Flipped Learning for Elementary Instruction - Softcover

Jonathan Bergmann was a classroom teacher for 24 years. He now works with teachers, schools and corporations to help them rethink educational practice. He co-founded the Flipped Learning Network and FlippedClass.com. He received the Presidential Award for Excellence for Math and Science Teaching in 2002.

Aaron Sams is an educational entrepreneur who co-founded the Flipped Learning Network and FlippedClass.com. He is adjunct professor at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and was a chemistry teacher in Colorado and California. He was awarded the 2009 Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching.

Chapter 5
flipping for elementary students
Our teacher education programs have taught us that young children are in a different growth stage than older ones, with much of that research stemming from the work of Jean Piaget. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development states that 7- to 11-year-olds, or preadolescents, are in the third stage, the “concrete operational stage” (Ginsburg & Opper, 1979). This means, simply stated, that these students are concrete in their thinking but are starting to incorporate logic and inductive reasoning and problem solving.
This means that the abilities and educational needs of elementary students are different from the needs of middle- and high-school students, who are able to start thinking more abstractly. It should follow that a flipped elementary school classroom should look different from one in a secondary school.
According to a 2014 survey conducted by the Flipped Learning Network and Sophia Learning (http://tinyurl. com/pzll7lw), 80% of flipped teachers are in secondary schools, with only 15% being at the elementary school level. This may explain why there has traditionally been a lack of good resources for elementary teachers who want to flip. We know the sparse resources aren’t due to a lack of interest. Our blog’s most visited post is entitled, “Flipping the Elementary Classroom” (http:// flippedclass.com/flipping-the-elementary-classroom), so we know elementary school teachers are interested in learning more. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this book! We hope this resource will help support you in flipping for our younger students.
In a recent blog post, Jon offered some basic advice to elementary teachers interested in flipping their class:

• Think of the flipped class as another technique in your arsenal.
• Start flipping around a lesson with which your students really struggle—and make a short video on it.
• Figure out where in the instructional cycle this video will be used.
• Keep the video shorter than 10 minutes—shorter for younger students. A guide might be 1–2 minutes per grade level.
• Figure out how your students will watch the video, and anticipate any access issues.
• Plan how you will check to see if the students have watched the video. Some have their students take notes or complete a web form.
• You might not assign the video as homework, but use the video as a center or station.

Beyond the creation and use of a video, there is clearly a lot to consider when planning a flipped lesson—such as deciding on the best subject to flip first. The previously described survey shows that 71% of all flipped teachers flip math or science classes, although there is recent growth in flipping in the humanities. Most of the elementary teachers we know got their start flipping a math class. If you are just getting started with flipping, we would recommend beginning with math and expanding to other subjects. Don’t think you have to start by going “all in” and flipping all your subjects, even though some teachers do this. Some very experienced flipped teachers decide to only flip certain subjects. Just do what it takes to get started, and add to your repertoire as you gain experience and confidence with the flipped model.
effective uses of Video Knowing what we do about elementary age students, what are the most effective uses of video for them? What is the proper amount of video for them? What kinds of videos will engage them? Although we have recommended some guidelines, it really is up to the teacher to best understand his/her students, and to design videos that work for them, making modifications when necessary.
Maryland fifth grade teacher David Dulberger first started using flipped video as a remedial tool in his math class. At that time, he had his instructional assistant watch the video in class with the struggling students, calling this “guided video watching.” The instructional assistant helped students by rewatching with them the parts of the video that covered their areas of struggle, occasionally pausing it to have them practice their math and to check for comprehension.
In his second year of flipping his classes, David expanded his use of video to student-created content. He found the online educational resource Educreations (www.educreations.com), with which he had students create their own educational videos. David took the best videos and posted them for the other students to watch and to respond to with comments or questions. He also included other curated videos to provide them alternative math strategies, allowing the students to choose the ones that worked best for them. Eventually, students started becoming empowered to add their own external material into their assignments, telling David, “I hope it’s OK that I found and used this other resource.”
David also uses the videos to spark a class conversation. He will show a video in class of a current event, such as a SpaceX rocket launch, and then posts a related question. The student responses to that question serve as a discussion prompt, which promotes student engagement.
David uses an even mixture of original content and curated videos in his classes. He doesn’t think you have to reinvent the wheel on every subject, but he generally believes that teacher-created videos are the best for students. When David does use curated videos for a lesson, he will still create his own introductory video. He also tries to find innovative ways to turn common everyday occurrences into flipped videos. For example, one time he was at a hardware store and recorded a video math problem on his phone in less than a minute. Another time, he recorded a video on potential versus kinetic energy while snowboarding.
For teachers thinking of flipping their classes, David recommends starting small and building routines— using one or two videos a week and making them directly related to the curriculum. Because students may need different resources, David thinks it is important to think through who will be watching the videos, and to target a group of students who might need a particular video. He also thinks it is helpful to build a fun routine into the videos to spice them up so that he can increase the engagement of students with learning.
involving parents
Anyone who has taught in an elementary school understands that parents have a big role in their child’s education—more so than parents of students in secondary school. For most parents, flipped learning is likely a brand new approach to teaching and learning. Some parents may be interested and open to the model. Others may be uncomfortable, suspicious, or possibly even opposed to the idea. Most of the time, negative reactions are rooted in a fear of the unfamiliar. It is critical teachers understand this when they are preparing to flip a class. There will likely be a lot of education and communication necessary to gain the support and involvement of their students’ parents.
We spoke with several elementary school teachers who have understood the need to involve parents in their flipping. One is Kris Szajner, a Minnesota Technology Integration Specialist who taught kindergarten for four years. He has involved parents by creating flipped lessons specifically for them. His flipped videos explain how the school system works, and offers suggestions on the best ways to help in their child’s education.
When he first started, Kris found that parent reception was initially shaky, but eventually improved once they understood what he was attempting to accomplish through flipping. The parents then embraced the model and consistently helped him.
Family engagement is crucial to make flipped learning work,...