Flipping the Classroom

Wow! The videos identify several ideas for making education better. Khan's video about "flipped" classrooms excites me the most. If I could have a 1:1 classroom, I can only imagine the possibilities! Not only could I incorporate several activities based on video instruction, but I could go much more in depth with my students. One of the most distressing trends in education is the "mile wide, inch deep" way that our course of study, graduation exam objectives, and other expectations force us to teach. We can no longer spend large amounts of time examining the intricacies of the subject, but must move on to the next topic. Khan's ideas allow the teacher to use videos to introduce new material or provide instruction via video that then creates more time in class for working together in creative ways to improve understanding. The Khan video also ties into the Forest Lake videos because those children actively study their topics. The passive nature in many classrooms (even my own) drives me crazy sometimes, but I don't have the technology available to insure all of my students can work on individual projects. I'm forced to keep them mostly working together. I despise that I can't spend more one-on-one time with the students who need it, and I can't allow the other students to work on innovative enrichment projects that might make them develop a passion for language or reading (or the topics we're studying). Students teaching and helping one another discover the beauty of words, the politics behind the literary ideas, the enormity of self-expression could light a fire in the English classroom. Instead, we underline a verb, circle a phrase, and box in a direct object. Yuck! I've personally moved away from much of this in my class, but if my students could take their own literary field trip, blog about what they've read, write to an author, and study a political movement, then take it back to their classmates during class, oh what fun we could have while we learn! I know that many teachers just can't bring themselves to change, but some really do want to change. Can you imagine a school where the teachers are able to utilize the materials that are available now because they have computers for all of their children? I can.