

7. Check in with teachers, half way to the group learning day. The principal can call a short meeting to get feedback on the learning and possible tech problems.

8. Principal creates mixed ability groups. Create the groups the teachers will be working in. Scott (2014) created the groups to include a “tech-savvy teacher, an innovative teacher, a traditionalist, and so on” (p. 75).

9. Teachers can lead the learning. Teachers can be selected to demonstrate their learning to other teachers. For example, the article mentioned that if the teachers are discussing flipped learning, other teachers can demonstrate web 2.0 tools or apps that can assist teachers with creating their own flipped lessons.

10. Check for understanding. Groups can create an artifact of their learning via a short presentation using a video medium.

So will you choose to flip your Teacher Based PD?

Remember, it’s all about adding value!

Until Next Time,
When I will be “Talkin’ About” something else…

Related Posts
Flip Your Classroom…Jeff Lewis Says Yes!

References
Scott, P. (2014). Flipping the flip. Educational Leadership, 71(8), 73

Checked out my Flipped Classroom Resource Page!