If we were talking about flipping steaks on a
grill, I’d say leave me on the grill and flip me a couple more times; at this
point I feel a little rare. This is how I feel having read Jonathan Bergmann
and Aaron Sams’ Flipped
Learning for Social Studies Instruction published by the International
Society for Technology Education (ISTE) in 2015. The short guide (one of
at least five in a series) left me definitely wanting more time on the grill to
establish more than just a quick sear, which just may be a good thing.
This subject-specific book of how-to’s and suggestions follows Bergmann and
Sams’ previous books on flipped classroom titled Flip
Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day (2012) and
Flipped
Learning: Gateway to Student Engagement (2014).
The book opens with reasons why one should
consider flipping, the constraints and suggestions for introducing the teaching
method, and ideas for flipping a day, a week, or an entire year. It
continues by mentioning what resources one might use for flipping one’s class
as well as rethinking how to use one’s newly found time in the classroom to
engage more productively with students. The book finished by introducing how
some have taken the concept of the flipped classroom even further (which is
ideal) to “mastery flipped learning”, “inquiry in flipped classroom”, and
finally the role of projects, PBL’s, and simulations in a flipped classroom.
From the start, Bergmann and Sams establish
themselves as experts when it comes to flipped classroom, but they don’t claim
to be grillmasters at the helm of the concept. The pair are quick to praise the
combined efforts of other teachers in the development of the methodology.
In fact, Bergmann co-founded the Flipped Learning Network where flipped
collaboration from all around the world is continuing. (If interested, check
out flippedlearning.org) The two worked together to devise this innovative model while in
the flames and flare ups of teaching, which always lends
credibility.
When looking critically at this book, as stated
before, I was left wanting more. The authors make a good case for
flipping one’s class per the valuable class time that is gained NOT in direct
instruction (because it was done at home), and the possibilities of addressing
multiple learning styles virtually. The authors give multiple examples of
flipped classroom (and activities) in practice, I just wanted more ideas.
I wanted ideas from content that I specifically taught (American History
pre-Reconstruction) so that I could connect with the standards/objectives in my
own practice. I for one, need concrete examples to grasp an idea and move
forward with new thoughts. I also wanted more examples from an elementary
point of view. I felt most given were middle and high school level.
There was a lack of ideas for engagement as well. Successful flipped
learning has students interact with the media assigned for homework and then
engage in the classroom while continuing to process their learning. I
wanted the authors to give me more examples of ways to interact with the media
at home, and then ideas of what to do with it when they returned to
school. Additionally, the authors talk through ideas for using the time
one gains in the classroom. They mention a couple of history specific skills but
again, I was looking for more...or at least more than one example for the skill
being discussed.
To their credit, the authors included multiple
resources worth checking out. One was a social studies source for primary
source documents called the Stanford History Education Group (http://sheg.stanford.edu) This website (account needed to get the details) was full
of already established lessons that could be used in a flipped situation.
Flippedlearning.org was already mentioned, and looks really promising for helpful
hints, teacher motivational, and youtube channels/videos about history that
could be used. Unfortunately, the QR Code they print in the book, though
a working link, hasn’t been updated since 2016 as far as I could tell...that,
or no one commented on their tools page that was being chronicled.
Honorably, Bergmann and Sams flat out state that
they don’t have all the answers and that there is NO RIGHT WAY to flip one’s
classroom...a teacher has to personalize the model for themselves.
“Flipping isn’t a destination, but a transition from direct instruction to
getting more creative in your class. It is an opportunity to change your
teaching process.” (p. 88) Above all, this was comforting as I read and
contemplated the idea of flipping my class. It does indeed seem like a
structure/model/practice that I’d like to take on. I think I will
struggle with knowing what to do with the in-class face to face time.
However, as I’ve consistently struggled with (complained about) the concept of
time and the lack of it to truly DESIGN really good lessons, this does seem
like a partial answer. It affords teachers time to be designers and
implement an authentic problem that situates learners in a relevant culture to
develop 21st century skills. It affords teachers time to link living and
learning (problem-solving, information using, community participation,
knowledge development, ethical decision making) with appropriate technology to
build background knowledge, construct activities, and share their
learning. It affords teachers the freedom to let kids discover their own
meaningful outcomes. Ideally, front loading the content-learning as
homework, gives students time to go deeper in the classroom and collaborate
with the “sage or guide on the side or stage” as needed in the classroom.
In this same breath,though, the authors would admit that developing this well
for yourself, will take a time commitment outside of the school day, especially
at the beginning.
The authors, in their informal style, also state
that “the worst idea you could make is to try to replicate everything in this
book to flip your class.” (p.97) I want to thank them for giving me
permission to do it my way...but in the end, I need more information in order
to figure what that is.
My humble guess is reading the first books by
these authors would be more beneficial when first starting out. Having a
solid footing on the ins and outs of implementation would then allow
practitioners to think about ways that they could personalize the method in
their own unique classroom with their own unique students with their own unique
needs.
Ultimately, the weekend griller (everyday
teacher) just wants a successful experience...nothing under done or over
done...but just right. I would say that this book is under done...I’d
send my entree back for some seasoning and a few more grill marks. Time
to do some more research...the flipped journey continues.
