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.