In a previous post I talked about why I personally started a flipped classroom. The reason I started flipping and why I continue to flip are completely different reasons.  I flip because I see the benefits it has on my students and I see how the time I am with them has changed for the better. I actually have my students for 60 minutes, which is a dream and I couldn’t image going back to 40 minute periods and accomplishing what I need to accomplish.  But I feel like now that I flip my classroom I truly know my students.  I am able to talk to each and every student about math each day. I am able to challenge those students that need to be challenged, I am able to support those students that need more support.  I know who gets the concept and who doesn’t.  Each student is able to contribute to the class each day. We have time for everyone not just a few because I have to get through teaching and an activity and go over assignments and answer questions!!! I will talk more about the benefits that I have seen later but first lets get started.

In this post I will talk about ways to help you be successful when starting out flipping. Let us be real…….. Flipping a classroom is a lot of work! But it is all front loaded and so worth it.  Once you get started you actually have a lot more time on your hands.  Let us start with where to begin. First decide what class you would like to start with.  I originally started with my block class but that was for other reasons not for the reason I currently flip and continue to flip.  After I got my feet wet and made many mistakes with my block class, I decided it would be beneficial with my regular classes.  I started with my 7th grade classes.  I would not recommend doing multiple grades or different classes at once.  To start out I would focus on one subject/grade level.  I chose my 7th grade classes because it was co-taught so I would have someone to bounce ideas off of and help me in trying new things.  And I thought if it went well, I would have some of the students next year as 8th graders and they would already know how things work.  I have a SmartBoard in my room so I went through all the slides in Notebook for each lesson and completely filled out the notes that I would be presenting.  This saves the time of writing while you are filming and allows you time to get the concepts across rather than having to write as you talk/teach.  This is where a lot of the time consuming process comes in.  But with so many things, once its done once it doesn’t have to be done again. I tried to do a weeks worth at a time, but you could do it daily or even by unit if you wanted.  Once this is done, it’s time to start filming.  I use my iPhone and upload them to my computer to edit.  This is what I feel is the best way to film for me.  I previously mentioned one mistake I made when starting out is using a program that records my computer screen.  This is not the most engaging way to have your students watch a video.  When they see you in the video and you can point as you are talking it is much more captivating than just listening to my voice and watching a screen. Once I have filmed and edited I upload it to EdPuzzle.  Many people just create a YouTube channel, however with EdPuzzle I can keep track of who watched the video, when they watched the video and how many times they watched the video.  I personally like this, but if you don’t care about being able to keep track of this, a YouTube channel would be good enough.  Also, EdPuzzle is easy to create a class from Google Classroom so it takes no time to set up.

Before I have my students start watching videos I send home a letter to the parents about a flipped classroom.  This informs them about the benefits and what to expect.  Homework looks different for a student in a flipped classroom so the parents also need to be educated about this experience.  They sign off on it so I know that all parties has been informed about what their child is expected to do to fulfill their part in the learning process of a flipped classroom.  During the first weeks of school we talk about, model, and practice how to watch a video that is teaching them a concept. We talk about how they watch a TV show, a movie or a YouTube video and how that is different than watching a video about their math topics.  I spend at least a week watching the videos in class with them. First we will watch them all together on one screen. I pause the video when they should be pausing to write something down or to catch up on notes. I show them how to rewind if they miss something. I teach them how to write a question in the margin of the notebook to ask the next day since they can’t raise their hand at that moment to ask it.  When I feel like we have practiced together as a class enough, they spend one or two days watching the videos on their own but in the classroom. This allows me time to help them with any unexpected glitches.  As a class we talk about problems they come across the first few times they watch them because others may come across the same problems.  And then they are finally ready to be on their own. The first few nights they have a video for homework there are always some problems that arise.  I am very lenient the first week or so they are on their own because they are still learning the expectations. This is new to them so they need some time to get it down pat too.  This has been a very positive experience in my classroom for me. I give each of my students a survey at the end of the year and I get positive feedback from them also. Their opinions are extremely important to me since they are the ones who are experiencing this as a learner. I have changed some things over the years from their feedback. Both my 7th and 8th grades are now flipped. Like I said, I couldn’t imagine going back. Especially after the benefits I have seen over the years.