Twitter for Teachers

    For many teachers and educators, Twitter create more negatives than positives, more headaches than solutions.  We see online student bullying, more opportunities for "drama," and fights among students, both prearranged using Twitter and "defending someone's honor" because of something someone tweeted.  We actually spend a considerable amount of time in the classroom dealing with issues that Twitter has made possible.

    Perhaps most annoying of all problems is the "celebrity status" that students believe they have thanks to Twitter.  They're going through life thinking that they are in a movie where they play the lead actor or actress.  When they tweet, they believe that everyone will instantly read their message and that everyone deeply cares about what they write and express.  Every message and opinion they have is great, absolutely correct, and extremely important.  Consider, for example, this tweet from Ohio State Quarterback Cardale Jones about his schooling.

Another example of a positive choice with an extremely important message about which we all deeply care.  (For the record, he recently deactivated his Twitter account.  Perhaps he is learning something....)

Twitter for the Teacher

     With so many negatives, it's amazing to think that Twitter could be a positive resource for teachers.  Unbelievably, Twitter offers amazing opportunities for those educators willing to use it!  Here are some tips for educators interested in unlocking their Twitter potential.

1.) Create a Professional Twitter

    Brand yourself online using a twitter name and account that reflects you as a professional and lifelong learner.  Use this account to connect with educators around the globe and to research teaching ideas.  This can also be a way for students to connect with you outside of class - they can tweet you questions, comments, and concerns to help improve your teaching and their learning.  Don't tweet about what you ate for lunch or how much fun you had at a birthday party.  Save that for Facebook or your personal Twitter account, if you have one.

2.) Follow Other Professionals

    Follow individuals who share your interests.  Follow the people who make a difference in your field.  Follow organizations whose interests mirror your own.  Here's a couple of the people that I follow:

National Math and Science Initiative (@NMSI) - Awesome data about the importance of STEM subjects (science, technology, English, and mathematics) and the effectiveness of Advanced Placement and Pre-AP classes.

Algebra Fact (@AlgebraFact) - Gives one math fact about algebra every day.  Introduces me daily to new parts of math that I never knew existed!

CBS News (@CBSNews) - Following one of the major news networks makes my Twitter an up-to-the-minute news machine.  I know about current events before they're reported anywhere else.

Trevor Packer (@AP_Trevor) - College Board's head of AP tweets data about AP exams and any changes that are happening in the world of preparing students for college.

David Britten (@colonelb) - Superintendent of Schools in southwestern Michigan.  Tweets the most interesting education articles.  I've learned a lot reading the articles he sends out.

3.) Follow who They Follow

    Trevor Packer will never follow me - I'm not very important and nothing that I tweet will be useful to him. And that's okay - I don't have a God complex.  So when Trevor follows someone, I should definitely take note - they're someone with something to say that might be interesting to me.  Once you identify some professionals in your area that you want to follow, see who it is that they follow.  Soon enough, you'll have a giant community offering advice, anecdotes, support, and ideas to make your life better.  With this digital Professional Learning Network, I am amazed at how improved my leadership is in my classroom.  Twitter makes me a better teacher.

Follow @mrcbiscuit

No Flying Cars, but...

    With each new technological advance, there are always people who make predictions about how it will change our lives.  All too often, these advances turn out to be fads or the predictions are much too bold.  How many people predicted that we would have flying cars by year 2000?  And 2001 Space Odyssey?  As an educator who advocates for technology, I never quite know if the predictions made by experts will come true (and therefore worth my time and money).  But this PSA from 1995 about the Internet must have been incredibly bold for its time, and so incredibly accurate now.  Amazing that something like this could be true; it makes us wonder what truly bold predictions will be realized in technology.

Flipped Classroom Misconceptions

    I swear, if I ever hear another teacher tell me "oh, that's sounds great for an honors class, but I'd never do that in my low level class," I might have a brain aneurysm.  I won't hide the fact that AP Calculus is lightyears ahead of Algebra 2, but that would be the case if I taught any way.  In order to prevent an explosion in my brain, I wanted to take time to explain some of the common misconceptions and myths I've encountered while talking to people about the flipped classroom.  Maybe if more people were informed about its strengths, they'd be more open to explore the infinite possibilities.

FLIPPED CLASSES ONLY WORK FOR HONORS

    Like I said in the introduction, of course this method works better in honors.  They're honors students.  They thrive in school.  Give them a class where they only read math textbooks and they'll find a way to succeed.  Give them substitutes every day, and they'll find a way to get an A.  Now understand, they'll succeed at a higher level if they've got the right support system.  The flipped classroom offers the ability to guarantee that they'll only have 45 minutes of homework every two days and have the ability to learn at their own pace.  They're responsible and they want to learn - that's why it works for them.

    But I didn't flip my classes for AP Calculus.  They were, honestly, an afterthought.  I thought about my Algebra 2 students who told me that I taught too fast.  I thought about the students who refused to take notes or stared out of the window, no matter how much prompting I gave them.  I though about the sleepy student who just wasn't "all there."  I thought about all the stress that homework put on the students and how very few assignments were returned with almost all problems complete and correct.

    My low level classes haven't learned how to be responsible for their learning - I need to teach them.  I anticipate that we will have a good system by the end of the semester.  More than the honors students, they need to learn at their own pace and they need the support when doing their homework.  Also, parents can now support their students 100% at home.  Some families even sit down together after dinner to watch the videos.  I can't ever remember a story like that in my years of teaching before the flipped classroom.

THEY DON'T HAVE INTERNET

     Alright, it's true - not every student has internet at home.  Not every student has a computer.  However, the internet is more widely used than many teachers choose to accept when discussing the merits of a flipped classroom.  The Pew Institute has found that 93% of teens ages 12-17 are online.  I can vouch for this - I have seen the Facebook drama in my classroom.  Almost everyone has a profile and it's a major point of discussion among students.  And many students can access a computer or internet at a friend or family member's house.

    And it's also true - everyone in my AP class has internet and there are about 10 students in Algebra 2 without.  But of the 10, at least 3 have smartphones with internet.  For the others, I can make a DVD of the videos.  Most schools or districts have DVD writing software and many would provide the DVDs for instructional purposes like this.  Students come in during their time to pick up the DVD and can watch it on their XBox, PS3, DVD player, or at the school library.

THEY WON'T WATCH THE VIDEOS

    Huge shock - some students won't do their homework.  If the assignment was to write a sentence about how you got to school yesterday morning, some still wouldn't do it.  We teachers will always struggle to get students to complete homework assignments and complete them correctly.

    Algebra 2 boasts a 50-70% preparedness rate almost daily.  This isn't close to the 100% that we'd like, but it's much better than the homeworks I'd receive in the past.  I no longer hear the words "I didn't understand the homework" or "the homework was too hard."  Students can complete these assignments accurately and completely every night.  And if they don't?  The videos are saved for them to complete when they are able.  The flipped classroom allows lower-level students to succeed daily in a way that was nearly impossible in the traditional classroom before.

    Finally, it's popular to think that the students won't know what's going on if they don't watch the video and take their notes.  True, they'll be behind the students who did actively watch the videos; however, aren't these the same students who wouldn't pay attention during my direct instruction in class?  Aren't these the same students who could never focus in class in the first place?  They never got much out of my direct instruction before.  If they miss the video, aren't they in the same place they were before?  And aren't a lot of students better off since they learned at their own pace?  I can't see the negative here.

THIS ONLY WORKS FOR MATH

    Some of the best flipped teachers are in science and social studies / history.  MY model works great for my math classroom, but there are tons of people who flip in every subject at every level.  Through social media like Twitter, Edmodo, and Facebook, we can discuss our ideas.  In learning teams, we can talk about how we might improve our 1-on-1 interactions with students.  This is the key pillar in a flipped classroom - how can I maximize my interactions with my students?  There is no flipped classroom model that works for everyone - each is unique and tailored for the students and their learning.  Search, explore, and be creative - flipping can be a very positive force in your classroom.

YOUR CLASS IS REALLY THE SAME AS AN ONLINE CLASS

    Many people simply associate the term "flipped classroom" to mean "the teaching is on video."  They have a point - much of our direct instruction is through video and other electronic means.  The teaching, though, is not restricted to videos.  I take time in class for deeper whole-class direct instruction where I often answer questions related to their understanding of the fundamentals.  Unlike in an online class, I spend hours learning with small groups, working through individual problems and answering the specific questions they have about the math.  This really allows me to differentiate instruction for groups of students and allows me to better interact with students in a way that's almost impossible during direct instruction time.  This is blended learning - the best of the technological world coupled with the best of the classroom world.

MISCONCEPTIONS WILL EXIST REGARDLESS

    Many of the great flipped class teachers have written on these misconceptions - this is just my personal take on some of them based on my experiences of being one of the first flipped teachers in my school.  I won't be able to convince every teacher, administrator, parent, and student that this flipped classroom is the best idea to improve learning in my classroom.  I can only stay positive, work with my colleagues who support me immensely, and continue to pursue perfecting techniques that allow me to help my students learn at the highest level.  At the time, my flipped classroom has improved the student experience more than I ever could have imagined.  I could never imagine doing what I did in years past - I'll keep this classroom model for every level as long as I teach.  Until someone stumbles on a way to make this even better...!  Thank goodness that I'm on Twitter to hear about it sooner than I heard about this model.

The iPad in the Classroom

    I can't thank my wife enough - we got an iPad 9 days ago and already it has made a difference in my classroom.  (This was our compromise to not getting smartphones - better to pay $400 once than to pay $1500 anually.  The math actually works out....)  It has been the perfect addition to my flipped classroom.  The awesome part - I'm not sure that I'm using everything that I could be using!  I'm more organized and able to keep up with deadlines thanks to the reminder and notes apps on the iPad; however, there are so many more apps available to us teachers that I couldn't help but list my favorites here.  These apps make my day-to-day operations in class that much easier.

Dropbox (free):

Dropbox is a standard on mobile devices, such as the iPad.  Dropbox allows me to coordinate files on my personal laptop.  I can use Dropbox to move files from device to device, up to 2GB for free.  In addition to the abilities to move documents, many apps can use Dropbox to make their services available on multiple machines.

Explain Everything ($2.99):

    This app is worth every penny to the teacher who is flipping his or her classroom.  There are many free apps available to teachers who want to record lessons on their iPads, such as ShowMe, Doceri, and Educreations.  ShowMe won't allow multiple pages and Doceri has a very slow response rate when creating presentations.  Educreations is perhaps the best, but it doesn't support PDF import and teachers can only put their lessons on Educreations's website.  Explain Everything allows teachers to import documents from EverNote, Dropbox, photos, etc., apply their notes and voice, and export directly to e-mail, YouTube, etc.  Explain Everything has allowed me to explain math problems to students on a Sunday night before their test.  For a teacher flipping their classroom, there is not a finer app.

Penultimate ($0.99):

 This is the app for teacher who wants a personal whiteboard.  I move from group to group using this app, showing each student (or group of students) some piece of mathematical knowledge.  The drawing is fine enough for math teachers to show enough on each page, while allowing for multiple pages in multiple notebooks.  I can save drawings, share with multiple students, and use many different pen colors with just a push of the finger.  Coupled with a stylus for the iPad, this is a very poweful app.  Included in the $0.99 price are graph paper and lined paper styles, in addition to the white paper default.  A must-have for the flipper!

Planbook Touch ($9.99):

Planbook is, in my opinion, the best education planning software available for teachers on Mac or iPads.  The software is able to create a book based on your particular schedule at your school.  If a school meets every-other-day, the Planbook has you covered.  Have a special schedule every week?  The Planbook has an option to set itself up for you.  You can save lessons and assignments, and Planbook even allows you to "bump" lessons to the next class period if you need another day on a particular topic.  Assign units, assignment, and standards to each lesson to keep you planned through the year.  This app, which is the most expensive, is certainly worth the $10.  You can e-mail lesson plans and coordinate with Dropbox.

TeacherKit (free):

As a free app, this is a surprisingly comprehensive classroom organizational tool.  Teachers can input seating charts, document grades and student behaviors, and record attendance.  Advanced teachers can even import student photographs for instant recognition.  This app can help teachers to stay organized and informed while moving from room-to-room.

Twitter (free):

How can a teacher use Twitter?  We honestly spend more minutes dealing with Facebook and Twitter drama than teaching on many days.  On Twitter, I follow teachers.  I follow superintendants and professors.  They share articles and ideas.  They share what they did in class and the struggles they had in class.  When a teacher asked "what do I do with the 55 students who didn't watch the video?"  I knew that my problem with students watching the video was a common problem, regardless of my experience with the flipped classroom.  Finally, I have connected my Twitter account with my Facebook account so that my support group of family, friends, and colleagues can offer their comments, questions, and concerns.  Twitter has been an amazing professional development tool.

There are many apps available, like TeacherNotes and Timer+, which help me as a teacher (they're both free).  I'm excited to learn about other apps that will help me as a teacher, especially as one in a flipped classroom.  And I'm still searching for the best way to project what I write on my iPad through a projector in my room.  Your ideas are always helpful!

What is a WSQ?

    One of the most frustrating parts of being an "outsider" in any organization is the awful acronyms.  Every group has them.  In education, the acronyms seem to be overwhelming, especially when coupled with the "flipped class" or "blended learning" ideas available to teachers.  This post aims to clear any acronym issue that a reader might have if he or she is not familiar with blended education.

WSQ: This stands for Watch, Summarize, Question.  It describes the homework in some flipped classrooms.  Students watch the video at home and take notes just like they would in a normal classroom.  Unlike what they're able to do in class, students can pause and rewind as many times as they need and like.  Students then write a summary of the video, at least five sentences, and then pose questions about the topic. The idea is for these questions to be higher-level thinking questions - asking why, how come, what if, what about, etc.

IEP: An Individualized Education Plan is developed for students who have some sort of disabilities in order to help them access the general classroom.  Typical accommodations include preferential seating, extra time on assignments, and testing in a smaller group setting.

...more acronyms to follow...

Want to know what a particular acronym means, or confused about something that is in this blog?  Add a comment to this post!

Reflecting after 13 Days

    Today was my 13th day in the flipped classroom and, while it feels like my first year some of the time, I'm certainly way ahead of where I was back then.  I don't have to worry about classroom management, about school policy, or about who I am as a teacher.  I am confident and collected.  The first-year feelings seem like they should be bad, but they aren't.  I'm re-focused, re-energized, and re-motivated.  I don't feel like I have the crisis of faith I had at the end of last school year about my role in public education.  A lot of good is coming from this model.  Here are the positives and improvement areas I've discovered.

Positives

Calculus Student Buy-In: On any given day, I won't have more than three who didn't watch the video or complete their summary.  The questions that calculus is asking are amazing - many of the are thirsting for knowledge and how everything's related.  In algebra 2, we usually have somewhere between half and two-thirds of the class prepared, depending on the day.  At this point, only a couple seem to truly be repeat offenders with a definite pattern of not watching.  I'll be better able to keep track of these students with a little more data.

Blank White Paper: At the start of each discussion, each group gets a blank sheet of white paper.  On this paper, a group member records the various topics that are discussed within the group.  This paper is submitted to me at the end of the period.  It really helps me to know where certain groups are at, what misconceptions exist, and questions that are posed.

Student Achievement because of the Videos: It's kinda funny.  I'm using the same words as I did before.  And a lot of the same examples as I did before.  Using the same logic that I did before.  But now that it's in a video, the students get it.  They come to class with a lot of knowledge to share, and they are excited to be asked a question to which they know the answer.  I've noticed this to be immensely helpful in my algebra 2 classes, where most students have failed at least one math course and many would rather be anywhere else.  The fact that they're successful is a huge plus for them.  (This, unfortunately, does not apply to all topics.  Absolute value inequalities are impossible for my sixth period.  But my fifth period understands them just fine.  And they watched the same video.  Go figure.) 

Period 1 actively learning!

Active Student Participation: Just look at this picture.  That's my first period - every day - for at least 90% of class.  In my old class, I would talk a lot.  90% of class used to be lecture and used to be directly guided by me.  Students probably only worked like this 10% of the time.  Now, with the flipped classroom, my kids work 90% of the time, collaborating and learning in a very active way.  It's not perfect, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.  Especially now that there are different assignments available for the groups, each group could conceivably be working on something different, all at the same time.  In the words of MJ (that's actually Michael Jon, not Michael Jordan, but Michael Jon is sort of like the Jordan of education...) "The things you can do in a flipped classroom!"  Boy is he right!

Video Length and Quality: I've now figured out how best to work the document camera software to record my lessons.  This seems to be the easiest and, now that it's easier for students to read, a quality option.  I think that every algebra 2 video will be document-camera based just to make my flip a little easier on me.  I'm still going to try to do as many in-person "live" video lectures for calculus.  It's a little easier to put in an extra hour of work when everyone will watch it.

Improvements

Student Summaries: The summaries in calculus are all right - they include the main points from the video.  The algebra 2 summaries are really poor.  Many are only a few sentences (but, thank goodness, they are sentences complete with capital letters and punctuation).  The algebra 2 summaries really only cover surface-level information - the title of the video and perhaps one major thing to remember.  I really have to do a better job of critiquing their writing.  How can I spend more time with each summary while efficiently moving group-to-group so that I don't spend 45 minutes of class time critiquing summaries?  I'm thinking about showing students examples of good and bad summaries - good summaries emphasize how to do it or why to do it.  This might help better direct students.

Questions: Calc questions are awesome.  Algebra 2 questions are nonexistent.  I REALLY need to remember that AP students are not the students in my algebra 2 class for students with math anxiety, math phobia, and math issues.  It will certainly take some time before good questions are asked regularly.  I think I average a student-asked higher-order thinking question once every two units.  Crystal Kirch, the amazing teacher after whom I have modeled my initial flipped classroom, recently blogged that she has some students who do not have any questions, but cannot seem to answer basic questions correctly.  I need to do a better job of identifying those students immediately.  Perhaps open-note quizzes about the basic facts in the video, such as a problem or two?  Can you do it, like I did it?  That name isn't half bad....

Discussion Time: While students do get to talk during this period and I want it to be open to the students to discuss as they need, the structure appears to need a fix, especially at the algebra 2 level.  Some students don't participate (they did the WSQ, they know the material, but they don't want to turn around and talk).  Some students are off-topic.  Perhaps if I asked students to write their perfect 5-sentence group summary, write down questions they have about the topic, and do one or two questions as a group that are very similar to the problems explained in the video.  Perhaps the doing problems, just one or two, will help to bring out the questions.

Practice Time: I regularly under-estimate the amount of time it will take my algebra 2 students to complete practice problems.  I'm sure part of the problem is motivation, but I feel it's more than that.  They work slowly and make a lot of mistakes.  Often, they don't realize that they've made a mistake, even though their solution process is nowhere close to the process they have in their notes.  Today, in sixth period, it took 30 minutes for two problems.  And some didn't complete both by the end of the period.  It's tough for them to replicate a process - this is the most frustrating part of being a math teacher.  Maybe they don't see the how; maybe they don't see the why; maybe they don't see the logic.  I can't explain it, but I know that we need to be able to do more practice.  I'm sure a creative solution will present itself soon.

What have you Learned?

    I really need to ask this question to my students, and the sooner the better.  My ability to reflect and analyze on my work is one of my strongest suits.  Asking "what have you learned" can only help to better improve my students' reflection skills.  Perhaps Monday they'll get a survey to complete as a warm-up.  The worst possible scenario?  The results make for a great post.

Second Week Review

   At this time, my students are into their second week of the flipped classroom.  Here are my thoughts on the success and the process that I have used in my flipped classroom so far.

The Classroom Process

    Homework: Students watch the 10-20 minute video on the topic.  The video is either one of me live, or of my my voice and writing.  Students take notes just like they would in a regular classroom - except they can pause and rewind as they need.  After taking notes, the students write a 5-sentence summary and write a question.  If the students cannot think of a question (because they "completely understood" the entire video), they need to write a "what if," "how come," or "why" question to delve deeper into the subject.  The student writes this into their notebook.
    At this point, I only have a couple calculus students who do not complete the homework and arrive unprepared.  Between the two classes, I don't have more than 5.  In the Algebra 2 classes, which contain many "reputation students," the preparedness rate is approximately 50%.  This completion rate, however, continues to increase as students learn how they can access the videos.

    Opening ClassWork: Class begins with the students gathering with their groups to discuss their summaries and questions.  Since the students are actively engaged in their discussions, I move from group to group reading summaries and questions.
    I give each group a blank sheet of paper on which to take notes.  Students record their summary discussion and any questions they discuss as a group.  I am moving around to check in each student's summary and questions.  I answer some questions as I move around.  At the end of the period, I collect the white pages from each group and document the best questions for future reference.

    ClassWork Practice: Students are given problems to complete, some of them real world and requiring higher-ordered thinking.  Students are involved in the question-development process, designing questions based on given answers.  Sometimes, we complete basic problems that would have been assigned for homework in a traditional classroom.  Students turn in their particular work for that day and its graded as homework typically would be.

Final Thoughts

    My students are engaged and active learners in the classroom.  They are asking better questions and seeking information that they need.  I'm seen now as a resource and a guide through material.  My day is mostly spent talking about the mathematics with my students and answering the questions that they have.  In all, it's fun!

    My class is still not perfect.  Algebra 2 participation is still around 50% and I've already noticed a pattern in a couple of students.  The students are also somewhat struggling to communicate with me outside of school, especially when they will be unprepared.  I'm also disappointed in how I'm answering questions - I answer too many.  I need to remind myself to encourage the students to work collaboratively to find the answer.

A Second Day, A Second Opinion

    Today was day two.  I saw AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, and Algebra 2.  Today continued to give me more enlightenment as to the flipped classroom and my ideas regarding it.  I really am blessed with great students this year - I couldn't be luckier.  They're willing to try, to experiment, and to learn.  I'm honored to be their learning facilitator in math.
    On a more personal note, I wanted to use this paragraph to thank my colleagues and friends who support me so thoroughly in this adventure.  And since there are so many, please forgive me if I should not list your name - there are SO MANY who are instrumental in keeping me rolling and teaching.  First, I'd like to thank Randy and Stacy for their support - they do so much research and help me with the tech side of things.  They're creative problem solvers - one discussion with them and its problem solved.  M.J. always lets me talk out my ideas and puts aside whatever he's working on to talk to me.  He helps me to find strategies to help every learner.  Without Anne, I would have never stumbled upon a flipped classroom.  It took me two months to realize that she had found a gold mine, and we get to share stories of our applied math in our classrooms.  Finally, Bonnie and Kyle are indispensable members of my team (and have been for years).  They give me honest advice and, since they are a couple of the best teachers I know, they drive me daily to be better.  I couldn't do what I do, and I certainly couldn't get better, without their support, their skills, and their critiques.  Finally, I am so very thankful for my wife Rachel.  She's a middle school teacher, and she is so very understanding when I bring home work after a 12-hour day.  That's what it takes when you're a dedicated educator.  That's what it takes when you believe.  Thank you, everyone, for believing.

In a change to past posts, here's a time-by-time indicator of what's happening today:

7:30 AM

    My AP Calculus AB students are in my room and practicing.  They have problems and questions, just like BC did yesterday.  They were more teacher-centered, asking me the questions and not formulating their own ideas and experimenting/collaborating like BC had the day prior.  No problem - with so many students supporting everyone, groups could support groups.  It only took my suggestions.  I answered the most questions, though, about factoring.  My students now have a calculator which will factor an expression for them.  I want them exposed to the technology, but I'm worried that they'll depend on it to do their factoring.  On the AP exam (and on my chapter exams), they will have to know how to factor without calculator help.  It's not major, but they won't get certain problems if they can't factor.

8:00 AM

    My wife sent me a math problem that will be on the 7th grade state examination.  Our examinations have been made so difficult, many of my top AP students would have trouble getting a 100% on this middle school exam.  I posed the question to them, and only about 50% could get it correct on their first try.  We had the time to talk about this thinking question thanks to the flipped classroom.  In the words of my colleague MJ, "The things we can do in a flipped class."

     They didn't work as quickly as I had thought (although they worked diligently).  I decided to give them another day to finish their homework on section 1.1 (remember BC had to finish theirs at home).  Again, something I can't do without the flipped classroom.

    BTW - At this time, I realize that my lesson plan for AP statistics won't cover the entire 100 minutes.  It's okay, I've already written my next lesson plan - I'll just use that. Issue - materials are not ready or typed for the latter lesson plan.  Minor personal panic attack.

8:45 AM

    AP Stats has been in my class for a while, and we're about to make be done with my initial lesson plan.  I'm able to give them a reading assignment while I give out books.  Today's class won't end up like I planned, but that's okay.  Even Kyle managed to show up for a few minutes.  We transitioned well and I managed to avoid the resource issues that worried me during first period.

9:30 AM

    These kids are BORED.  They're bored like this is Math Class bored.  We're doing notes and referring to activities, but I am seeing these kids just not care.  They're AP kids though.  If I write something on the board, it will be in their notebooks.  If I say something, they will be scribbling.  But there is a disconnect, and I am really worried.  I am not the teacher who bores his students.  I'm better than this - I'm the math teacher each upper-level math student cannot wait to get.  Engage them!

    And then I wake from my dream - I'm not in a flipped classroom.  I remember that this first year in AP Statistics will be a traditional classroom.  They're bored because they don't know the answer.  They're annoyed because they don't know where this lecture is headed.  They take notes and answer the questions they know.  Any question from the audience is from the lower part of Bloom's Taxonomy, and isn't as well thought out as it should be.  Mark my words - if and when I teach AP Statistics next year, it will be flipped.  Kyle told me I did a good job with my teaching - I've seen AP Calculus reach SO much higher...!

10:30 AM

    Algebra 2 is in now, and they aren't happy.  Huge surprise.  No, they did the homework - I had 100% complete the WSQ, and they can't wait to discuss.  They're unhappy because they have to take the PRETEST.  Good luck trying to find a better waste of my time.

    I am teaching in the age of data.  Principals and districts use this data to quantify the success of teachers.  I am given a math pretest to give a baseline knowledge of my students.  It amounts to a final exam - stuff you'll know after I teach it to you -given day two.  Hint: They all failed.

    Here's the explanation: you are my student.  I give you the final exam.  You fail miserably because you haven't been taught anything.  I teach you for nine months.  You take the final again.  You now do much better because you actually know stuff on the test.  Huge surprise.  I then record the percentage that you do better and thus record how much you've learned.  Awesome.

10:50 AM

    We talk about our WSQ - our Watch/Summarize/Question.  There aren't many questions, and too many people are quiet during the discussion parts.  In all, we have a decent discussion.  They cover the main points; there are an adequate number of questions from the students that I can answer that allow us to move the discussion forward.  We'll focus on practicing next class period.

1:00 PM

    I help a precalculus student understand their math, I eat my lunch, and I burn more DVD's.  I asked four times that those students in my Algebra 2 class give me a note in their deposit box if they need a DVD with the future videos.  I know that at least three students need a DVD.  Zero notes are in the box at the end of the period.  The dance continues - we are responsible for our learning.

3:00 PM

    I leave school.  Thank you.  I won't work a 12 hour day.  (Like I did Monday, or Friday)  But, as I leave, I tell a colleague about my positive experiences with my flipped classroom.  They seem very interested.

6:30 PM

    A phone call interupts my dinner - a calculus student can't access the video.  Then a text message comes in - multiple students are having trouble.  I wonder if my district cares that I'm working this overtime?  I work out the technology issues.  All memebers can see the video, and I return to my steak.

My Final Thoughts

    I feel like a bad AP Stats teacher.  I go from active AB calculus to a traditional AP Stat class where students are mostly passive learners.  They're well behaved and take notes, but they're not engaged like Calc is.  At this point, it would take a lot of convincing to make me not flip every class I teach for the rest of my career. My class works perfectly in calculus.  It is close to working well in Algebra 2.  If we move forward with the idea, I know that the students will follow.  Tomorrow will bring its own results....

A Tale of Two Classes

    It was the best of teaching, it was the worst of teaching.  But, I have to give myself credit - I've seen worse teaching and today wasn't it.  Our first day of flipped class discussions certainly left something to be desired; the end conclusion, though, is that I am convinced that this is a major step in the correct direction and that it will have a profoundly positive impact on the learning on my students.

The Best of Times - AP Calculus

    It was no shock that my AP Calculus students would lead the pack when it came to flipped learning, but I was impressed.  I had 45 out of 47 students show up this morning prepared with their notes and WSQ complete.  One student had access issues which I already knew about.  He spent the first 20 minutes of class watching the video on a friend's phone.  The other student had the notes, but didn't have a summary or questions.  He was able to participate in the discussion just fine.

    The discussion went amazingly well.  Students first talked about their summaries for five minutes and then moved into the questions that they had.  Although first period was a class of 32, it seemed that all groups stayed on task and were helping each other a great deal.  For accountability, I had each group select one person as a recorder and gave them a blank sheet of paper.  Their job was to take the "minutes" of the discussion so that I could know what their group had or had not discussed to that point.  This seemed to help the students stay on task.  While they discussed, I moved from group to group listening to their discussions.  I brought a pad of paper and used it as a mini whiteboard to help students expand on their thinking.  It was probably a highlight of my math teaching so far - we were discussing the "what if" questions and the "why" questions in the first 15 minutes of class.  They were curious and hungered for knowledge.

    I picked four questions from the class to discuss all together.  Questions like "why do we get a different answer than we got last year?", "what's the squeeze theorem?", and "I hate factoring - what's the easiest way to do it?" allowed us to discuss both fundamentals and theory.

    AB will do their practice problems tomorrow, but BC started theirs in class.  I honestly felt useless for 40 minutes today in that class.  Students were collaborating, active, engaged, and moving around the room working with others to find solutions to their questions.  I had to only answer three questions:

1. How to factor a sum/difference of cubes binomial.
2. sin(2x) = 2sin(x)cos(x)
3. (3+h)^2 = 9+6h+h^2

and the students took care of the rest.  I felt like this was teaching at its finest.  My students were responsible for their learning.

    On a critical note, my BC students were unable to finish the practice in the time we had remaining in class.  I believe that I need to shorten the length of the assignment (I'll have to experiment to find just the right length for the class) and we need to have a more efficient discussion time.  If we can limit warm-up, discussion, and group discussion to 30-40 minutes, the students will have much more time for their practice.  That said, everything else worked better than planned.

The "Could Have Been Better" of Times - Algebra 2

    Somehow I knew during lunch that 45/47 was just too good of a success rate to expect entering my first day with Algebra 2.  I knew that they would require more structure - what I could not anticipate were the number of students who wouldn't be prepared.    I acquired a laptop cart so that I could give a student who had not watched the video a computer so that he or she could watch it during the first part of class.  I would be ready if one person or everyone had not watched the video.  Exactly half of the students, 12 out of 24, were prepared.  I quickly arranged four groups of three students each for discussion and sent the other students into the hallway with a laptop.

    I then spent the next 20-30 minutes working not with the 12 who were discussing, but troubleshooting the 12 who hadn't accessed the video.  Some laptops wouldn't start.  Some wouldn't let you access the network.  Some wouldn't access the Internet.  Some wouldn't let you log into Edmodo.  (And Edmodo was the only place the students could go since YouTube videos are blocked by the school server.)  Then, the piece de resistance, once students entered Edmodo, they were blocked from watching the video at all.  There was no way I could get these students to watch the video at school anyways, and we had just wasted 30 minutes.  Top it off with a disruptive student who decided to answer her cell phone in the classroom (after I told her that she could not answer her phone) just added to the disappointment.

    I got everyone back into their original groups and we moved ahead with the planned activities.  The students who had watched the videos did a great job of helping those who hadn't.  The activities went alright, nothing special, and each student deepened their understanding of algebra, permutations, and combinations.  In the end, I don't know how I could deem today as a failure.  We learned, most students stayed positive and resilient, and we're learning what works and doesn't work in providing access for all students.  I believe that we'll be in a much better position come Friday.

    There are two positive notes.  One is that I cannot have this problem tomorrow.  We watched the video as a class on Friday, completing the Watch part of the WSQ.  Students will only need to bring their Summary and Questions to class for our discussion.  I'm excited to see how that works tomorrow.  Second, a colleague of mine reminded me that 50% isn't uncommon for homework completion among these Algebra 2 students.  In fact, only 50% of students in another class of the same level completed their traditional homework.  Twelve out of 24 gives us a baseline - improvement is possible and certainly imminent.

Teaching is a Funny Profession

    As distraught as I was with a 50% in Algebra 2, the positives are massive.  For example, I just got this post to Edmodo from one of my Algebra 2 students.

This is a student who is truly taking responsibility for his learning.  He knows the expectations and, because the homework is achievable, he wants to be prepared every day.  I've even heard of two Algebra 2 students who watch the videos with their families.  Such parental support in high school mathematics is rarely seen in a traditional math classroom.  What awesome families!

    In this way, I've always seen teaching as a paradox.  In one philosophy, it's my job to help each student to achieve his or her learning potential.  It seems like I fail when I can't get 100% to be successful, and certainly state and college board tests allow teachers to quantify the success of everyone quickly.  Yet, at the same time, teaching is so personal - only the individual student matters.  A message like the one above shows the true value of what I can do and what a flipped classroom provides.  It is difficult, but I believe patience with Algebra 2 will yield more results like this.

It Will Work

    I'm convinced more than ever that this is a great tool that will help my students learn.  We have our issues to solve, but any classroom management system will have its kinks.  What's important:

• I'm enthusiastic.
• My students are asking higher-order thinking questions.
• My students want to learn and want to help each other.
• Students are stepping up to the challenge of taking responsibility for their learning.

A flipped class won't be the answer to all of my math teaching concerns, but boy does it look promising.  In the words of Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein, IT COULD WORK!

End the Week Right

    The first week is over!  I am so excited about this year and almost every one of my students has shown a very positive attitude about learning.  Today was the final modeling day with my students - we start discussions and practice on Monday!  In the second day with my even day classes, here are my observations.

Period 1 - AP Calculus AB

    While the first video was not available for us to watch together, I think that these students will do a fine job of pausing and rewinding as they need it.  We went over the expectations of how to WSQ, looked at the WSQ checklist for the first chapter, and finished passing out books and calculators.  We also spent some time discussing the different types of questions that they will encounter on exams, especially calculator-active questions that test theory and therefore the calculator is of no help.  Many students last year got very frustrated on these problems because they thought "this is calculator active - there must be a way to use the calculator!"
   
    We did have a couple minutes at the end of class where we talked about some basic trig facts that are necessary for success in calculus.  We'll continue to review these facts as we go through the first chapter on limits.  I usually make these limits very trig-intensive to reinforce these facts that are used throughout the year.

    I also considered encouraging the AB students to write "HOT" questions (higher-order thinking) in their WSQs, but I decided that I would wait at least one chapter and pilot the idea with the 14 BC students.  I'd like to make a guide that gives good examples of math questions at all of the different Bloom's Taxonomy levels so that students will be better prepared to ask good application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation questions.  I probably will not emphasize writing HOT questions with Algebra 2 until at least November - I want them to get comfortable asking questions that they can think of and not "I have to make it HOT."

Period 3 - AP Statistics

    We did our opening activity which covers experiment design, simulation, sampling distribution, dot plots, and so much more.  I was excited and the students were really engaged.  I think this will be an awesome class.

    It has such a different feel from calculus.  In calc, they're the top students mathematically.  Period.  There can be such a serious nature at times.  I'm challenging these students in a way that they haven't been challenged before (flipped class or not), and this can lead to huge growth and, a necessary byproduct, stress.  AP Stat has some of the top students overall - students strong in math, science, English, and social studies.  There is a flair in the room where creativity is encouraged and necessary, where you can use thinking and reasoning skills to answer almost anything.  I just need to remember to continue the emphasis that "every number is this class has a meaning."

Period 5 - Algebra 2

    This class had me the most worried on Wednesday.  They seemed decently strong in some basic math areas, but also seemed more social, active, and rambunctious than all of my other classes.  Today, we watched the entire first video and I modeled how to pause, rewind, and take notes.  To my astonishment, everyone was quiet and actively engaged in the video.  They generated discussion among themselves, took guesses on answers to questions in the video, and seemed genuinely excited to try it on their own.  I asked a couple of students afterwards - students with "reputations" - what their thoughts were on the flipped classroom.  Each answered extremely positively and brought the talk back to how it will improve their learning.  It may have just been them repeating my enthusiastic comments, but the responses seemed quite genuine.  If they're convinced it will help them, they'll be more apt to watch the video and complete the WSQ; however, I'm not sure what will happen once the novelty of the method wears and we are in the routine.  Hopefully they'll be trained to complete WSQs and motivation won't be a major factor in their class participation.

The Flipped Class Model:

    Being a week in, I've come up with a few major tenets of my flipped classroom.  I'm going to rely on these pillars for supporting learning in the classroom and, while some procedures may change as the year progresses, I do not anticipate changing these.

• Expectations are Clear.  Students need to know what to do and when to do it.  They have to know that they are capable of completing the task at a high standard.  The student also needs to know what to expect from me.  They receive a How To WSQ document which explains how they should watch, summarize, and question.  The WSQ checklist keeps students focused on task completion and helps them to remember when discussions will happen, especially if they are absent.
• Communication is Key.  Students are expected to keep me informed of their individual situations.  There is absolutely no excuse for a student entering the classroom unprepared for the day's discussion without my knowledge.  They can contact me through e-mail, Edmodo (which goes straight to my phone), or by giving me a written note (either in person or school mailbox).
• You must meet me in the middle.  Students need to be an active member of the solution to any problem that affects their learning.  If that is technology access issues, we work together to find the solution.  If it is completing WSQs on time, we work together.  The attitude is best modeled by Cab Calloway in the Blues Brothers movie when he told his orphan kids that "Your lazy butts are in this too!"  It's their learning - own it.

Technology Update

    We are still working through some technology glitches, but they seem to be behind us.  I'm going to try to put together 4 more videos before the weekend so that most of next week can be uploaded to YouTube, Edmodo, and Edline on Saturday or Sunday.  The broadcast department has been awesome in working this plan.  Their quality is outstanding and customer service is top notch.  I can't thank Stacy, our center coordinator, and her students enough.

    I have had great success uploading videos to YouTube for students to watch.  I disabled any comments, posts, etc. associated with the video and set it to unlisted (so that only those with access to the link will be able to see the videos).  I have also appreciated the ability of TinyURL in creating easy-to-remember links to the videos.  The links are the broadcast to the students using Edmodo and Edline.

    I believe that the stage is set for success.  The expectation is clear - we ARE a flipped classroom.  The students have bought into the idea - they reflect my enthusiasm.  Parents, both of students who have been successful and those who have not been successful in math classes, have indicated their belief that this model could help their students learn at a higher level.  Now we share the work and LEARN.

Second Day's the Charm

    So we finally got to talk about local linearity in AP Calc AB this morning - it was much better than talking about a syllabus all day to every student.  AP Calc BC got their "WSQ - How do I do it?" sheet and their first WSQ checklist.  We got to spend the period talking about limits and indeterminate forms, which was even better than local linearity.  One of my students actually came up with another way of attacking a problem - the groups and the flipped classroom are already generating learning!

The Videos are Awesome

     If only the teacher would be more handsome and the content was better, these would be the best videos out there.  The technology and broadcast teams did an impeccable job of filming and editing.  I'm sure that these videos will continue to be better once I get more comfortable in front of the camera.  The first algebra 2 video on permutations and combinations can be seen on YouTube and also on their Edmodo account.  I'm hoping to go back through and make the content in the videos better once the year is underway.

    My idea with the video is to give the students a basic introduction to the concept and give them the fundamentals.  The goal is for each student to come to class with a better understanding than if he or she had not watched the video.  In class, there will certainly be more instruction and activities that will help the students to deepen their understanding of the material - the video is only the surface of the instruction.

    And on this note, I'd like to make a quick statement about Khan Academy.  A number of my colleagues have critiqued my not using this website as a primary source of quality videos.  First, I couldn't agree more that many of these videos are of the utmost quality.  Second, I owe a major debt of gratitude to Salman Khan.  Without his active voice on blended learning and flipped classrooms, I wouldn't write this blog or be attempting this great experiment in learning.  My opinion is that the videos on the website are great for motivated, mature students.  One student in my BC class is already using Khan Academy to learn Calc 3.  But, I don't believe that they are exciting enough for some of my less-motivated students (most videos are just talking and writing) and are not always completely aligned to Virginia state standards.  (Not that talking about other topics is bad, but some less-motivated students can be prone to being unable to differentiate between essential state standard topics and extraneous information.  What I would give to be able to teach without state standards....)  For these reasons, I plan on making many of the videos where I can control the content from the first second to the last.  This will allow the videos to be as short as possible and contain the necessary materials to support in-class activities and problem solving.  It is simply my belief that a video designed by me will, generally, be a better support for my student learning.

Monday starts the Real Deal

    So the videos are being made and uploaded, one by one.  The students have received their checklists, their WSQ how-to's, and their basic expectations.  Students slowly continue to join the class group on Edmodo, but I'm starting to worry about one major issue - how many will show up on Monday and not have seen the first video?  I'm certainly more anxious about my algebra two students than my calculus students, since there are more students in that class who are without internet or computers (4 to 1).  I'm trying to emphasize the "communicate with me" aspect of the flipped classroom, hoping that the communication will reduce the anxiety of both me and my students.
    I think that this new style of learning will take about a month before we start to be proficient at the routine.  I plan to keep the expectations high of students, especially in the area of procedure, in this first unit.  Then, the remaining units, after we are more comfortable with the flipped classroom, will have equally high expectations in both areas of procedure and academics.  Almost every student was excited the first day about the flipped classroom - how will they walk the walk now that something is expected of them?

Assemblies be Trippin'

    Okay, so the title isn't really proper.  But my attitude towards the assemblies today is best reflected by a direct quote from one of my students - "the assemblies be trippin' today."  They ran over by more than one hour, resulting in a 15-minute first period and a 25-minute third period.  At some point I hope to do some teaching this year.  But, it's the first week of school.  I can't expect too much.  So, after 2 hours in homeroom, here's the day.

First Period - AP Calculus AB

    I promised my first period that we would actually get to talk about calculus at some point this year.  All we had time to do today was discuss the format of the flipped classroom, a full day later than I had wanted.  They got the syllabus and the parent letter.  Some kids have already joined the Edmodo group, which is promising.  I've noticed two distinct groups arising in both calculus classes.  Some are very excited to see the change, others are more reluctant.  I think these calculus students have become very proficient at playing our traditional "education game" that, with responsibility for learning being shared more equally, flipping is a little scary for them.  But no one is hesitant to try - we'll have a great year.

    I am still on pace to do our opening local linearity activity tomorrow and model the WSQ on Friday.  The first WSQ discussion will happen on Monday.  As long as I get the amount of time the schedule allows, we'll be alright pacing-wise.  If not, we adapt and overcome - just another day as a teacher.

Third Period - AP Statistics

    My activity-based, traditional AP Statistics class met for the first time today.  Instead of 75 minutes, we only had 25.  We got through attendance, the 3x5 card (see yesterday's post), and the syllabus/expectations.  I managed to give them an article about an experiment to read and answer a couple questions before they left.  We're a day behind, but nothing we can't make up.

Fifth Period - Algebra 2

    My final class, Algebra 2, met during fifth period.  This class, like the sixth period algebra 2, has a lot of students who have not experienced a lot of success in math classes before.  We did the same activities as sixth period yesterday, but had more time for practice at the end.  The reaction to the flipped classroom seemed positive, with a couple of students seemingly neutral about the idea, just like sixth period.  But where students yesterday couldn't get enough information about the flip and the WSQ, these students were considerably less enthusiastic.  I'll chalk it up to the fact that students were in homeroom for two hours and have had teacher after teacher talk at them for the past two days.  I'd probably be overwhelmed too.

    On a less positive note, I was not happy with the questions I received today from this class.  When yesterday's students asked questions about learning and procedures, today's questions were:

• "Do I really need to pass this class to graduate?" 
• "Do I need to take or pass the state standardized exam for algebra 2?"
• "How many math credits do you need to have to graduate?  Do I already have enough?"

I indicated that their guidance counselors would be better able to answer the questions, but it highlights a major potential issue - will I need to deal with a segment of the class who will choose to fail so that they don't have to do any work?  To be completely honest, this is the most disheartening part of the past month for me.  I suppose that I'll just need to see how the class dynamics evolve and stay energized and enthusiastic.

The Videos are IN!

    They're nothing special, and I'm not extremely happy with them yet, but I've gotten my parent video and first two videos ready for viewing and upload.  The technology and broadcast teams have done an AMAZING job with both the video and sound quality.  I was extremely impressed.  I uploaded the parent video to YouTube and to Edmodo using SchoolTube.  I'm encouraged by the fact that two parents have already subscribed to my video channel.  That's an awesome sign.

    I'm hoping to create a few more videos tomorrow during my planning period.  I plan on modeling the WSQ for second (calc) and sixth (alg 2) tomorrow - we'll get the WSQ checklist, watch the first video together in class, take notes together using the document camera, and begin discussing what to include in our WSQ.  I'll do the same thing on Friday for first (calc) and fifth (alg 2).  I'm anxious to find out how many students haven't signed into Edmodo or given me their parent letter (which tells me if they have a computer or internet at home).  We'll just wait and see.  I'm not great at this patience thing sometimes....

Plan the Work, Work the Plan

    Day one is over and the flip has officially begun!  I got to see my AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, and one of my Algebra 2 classes today.  Because the freshman assembly ran over its allotted time, I only got 15 minutes with my AB class (which included introductions and greeting the ~32 kids in that class).  I was disappointed that I didn't get more time with them - I didn't even get a chance to introduce our flipped classroom yet - but I will see them tomorrow for another 30 minutes, as long as assemblies don't go over tomorrow as well.  Here's a rundown of the first day's activities:

First Day's Activities - The Plan:

My 3x5 card that I used as a model.

    Students were greeted into the classroom and given a 3x5 index card and a blank sheet of paper.  On the card, they wrote their name at the top, three things they like on the left side of the card, and three things they do not like on the right.  I'll use these cards during the school year for random questioning and other items where students are randomly selected.

    As students finished writing their 3x5 card, they used one side of the blank sheet of paper to tell me everything they wanted me to know about them.  I anticipated this activity to improve the creativity of my students and get them to give me information that I might never think to ask.

    Finally, I introduced the students to their groups for the first part of the year and they were tasked with complaining about math homework and math class.  I challenged them to come up with 10 things they didn't like about the traditional math class.  I figured that this would help energize the discussion about the benefits of the flipped classroom.

    At this point I could reveal the flipped classroom to my students.  I strongly believe that I need to sell this idea to my students as well as possible - think Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross.  An enthusiastic student means a supportive parent.  A questioning student means a potentially concerned parent without having seen anything in action yet.  I need to show my students that this is in their best interest - how better than to explain how it helps many of the problems they identified in their group?

    And while I passed out books, loaned out calculators, etc., calc students worked in their groups on a local linearity activity and algebra 2 students worked in their groups on some basic combining like terms and solving linear equations.  The students turn in their 3x5 card, piece of paper, and intro work.

The Plan, Revisited:

Period 1 - Calculus AB

    For first period being shortened in half, I can't complain with the results I saw in my plan today.  Calc AB only got the 3x5 card and brainstormed what they didn't like about traditional math homework and math class.  I wasn't able to get to introduce the flipped classroom or see their syllabus for the year.  That'll be first thing on the docket for tomorrow morning.  I'm a little worried that they left the room brainstorming about what they don't like about math, but the smiles I saw among the crowd told me that they couldn't wait to find out why they were doing such an absurd activity.  I bet many can't wait to hear what's going on.  Just please, please, don't cut my time.  Maybe if I explain my case to the AP people, they'll move the exam....

    I didn't get as much information on the "blank page - tell me about yourself" as I might have expected, but I got a ton of information from this group I wasn't expecting.  They told me their habits, feelings toward the class, and much more.  I've already started my list of follow-up questions (i.e. you said you like to travel - where do you like to go?).  With a class of 32, this may be the best way to start building personal relationships with the individuals.  I also found one where the student is looking to drop calculus for AP Photography.  I never would have anticipated this - I can now help to better advise this student to their options and help them to make the best decision for their future.  I definitely think that we'll do more blank-sheet activities in the future.

Period 2 - Calculus BC

    Second period was the official 70 minutes, and we needed every minute of them.  Unlike the 32 members of AB, I only have 13 in this class.  I feel like I already have a personal relationship developed with almost all of them.  The dynamic is completely different, but boy did they complain about the assigned seating.  With so much work being done in groups, I need to learn their habits before grouping them.  I am not using chapter 1 discussion time to gossip about summer, etc.  I am also lucky to have placed into each group one student who took AB last year.  I hope they'll help to steer the discussions and provide some of the highest order thinking questions, at least early on.

    These top students took to their group assignments like ducks to water and we got right to talking about the flipped classroom.  The responses I got were extremely positive, but I do notice some reluctance early on.  They want to see how this is going to work.  These students have been extremely successful playing the "traditional math classroom game" and I think they may be initially uncomfortable changing standard operating procedure.  However, I think these students want to succeed, want their classmates to succeed, and will do whatever is necessary for the good of their learning and the class.  Some are really excited about it.

Period 4 - Planning

    Thanks to our impeccable broadcast team at Matoaca, I got to spend about 45 minutes working with a team member to create the first three videos I'll need.  The first was the parent video.  I know that it'll be subpar compared to the excellent examples out there (youtube: flipped classroom parent), but I hope the most important part is that it's me doing the video.  The parent letter explains the rest in great detail.

    I also recorded the video for permutations/combinations and AP Calc's introduction to limits.  Again, they aren't where I want them to be yet, but this was our first recording session.  I'll take the feedback from my students and move forward.  Everything can't be perfect.  But again, I think the most important part of the process (at least initially) is that it is me in the videos teaching examples that will be referenced in the class practiced.  I'll use these two videos on Thursday and Friday for in-class modeling of the WSQ.  This should allow me more time to finish the rest of the videos by Friday or Monday.

Period 6 - Algebra 2

    Every critique of the flipped classroom was that these students wouldn't buy into the program; however, these students were the reason I decided to flip in the first place.  Needless to say, I was relatively anxious by the time they entered my classroom.  Besides, they'd been talked at all day by teachers.  They knew they just had to get through one more and they'd be done.  And a couple acted like that all period (although, come to think of it, I think they turned in all the work I expected).

    I had to help them through the group work initially, providing more support than I did during either calculus class.  The students did well, in my opinion, with some too interested in working individually.  That'll be a tough habit to break, but the expectation set will help.  The idea of a flipped classroom received a lot of very positive comments among the students - I was pleasantly surprised.  I think that the traditional model has failed some of these students and they are excited to give something new a try.  I had students asking question after question about the WSQ, how it works, and what I expected.  They were relieved when I said it wasn't homework tonight (their only homework was to join Edmodo, answer the class poll, and bring back the signed parent letter), but it seemed that they were eager to get to work.  I'll take that positive attitude.

    Some students showed neutral attitudes.  Not one showed a negative attitude.  But if I told the class that I had ordered pizza for everyone, some would still show a neutral attitude.  I can't fight that - just keep selling and being enthusiastic about learning.  I had three students ask me about flash drives because they didn't have internet at home.  I was so impressed - each asked about it in a very positive way.  They bought in.  They wanted the videos badly.  And they were working with me to find solutions to their unique needs.  Not one student today tried to argue about the videos or complain that I was asking too much.  It's only day one, but it's one good start.

Tomorrow and Beyond:

    So I get to see Calc AB again - hopefully we can start the local linearity activity and get acquainted with the idea of a flipped classroom.  I get to see my other algebra 2 class - I hope that we'll see similar success with positive attitudes there.  And then, on Thursday and Friday, students will get their WSQ checklists, question starters, and we'll practice a WSQ together in class.  Weekend, students WSQ, and we discuss on Monday and Tuesday.  I've planned my work; now I work my plan.  But even as I do it, I realize that I'm only one part of the classroom - how well will my students' positive attitudes translate into positive work ethics?