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Another great look at flipped classroom

Here is another great article about the flipped classroom.  The ISTE Conference 2013 was recently held in San Diego and the author had the chance to hear all about flipping the classroom.  Check out the article and get some pros and cons on this fascinating topic.

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Amy England, Curriculum Supervisor

Amy England was recently highlighted by her school, St. Joseph Regional Catholic School in Florence, AL.  In addition to her duties at the school Amy also serves as the Curriculum Supervisor of Virtual Village Classroom.  Virtual Village Classroom is a research based curriculum resource serving as a curriculum supplement designed to help kids enhance their reading, writing and critical thinking skills.

For the detailed post by the school visit the school's Facebook page.

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A Teacher's Perspective

“Nobody loses all the time...”- e.e. Cummings

Teaching eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen-year-olds is always interesting.  Most people, when I tell them what I do, look at me like I am insane and respond with something like, “Ugh! They are so awful at that age! Why would you not want to teach the little ones who are still excited about school and love their teacher?”  Personally, I have always found teaching younger children much more challenging, and I have always come back to the older ones- I am convinced I will stay.  I love them, and I love their age, even though most people are very uncomfortable with this age group.  To me, they are just beginning to figure themselves out- they are young adults who are very aware of their world, incredibly intelligent and creative, and they still need guidance to make everything come together and work well.  I think adults often tend to still treat them like children and do not raise their expectations to a level that I think preteens and teenagers can understand and make happen.  They desperately need attention and do not need to feel intimidated, but encouraged. I find that I become frustrated when I see teachers who automatically see a teen and talk to them and treat them like something they despise, never giving them a chance- never trying to build a positive, respectful relationship. Others tend to treat them like they are much younger than they are- another frequent mistake. No one likes to be talked to as if they are incompetent.  Preteens and teens want to feel important- they want people to listen; they want to take on leadership roles and show what they can do. They are important- in fact, one day, they will be taking care of us; we will be living in their world.  How do we want them to treat us in the future?

I know my students are going through a very difficult part of their lives- transitioning into becoming young adults instead of being children- they are insecure, pressed for time, needing a healthy balance of personal space and positive attention from their parents and teachers, and trying to be talented in sports and knowledgeable in academics.  It is a stressful time- a time when many of them are left on their own when they are not yet ready.  More independence is needed with their schoolwork, but a strong foundation of study skills and time management must be established first.  When these basics are not taught at home, it is important for teachers to show them how to be successful and not just assume earlier teachers or the students’ parents have already taken care of it.  I often have parents tell me they weren’t strong students, and they do not know how to help their own children be better, especially when the workload becomes heavier and more advanced.  

Nobody loses all the time- unless we fail to communicate and help one another help our future leaders.

Amy England

  Image Credit: http://www.hypertextopia.com/library/read/1550/9711/6569

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A Teacher's Perspective...

“The heart asks pleasure first...”- Emily Dickinson

One of the components to my literature curriculum for my middle school students is the continuous study of poetry throughout the year.  I have been doing this for several years, and I love it for various reasons. First, the exposure to beautiful writing by famous authors and poets is valuable not only because my students become familiar with their names and styles, but knowing the poems by heart gives them inspiration for their own writing and helps them to develop their personal styles and voices.  Secondly, they memorize the poems which certainly builds memory skills and allows them to focus on their speaking techniques, such as posture, eye contact, volume, expression, fluency, speed, and pronunciation. They also have to present in front of the class to practice public speaking and confront their fear of addressing an audience.  Finally, we discuss how to be an attentive, polite audience- not to get up from our desks, leave or enter the room, talk, work on other tasks, etc. while someone is speaking.

Throughout the three years I work with my students, they progress through four levels of poetry and during their eighth grade year, they begin to study famous speeches and documents and must memorize excerpts for their presentations.  It is pleasing to me how many students who I see after they have graduated tell me how much learning about poetry and learning how to speak in front of an audience has proven to be a skill they use over and over again.  They enjoy realizing how many poems they already have studied and know by heart when they see them again in their high school English classes.  Even when they are still with me, they love to share their knowledge with the students in the grade level below them when they are learning poetry the older students have already studied.  It has built their confidence, their vocabulary, their writing, and their knowledge of famous writers and works.  

I believe poetry is a pleasure of the heart. Words are powerful and capable of painting beautiful pictures in our minds.  Enjoy it with your students!

Amy England

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From Darren's Desk- "Why Not?"

“Why Not?"

by Darren J. Butler

Last Saturday, I had auditions for The Miracle Worker at the Helen Keller Birthplace.  This is my 15th year to direct the show at the Birthplace, plus one year I served as the stage manager. The play is the official outdoor drama for the State of Alabama and is in its 52nd year of summer performances. The play is performed behind the house where Helen was born and lived until she met Annie Sullivan. Prior to the auditions, I had three people say to me, “Are you doing that again?” “That won’t be any work. You’ve got that show down.” “Why would you want to do the same show over and over again?”

I used to get very angry by these questions. Now, I just smile. They don’t get it. Directing The Miracle Worker on the grounds where the story actually happened is not a job - it is an honor.  To begin with, there are very few plays where the show can be performed on the spot where the action took place. Second, this is one of the most profound moments in history. Helen Keller’s break through at the water pump didn’t just open her world of language; it provided hope and inspiration to people all of the world for generations to come. People come from all over the world to see one of the twelve performances we give each summer. And even in 98 degree heat on a hot summer night, audience members get chills when Helen realizes the cool stuff running over her fingers is “wah, wah.” I could talk for hours and tell you story after story about people I’ve met at the Birthplace. Stories that would bring tears to your eyes. I could tell you about my friendship with the playwright, William Gibson and meeting the original director of the play and film, Arthur Penn. Three years ago this weekend I saw the show on Broadway with Abigail Breslin and had a great time at dinner with her and her parents talking about her experience playing Helen. I could tell you about seeing Skye Bartusiak and Hilary Swank do the pre-Broadway show many years ago which was halted in Charlotte, NC. Even though it didn’t move forward, I was fortunate enough to make the connection with Skye, which led to my short film, A Fix. 

The Miracle Worker connects people in amazing ways. Someday I’m going to do a documentary on the magic and energy that stems from this play and Helen’s Birthplace.  So, my answer to people who ask my why I do this year after year...I smile and say, “Why not?”

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Benefits of Flipping Your Classroom

Check out this great post from one of our staff writers!

  Flipped learning classrooms use a variety of technology to supplement or transform the traditional teaching model. Instead of classes being lecture-based and home study being textbook-based, teachers can use a variety of digital resources, including video recordings, digital textbooks, and online learning tools, to provide an enhanced in-class experience and greater out-of-class learning. Learning becomes focused on active interaction rather than passive absorption, transferring the burden of responsibility for learning to the students themselves. Benefits A flipped classroom can benefit students of all skill levels, improving the classroom environment and student learning. Key benefits include:

Self-paced learning: The ability to start and stop videos at will lets students of all levels learn at their own speed

Accommodating missed classes: With a flipped classroom, busy or sick students can stay caught up on the lecture material even if they have to be out of class

More time for participation: Students can formulate their questions and thoughts at home, allowing class time to focus on discussion and activities

More student-teacher interaction: Flipped learning gives more time for students and teachers to interact one-on-one, even in bigger classes

Improving in-class behavior: Less lecture time can prevent students from acting out due to boredom

Teaching responsibility: Students are more responsible than ever for being proactive about their learning experience

Study tool: Students can watch videos to review for tests

In addition, while teachers will answer students' questions during class, teachers who teach the same class several times a day need only record lecture material once rather than giving the same lecture several times a day; this allows each class period to be easily tailored to the specific class's needs. How to Flip a Classroom With today's technology, creating a flipped learning classroom is feasible even on a shoestring technological budget. Essentially all students and teachers have access to the Internet. Teachers don't need a high-bandwidth school website or an expensive video camera to record and present videos.  Using a simple laptop webcam, educators can record videos, usually about 10 minutes in length. Many video hosting websites allow educators to upload videos for free if they are under a certain number of minutes. These can then be posted to the school's website, or even a free blog available to students if necessary. Depending on the teacher's preference, these can be made available to the public, or only to the students. While paid websites can sometimes be useful as online learning resources, there is also a great deal of high quality information and learning tools available for free online, including access to public domain books and translations. Part of creating a successful flipped learning classroom lies in teaching students to find and use reliable online resources.  Flipped learning is an affordable way to create better learning outcomes for students of all skill levels, improving the learning experience for parents, students, and teachers alike.

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Through a Teacher's Eyes...

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.  Intelligence plus character- that is the goal of true education.”- Martin Luther King, Jr.

My students recently competed in an oratorical contest for the first time.  It was the first time a speech competition had taken place in our area that was geared for middle school and high school students, so it was relatively small, approximately thirty students from various schools nearby.  I took eleven of my seventh and eighth grade students on a Saturday evening which was no small feat in itself expecting them to sacrifice a part of their weekend to have this experience.  

We didn’t know what to expect.  I had no idea how large or small the crowd would be, the skill level of the other students, or if the preparation we had put into writing and practicing their speeches would turn out to be overdone.  However, my nervous excitement gave way to just excitement when I realized the contest was well-organized, had a lot of community involvement, and that the parents and students were having a good time at the event.

The experience was absolutely what I had hoped- my students had the opportunity to present to an audience an authentic piece they had written inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr. and the theme “I Stand for Right.”  They had the chance to see other students, some who will be their peers in high school, perform and observe how talented these other students were and challenge themselves to improve their own skills in order to stay competitive down the road.  Being able to meet other people, listen to their ideas and opinions, and grow as a writer and speaker were all important aspects of the day.  

I am very proud of them, and I plan to take even more students next year.  I believe being a strong speaker is essential to being successful at every level of life.  It is one thing to be knowledgeable for your own sake, but being able to share knowledge, ideas, and opinions with others in an eloquent way is taking it to the next level.

When we returned to school on Monday, the students who had attended the competition were spreading the word about the experience, and it was obvious to me that they were proud of themselves for facing their fear of public speaking and realizing what a great feeling it is to have others listen to you and believe in what you have to say.  One of our seventh grade students had been awarded third place at the junior level, and it was heart-warming to see the other students congratulate him on his achievement and look at him with respect in their eyes.  I like to think that the thought crossed their minds that “If he can do it, maybe I can too.”

It is never too early to have your students speaking in front of their peers.  I have every intention of writing about this topic again along with ideas on how to implement more speaking activities in your classroom, but until then, I encourage you to give your students opportunities to be in front of each other and build their oratorical skills.  Start making speaking activities a  regular part of your teaching units- get together with your team teachers and share ideas about how to integrate speaking into your lessons beyond partner, small group discussions, and talking about a poster.  Encouraging them to think critically and and share effectively will be rewarding for you as a teacher, and more importantly, will be rewarding for them- it will build their character.

Amy England

  Image Credit: http://www.blackenterprise.com/money/martin-luther-king-jr-decoded/

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From Darren's Desk- "To Flip or Not to Flip"

“To Flip or Not to Flip”

by 

Darren J. Butler In today’s classroom, teachers are faced with the decision to flip their classes or not to flip their classes. One of my co-workers informed me recently that statistically teachers were either flipping everything or flipping nothing. Admittedly, I was a bit shocked by this news. I have never seen the flipped classroom as all or nothing. In my opinion, flipping your classroom has a middle ground. I believe you should flip and teach traditionally. I am going to approach this from the viewpoint “if I were the classroom teacher.”  If I am teaching fractions, I can generate a great video lesson introducing fractions or I can find a flipped classroom video on the internet that is better than what I can do. I would assign this to my students for homework and flip the introduction to the fraction unit. The flipped lesson would require the students to do ten math problems and an additional word problem requiring the students to use critical thinking skills. In class the next day, I would begin the lesson by group scoring the homework. I would determine how many students got the ten math problems correct and how many missed one or two and so on. I would have to assess how effective the flipped lesson was. If I had three students who missed more than half, I would move them to a computer or tablet and ask them to watch the video again. After all, I was not there when they watched it at home. It is possible their learning environment effected their ability to learn the basic principles of fractions. Next, I would give them ten new problems and assess how many they get right. While all of this is going on, I would have the chance to work with the rest of the class individually on what they missed. Finally, I would bring the whole group back together and have a discussion about the word problem. By the end of class, I would have a crystal clear picture of who understood the basic principles of fractions through written and verbal assessment.  If I had done this as a traditional lesson, I would have spent more than half of my class presenting the lesson. There would have been a discussion, and I would have assigned the homework. Students would have gone home trying to remember the basic procedure to solving fraction problems. They would have stumbled their way through the problems on their own or asked their parents for help. The next day, the common denominator would not have been a number; it would have been a saying - “I don’t get it.”  By flipping the lesson, students have the ability to watch the video over and over. It gives them a chance to master the skill by touching on visual, auditory, and kinesthetic  learning styles. They can learn at their own pace without being rushed.  As a classroom teacher, I think you should assess flipping your classroom based on your student’s needs. Flip the lessons that need to be flipped. Teach the rest of the lessons traditionally. A combination of the two, in my opinion, can lead to more students mastering skills and meeting the needs of all students. 

  Image Credit: http://www.squidoo.com/printable-math-games

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From Darren's Desk- "Runaway"

“Runaway” by Darren J. Butler

In the spring of 2006, I began co-writing a new musical with Judy Rodman entitled, Runaway Home.  The show had been in development in my mind since 1996. The premise involved a group of teenage runaways living in New York City operating a soup kitchen at a small Catholic church.  

When Judy came on board, I had a class act co-writer with an impressive track record of number one and top ten hits, but more importantly, I had a co-writer that understood and believed in the story. For months we worked non-stop to create the book, lyrics, and score that would become the original workshop version of Runaway Home. It opened at the Studio One Playhouse in October, 2006 and enjoyed tremendous crowds for its initial eight week run. 

As all new musicals are, our show was too long and filled with places in need of fixing. Someone once said, “A musical isn’t written; it is rewritten.” And so we did. We rewrote the show by tightening the script and transforming dialogue into some powerful new songs. By the time, we presented the show again for workshop #2, the show was a bearable length for an average audience member, and the story was tighter. Still flawed somewhat, but tighter. 

A high school in Connecticut presented the show a year later, and Judy and I went back to the drawing board once again to tweak some rough edges. The following summer, we combined the best of both casts - Alabama and Connecticut - and presented the final workshop version that summer. The show received great response from its audience. We were pleased...but in the back of my mind, I kept thinking, “This isn’t right yet.” 

I shelved the show after that production. At some point, I received feedback from a submission I had made nearly a year before. They gave us some great critical feedback. With that, my mind continued to try to grasp what was bugging me about the story. And then it hit me - it was the wrong point in my main character’s timeline. I needed to go back to the beginning of her first turning point. The better story was there.

It has been seven years since Judy and I first began our journey of co-writing Runaway Home. Today, I have a new outline for a new script that feels right. Many of the original songs will work in the new script, but many new songs will have to be created to tell Aleah’s powerful story. I have put off writing the script until I could reach a time in my life where my work world was completely focused on sitting at my computer and writing. I’m finally there. The voices of Aleah, the Preacher, and Father Liam are calling. Who knows where this journey will lead, but I have to admit - I’m more than a little excited to revisit their world and tell their story.

  Original Cast Members Gretta Ferguson (Gracie) and Catie Duffey (Aleah)

Photo Credit: Decatur Daily

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From Darren's Desk! Writing Tips for Teachers

Image Credit: https://www2.bc.edu/meghan-monahan/honors3.html

Writing Tips for Teachers vvClassroom will post a series of short videos entitled, “Writing Tips for Teachers.” I constantly receive emails from teachers requesting tips to improve writing performance in the classroom. Our monthly publication is the perfect landing spot to receive in depth resources for building solid foundations in writing across the curriculum. Any teacher or school interested in subscribing should contact Virtual Village Classroom.  In the meantime, I hope teachers will benefit from these quick tips. I will cover topics including conventions of writing as well as organization, brainstorming ideas, and how to transfer ideas to paper.  Many teachers feel uncomfortable teaching the writing process. In my experience, the modeling videos inside our monthly publication prove to be the most useful to teachers trying to raise their comfort level. These modeling lessons are not meant to “replace” the classroom teacher in any way. Instead, it is similar to bringing a writer in residence into your classroom each week. My goal is to virtually work alongside the classroom teacher. Each video lesson provides a foundation, and there are jumping off points for the teacher to pick up from where I leave off.  Also, I believe the modeling lessons and tips for teachers provide back-up for the classroom teacher. I’ve had teachers tell me, “I tell my students that all the time, but when they hear it from you...”  Once again, this is all about backing up the fundamentals of grammar and writing mechanics. By working together on this process, I think the student benefits from all of our experiences.

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Through a Teacher's Eyes....

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.  Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” - Helen Keller

As the end of the third quarter approaches, I find myself looking back on a school year that has seemed to go by so quickly, and, as usual, I wish I was farther along on my Things to Teach List.  As a language arts teacher, I never feel I have enough time to share all of the incredible books I want my students to read, and that there are so many more experiences we need to write about.  However, I remain optimistic- we still have the last quarter, the last chance before summer to inspire their beautiful minds with just a few more stories to read and share whether they are by noted authors or personal accounts.  For instance, I look forward to reading Night by Elie Weisel, Macbeth by William Shakespeare, and Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher with my eighth graders to wrap up our year together.  All of these works I believe to be very powerful, and I  believe my students carry with them the worldly wisdom that can be gained from reading them.  Also, we are ready to begin their research papers, a task which undoubtedly takes time and patience, but I take to heart the confidence it builds in them as writers.  They never fail to share insightful thoughts and explore topics I still have so much to learn about even as an adult.

My hope for you is to stay optimistic about the school year- to reenergize yourself for the last quarter.  Let your students see your confidence in them as readers, writers, historians, scientists, mathematicians, musicians, artists, and athletes.  Students always see your reflection- make sure you are reflecting hope- that they will understand what they find difficult, that they will continue to enjoy learning about what interests them, and that they will end the year on a positive note.  Let them know about the pride you have in them and their accomplishments this year.

Amy England

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"There is a tide in the affairs of men..." -Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

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From Darren's Desk- Star Wars "The Return"

Star Wars 

“The Return”

When I was ten years old, I sat in a darkened theater waiting for a movie to start. My friend Nick dragged me to it. Honestly, I went because Nick wanted to see it. I liked sci-fi and all, but I really didn’t know much about the movie.

And then it happened. There was this musical explosion on the screen! My heart stopped I think. Words scrolled across the screen about “Star Wars IV: A New Hope” and the backstory of where the saga was coming from. From that second, I really don’t think I blinked for the duration of the film. Not only did I love the film, it changed my life forever.

Up to that moment there were several influences leading me to be a writer. C.S. Lewis, E.L. Konigsburg, Jane Yolen, and Phyllis Naylor were amongst the top writers in my world. Their stories led me on imagination journeys that I didn’t know existed. But George Lucas’ Star Wars was simply magical. My fate was sealed to be a writer.

Over the years, I have enjoyed my return visits to that world, and yes, I did like the three new films. No, they were not the caliber of the original three, but when you love the world of Star Wars, it doesn’t matter. 

When they announced Disney was buying the franchise and there would be three more films to finish out the nine Lucas originally intended, my heart skipped a beat again. In my gut I knew Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher would return. It just made sense. With all the novels out there, Lucas would have to put the new story down the road. Now, I may not be correct about this, but common sense dictates that if these guys are going to play Luke, Leia, and Hans...I’m not sure make-up artists can hide the fact they are a little older than they were when Return of the Jedi finished filming. 

Now, I have to wait. I wait with great anticipation for that musical explosion on the screen and “Star Wars VII: __________” to flash across the screen. The journey for all of us continues...

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