Flipping the Classroom

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Who would agree with the statement - we live in a digital world? Let’s face it, it’s almost impossible to escape the world of technology because it’s all around us. At school, home, work, doctors offices, etc. And that’s a good thing because the technology is there to make our lives easier. Right now, teachers across the world are thankful for this technology as we’re navigating uncharted territory - a school shutdown due to covid-19. In a matter of days or hours, for some, we went from teaching in a classroom to learning how to teach remotely and/or digitally.

While this process is never going to be perfect because we have not been meticulously creating lesson plans for this exact moment, there are digital resources out there to help you navigate this transition. Check out these three tools that can keep your students learning and interacting from home!

  1. FlipGrid - This is a video recording tool that allows students to respond and stay connected with their learning. As the teacher, you can create an educator account to start topic ideas, share daily videos, have students record responses to questions, and even interact with one another’s video responses. I highly recommend this tool for quick, easy video recording to get your students communicating about topics they are learning about.

  2. Zoom - This is a video conferencing tool that allows you to see students live! You can schedule a time to “meet” your class for a discussion, read aloud, or a time to answer questions. It is also a great tool to use for parent/teacher conferences in a scenario that a parent is unable to meet in person.

  3. Khan Academy - This is a tool that allows you to easily differentiate your instruction for all students through instructional videos and practice exercises. Students are able to learn at their own pace through all core subjects from kindergarten through advanced level high school/college courses. There’s even specialized content from NASA, MIT, and museums across the world.

If you’re already comfortable with these online tools and you’re looking for something more hands-on that students can do at home, then check out these blog posts for ideas! STEM Movies, STEAM on a Budget, and Building Materials