Chatty Crew

This years class is a chatty crew!  Here are a few things I use to help with getting their attention.  ( I don't want to totally squash their chattiness, because they learn a lot talking with one another.)

I say, "Spring a LEAK!" and the kids reply with, "Shhhhhhhh"  ***Used to bring down the volume.

I say, "1, 2, 3....Eyes on Me!"  and the kids respond with, "1, 2 eyes on you!"    *** Look to me for direction.

In a whisper voice I say, "If you can hear me raise your hand."  They raise their hand and look for me.  I count how many times it takes me to say it.  If they get it in one time, they earn a tally mark.  30 tally marks equals a PARTY!

During transitions, I ask them random questions about things we have studied in the past.  When someone answers the question correctly, that person and their table members are free to transition to the next thing. 

What are some ways you get your students' attention?

Presenting...

I have taken a big leap, and have decided to present at our district's in-service day.  For all of you who do not know me, I do NOT like speaking in front of adults.  Put me in front of 200 kids and I'm fine, but adults....not so much.    Why I made the decision to present was all of the leadership articles and books we have read in our class.  If you have read The Radical Leap you will know what I am talking about when I say, this is definitely an OSM.  Let's just say I'm really nervous.  Since I am have a role as a 'leader' in my school as staff development co-chair, I felt that I need to lead by example and show others that we should present the things that we are doing and share ideas!  Part of me is really excited to share with others my successes and struggles in flipping our classroom.  I want to inspire others to take a chance and see how they could flip their classroom.  Is it sad that all I keep thinking about is people telling other people....DON'T GO TO THAT BREAK OUT SESSION....BORING!?!?!  I think too much. 

Grandmas love the FLIP!

One of the things that I worried about the most, before implementing the flipped classroom, was what the older generation would think.  I worry A LOT so I probably thought of every complaint that could have come about with the flipped classroom in first grade.  One that I knew I could not do anything about, was what grandparents would think of this idea.  A large amount of my students go to their grandparents' after school and do their homework there.  Now, I haven't talked to very many grandparents, but I have had two grandmas interested in coming in our room AFTER they watched the movie where their grandchildren.  Their response was not what I was expecting.  They absolutely love what we are doing and think I'm a 'genius' for implementing it.  I reassured them that I am not the 'genius', that other teachers around the country were the true explorers and discoverers of the flipped classroom and that they are the ones who inspired me.  The comment that the grandmas made was that they loved how their grandchildren could go back and watch movies to remind themselves how things worked!  If they couldn't remember, they could go back and see our lesson about whatever concept they were getting tripped up on.  As of right now, my movies are just labeled by what lesson we are on.  For example, 5.13 would mean chapter 5, lesson 13.  Next year, I'm going to label the movies by what skill we are going over.  That way, they are easier to find which movie they need to help them with that tricky skill!  :) 

Christmas BREAK...No movies?!?!

This is going to be short and sweet, but I just HAD to share.  The day before Christmas break, I told the kids that there would be NO movies for math while they were away.  I was expecting the reaction of USA scoring the game winning goal at the buzzer, but it was the complete opposite.  I heard, "NO MISS C!!  I thought that's how I was going to get to see you still over break!"   Their enjoyment for this different type of learning is the same as mine and we are all LOVING IT.  :)  Happy New Years, everyone!!!

Play and the Flipped Classroom

Recently, I read an article on the importance of play in a child's life.  The article "The Serious Need for Play" by Melinda Wenner Moyer, explains different finds supporting play in a child's life.  Through studies done on rats and different experimental scenarios with children, they have found that when a child has more free play when they are younger, they tend to grow up with more creativity and better social skills.  Play allows them to troubleshoot and use their imagination.  While reading this, I thought about my flipped classroom.

When I asked the parents about how the flipped classroom was going, I only had one 'negative' response.  This mom's response had to do with her concern that her child would not be getting enough time for play and being a kid at home.  This is a concern we both share.  Through the standards and high expectations of elementary education, it is concerning the amount of time we spend on structured activities and how little time we have left to just be kids.  As we talked about different ways we could try to cut back on the time it took her son to watch the movie at home, it did make me realize that the classroom time was not as structured as it was prior to the flip.  Although, math is still with centers that have instructions and rules, the centers are much more hands-on and age appropriate for the kids to explore.  Also, the lessons I create to have them watch, will be as short as possible (6-10 minutes), to allow more play at home.  (If my students did not have the movie, they would have to do a worksheet every night instead, which is our school policy on math homework every night for grades K-6)

The mom came up with the idea that she would watch the movie prior to her son coming home, she is a stay at home, hardworking mother of three, and she would teach him the strategies I am 'in sense' teaching her.   Through this method, her son has been able to play more and has come a long way in math this year.