Teachers Flipping for New Student Behaviors

You’ve probably seen the YouTube video clips of teachers who have flipped their classrooms or flipped homework. In these examples teachers have recorded their lectures, demonstrations, or explanations for students to view online at home and taken the work that was previously given as homework and had students work on it in class. I was impressed as I studied these examples and heard teachers describe how they can now differentiate for students as the teacher is present when the student works….providing encouragement, scaffolding, or changing the assignment as the teacher assesses the students’ efforts.

Click to explore “flipping” further.

Reading a recent article concerning two pioneer teachers in this movement (Aaron Sams and Jonathan Bergmann, science teachers at Woodland Park High School in Woodland Park, Colorado), I discovered how much greater change in student behaviors is available through this application of technology.

I often ask teachers to list student behaviors that they believe would increase student achievement. Then we explore how we as teachers can generate more of those behaviors. Here is a partial list from one group of teachers.

 

 

 

Reading as choice

 

Writing

 

Finding Problem to Solve

 

Researching

 

Asking Questions

 

Following a Passion

 

Persevering/ Effort

 

Working Independently and Collaboratively

 

Taking Risk in Learning

 

Using Technology to research and produce

 

Adapting to Change

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some comments from an interview with Sams and Bergmann that illustrate getting desired students’ behaviors:

 

 

 

When they get to class, they are there to do work. They pick up labs. They do interactive activities. They can complete problem sets

 

 

Students are the workers….engaged in doing.

 

 

 

Now students are all working on different things at different times. By the end of the year, we have students in three different units of study. Some are done a month early, and they start on a project. We have kids doing different things at different times on different days

 

 

Students are in control of learning .and pacing….student learning and mastery are the indicators to start the next area of study.

 

 

 

The kids are taking responsibility for their own learning

 

 

On every list that teachers create regarding desired student behaviors, they state the importance of students taking responsibility.

 

 

 

If you could come into this classroom and just hear the rich interactions that these kids are having, it’s amazing.

 

 

 

Student voice on topic is identified by most teachers as critical to quality learning.

 

 

 

Our kids like that we’ll say, “Instead of just doing busy work, if you can prove to me that you’ve learned it, you can move on.” It’s really changed the classroom from “finish these assignments” to “learn these things.”

 

Students invest effort in work with learning as the outcome.

 

Looks to me like “flipping” presents some great opportunities for engagement that produces learning.

 

 

 

See Sams and Bergmann on video.

 

See video samples teacher have made for flipped lessons.

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One Response to “ Teachers Flipping for New Student Behaviors ”

  1. Brian, free test prep guy Says:

    From what I remember from the book “The first days of school”, this may be a strategy best reserved for a little bit later in the school year after students have become comfortable with their learning environment.

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