How does this change the way math homework is done?
How will homework be graded?
How can my child learn from a 5-10 minute video?
What if my child doesn't understand something in the video?
What are the benefits of learning from a video
What if my child falls behind?
How will this affect my child's test scores?
Will my child need their own computer?
How do we do homework if we are out of town for the weekend or my child is absent?
WIll there be more work done at home than for other students?
Will we see more of this kind of program in other areas? Other years?
How can I help?
How will homework be graded?
How can my child learn from a 5-10 minute video?
What if my child doesn't understand something in the video?
What are the benefits of learning from a video
What if my child falls behind?
How will this affect my child's test scores?
Will my child need their own computer?
How do we do homework if we are out of town for the weekend or my child is absent?
WIll there be more work done at home than for other students?
Will we see more of this kind of program in other areas? Other years?
How can I help?
How does this change the way math homework is done?
What we have known as “homework” has typically been a set of problems that were assigned so that your child could practice what he/she learned in class. Since this type of work will now occur during class time, student “homework” will now be to view instructional videos that the teachers have prepared. These instructional videos will introduce your child to math concepts. They will be taught how to be active learners while viewing the videos so that they can understand the concepts presented. Typically, the teacher who has made the video will instruct the students to pause or rewind the video if they need to hear information again. Students will take notes using a provided notes sheet, and eventually on their own.
How will homework be graded?
Student “homework” will now be to view instructional videos that the teachers have prepared. Your student's teacher may choose to assign a grade on the "homework" and/or the accompanying assignments to be done in class. In accordance with the McKinney ISD Grading Guideline, these assignments are both formative and will be 30% of the student's overall grade. Completing these assignments is essential to preparing for the summative assessments at the end of each unit, which are weighted 70% of the student's overall average.
How can my child learn from a 5-10 minute video?
The teachers have prepared these videos to be clear and concise. Some are as short as five minutes, others are longer. Students will be taught how to be active learners by using the pause button when they need to write something down or just to take a minute to process and using the rewind button when they need to hear information again. Your child will be prompted for a short summary after the video. If they do not understand the concept, they should review the video and write down any questions they have.
What if my child doesn’t understand something in the video?
If your child does not understand something in the video and requests your help there are a number of things you can do:
- Have your child review the video at a slower pace. Make sure they use the pause button when they don’t understand something. Doing this will allow them to pinpoint where they are getting confused.
- Work through example problems. Videos will often contain an example problem. Have your student pause the video, copy the problem down and then work through the problem before resuming the video.
- Watch the video with your child. One of the best parts about the Flipped Classroom is that parents/guardians now have direct access to the teachers’ instruction. This will allow you to view the video with your child and help them if they get stuck. Please keep in mind that the Flipped Classroom is a wonderful opportunity for your child to take charge of their own learning. Watching videos together on a regular basis is discouraged.
- Communicate with the teacher. Every teacher will have a way for students to communicate with them. This may be through email, messages on Edmodo, or your child’s math notebook. If your child is stuck/frustrated, please encourage your child to communicate with the teacher and/or attend tutorials. Flipped Classroom teachers have designed their class time to be able to address student concerns immediately.
What are the benefits of learning from a video?
Pace. One of the benefits of learning from a video is that your child can view the video at their own pace. Imagine a classroom where the teacher is lecturing to 25 students. What would happen if one of those students didn’t understand what the teacher had just explained? Some students are bold enough to raise their hand and indicate they do not understand, but many do not. With a video, your child can pause and rewind the video at their own pace, or view the movie a second or third time.
Teacher interaction and personalization. The greatest benefit of learning from the video, however, will be the time that is now available in class for your student to work through problems and interact with their teacher. Our hope is that class time becomes a more personalized experience for your child, and that students will be able to move at their own pace, whether that is a bit faster or at times, slower.
What happens if my child falls behind?
In a traditional classroom setting, it can be days before a teacher realizes that a student does not understand the concepts. Feedback comes only after an assignment has been completed, turned in, corrected and handed back. The delay here is critical and can often lead to a student falling further behind or getting frustrated. Remedial help often occurs outside of class time. A student may meet with a teacher or a tutor to work and get caught up. In a flipped classroom, the teacher recognizes more quickly when a student is struggling with the current concept or skill.
How will this affect my child's test scores?
The goal of the flipped classroom is for the students to become more self directed learners. This goal, combined with an increase in personalized time with the teacher, could have a positive effect on test performance.
Will my child need their own computer?
The Flipped Classroom is possible because technology is increasingly prevalent in home environments. If computer/Internet access is unavailable, we will provide your child with alternative methods of viewing the math videos (DVD, ipod, etc.).
How do we do homework if we are out of town for the weekend or my child is absent?
Since the math videos are hosted through YouTube, any Internet accessible device will be able to access the videos. This makes it possible to use a variety of devices to view the videos (desktop computer, laptop, iPod Touch or iPad devices, Smart Phones, etc).
Will there be more work to be done at home than for other students?
The workload for all 7th grade Pre-AP students will be similar. Your child will spend approximately 30 minutes viewing the math video and completing the lesson notes. Videos will usually be assigned two to three times a week.
Will we see more of this kind of program in other areas? Other years?
There are a growing number of classrooms around the country (and in other countries) that are adopting the Flipped Classroom model. In fact, there is even an entire high school that has “flipped.” As time goes on, technology will allow learning to be more personalized and accessible at any time, at any place, and at any pace.
How can I help?
Because this is a pilot program, we are very interested in your feedback as a parent/guardian. At any point during the pilot, please feel free to submit feedback (general feedback, questions, suggestions, concerns) using the link provided on the Flipped Classroom website (under “Contact Us”).
The two participating teachers have worked hard on making changes to their classroom and teaching strategies in hopes that it will have a positive effect on your child. Taking a positive approach to these changes is important. Your time with your student at home will begin to shift from a “homework” time to a “learning” time. Encourage your child to watch the videos at a pace that is comfortable and appropriate. This will be different for every student. Encourage your child to use the lesson notes to write down questions and anything the teacher requests in the video. Feel free to watch the video along with your student!
