First Day Back

I have been flipping my classroom for a couple of weeks so far.  It seems like it has become the norm. The kids know what to do when I tell them their assignments.  And, I have even begun to hear the groans.  At this point you may be wondering what a flipped classroom is.  If you have heard of Khan Academy then you have heard of a flipped classroom.  Or, if you haven't, if you've ever been assigned a reading assignment in English class and expected to discuss it you have been in a flipped classroom.  In short, it's putting your lessons on video and doing the homework in class.  It takes the pressure off of students who may struggle with assignments when they get home.  The flipped classroom allows students to pause, rewind, and replay parts of a lesson they may not understand.  In theory a great idea.  However, many issues and problems have crossed my mind.
     First of all, equity.  What if students don't have access to computers?  This question has plagued me ever since I started researching the concept.  I have talked to quite a few people and read a bunch of articles.  The answers are varied.  However, the best conclusion I have come up with is that you have to make do.  There are computers available to my students seventh period most days.  If they don't have a computer at home they can stay after school or they can go to the town library.  If neither of those options are available I give them the "homework 1.0" option.  A print out of the Power Point I used to record the video I make.  There is no perfect solution to the equity issue.  However, the only advice I can give is know your students and differentiate.
    Second, where do I find my resources?  The first place I looked for videos (at first making my own videos was intimidating) was You Tube.  I managed to find an educator in Wyoming who has posted several amazing videos that are historically accurate and entertaining.  I have used all of the relevant videos in my class.  I also attended a workshop hosted by EdTechTeacher and MassCUE which provided even more resources.  Finding resources has not been a problem.  However, finding resources which specifically deal with what you want to stress to your students is a little bit more difficult.  I have broken down and began making my own videos for my students.  So far, no complaints.  I may post one of them here at some point.
      Flipping so far has been fun, but I have yet to see a major advantage.  I believe that this is the direct result of trying the concept mid year.  Students like routine and when you upset that routine they tend to rebel a little bit. Especially eighth graders.  I am going to keep on plugging and let you know how it goes.

Below are a couple of articles on Flipping the Classroom:

12 Must Read Resources For Flipping Your Classroom.