This month we highlight Khaia Smith, 4th grade teacher at Birney Elementary. She is using technology to effectively flip her science instruction. Read on for more about her journey:
"Anyone who has taught in a Title I elementary school knows there simply isn’t enough time to teach everything in depth. A few years ago, I’d attempted a flipped classroom where students use technology at home to learn and return to school with a background knowledge allowing for deeper exploration in class. To say the least, my first flipped classroom attempt was a flop. I found it challenging to keep up with students’ learning. Luckily, as teachers we reflect, revise, and try again. With the introduction of Microsoft’s 365 Notebook and Teams, I decided to give having a flipped classroom another try. While I’ve had my share of growing pains, this has been the best revision for my class this year.
At the start of my first flipped unit, I created a Science Section within Notebook. I was able to embed videos, pictures, and websites to aide student learning. Students unpacked the standards, explored vocabulary, and created a video explaining their understanding. Once students had a grasp of the standard and upcoming vocabulary, I used videos and Digital Lessons from our new Science instructional resource to further their understanding. I was even able to use the students’ workbook to differentiate instruction.
To troubleshoot for students who don’t have access to technology at home, I surveyed families at the beginning of the year to find out who has access to smartphones, iPads, or computers at home. The vast majority do have access to technology at home, but even if they do not, students are able to work on their flipped assignments during morning work (40 minutes) or during “Independent Study” (20 minutes). There is also a built in Content Center during our school day where students are able to do hands on demonstrations, modeling, etc.
The best part of this experience thus far has been watching students become excited to show what they know. Each Science unit starts with a performance task. In our first unit, students were able to create presentations for 2nd graders answering the essential questions. Some worked alone, while others worked a partner. Students being able to work on their project in different locations was very helpful. Any time a student squealed with excitement that they were finished I’d first ask if they’d answered all of the essential questions. Some students were unsure and would race back to their seat to check. Others were confident, and I’d sit down to have a coaches conference with them. Rather me telling them what they didn’t do right, I would asking guiding questions that would bring them to their own insights for improvement. In a number of instances, there were minor corrections of misunderstanding that were easily addressed.
In the end, it’s been a joy working on this flipped classroom and using Microsoft 365 to help manage the process. If I had to give one reflection point, I would give students a deadline for each of their four tasks. While some were self-motivated to move through the process efficiently, others needed a reminder of being timely. My students and I are looking forward to our next flipped classroom experience using Microsoft 365."
