Dear Parents/Guardians,
Hello, I am so excited to assist your child in the discovery of chemistry this year! Something new and exciting I will be implementing this year, is known as the “flipped classroom.” Instead of directly teaching new material during class time, students will watch a video for homework, and then will complete engaging hands-on activities in class to solidify the learning from the video. Below are some question/answers you may have about this approach to the classroom.
Q: What is the student’s responsibility?
A:Students will be required to watch a video through our class website (fair.pbworks.com), and take notes using the Cornell note format for homework. These videos are used as direct instruction that will give the student an introduction to the specific chemistry concept, as well as some example problems. The following class, we will briefly discuss what they have watching in the videos and answer any questions students may have on the content. The rest of the class time will be used for practicing the concepts from the video, as well as participating in labs and other hands-on activities to ensure your student understands the material. At the end of class, students will have the opportunity to write additional notes on their Cornell note sheet and summarize what they have learned in the lesson to help them review when they are studying for a quiz or unit test.
Q: Why are you using the flipped classroom?
A: In the majority of course evaluations that I give out at the end of the year, students want to engage more in hands-on activities, especially labs. By having students being introduced to the concepts before class, this leaves more time in the classroom to fully engage in different scientific concepts. This also allows me to work more closely with students that need additional help and provides more time for students who master the concepts to extend their learning.
By having students watch videos, they are able to “pause” me to take notes and better understand the material. They can also “rewind” me to go over a concept better to fully comprehend the material.
Q: How can I (the parent/guardian) get involved?
A: Watch the videos with your child! This way you can see what we are learning in class and can help your child too.
Q: Will this be graded?
A: Each Cornell note that accompanies the video will count as a homework grade for the unit. Each video will be worth 5 points. At the beginning of class when students are completing their drill, I will check to see that each student has taken notes.
Q: What happens if my child does not watch the video?
A: For each video that is not watched prior to the due date, students will lose 5 points from their homework grade. They will then have to watch the video in class that day and finish the in-class assignment at home. It is in the best interest of the student to complete the video at home, so they are able to ask questions to their peers and me.
Q: Does this mean that the teacher will be doing nothing in class?
A: Absolutely not! By having the students complete the direct instruction at home, I will be able to help the students that need additional assistance during class. This also promotes more collaboration between students as they will be working in groups to complete the assignment in class. They will have numerous opportunities to ask questions and fully understand the topic.
Q: What happens if we do not have Internet access at home?
A: Students can get a pass from the library during homeroom to attend the library during lunch and watch the video then. Students can also watch the video from 7:15AM – 7:40AM, 2:15PM – 2:30PM or during their lunch period in my room, if arranged in advanced.
Q: What are some additional benefits?
A: If students are absent, they can simply watch the videos from class and try to complete the assignment that is on the class website. This way, students do not get behind in their work and can continue in class if we build upon a previous topic (which happens a lot in chemistry).
By flipping the classroom, this puts a responsibility on students to help with their learning. This is an important skill to have as students progress towards higher education.
I’m really excited to start this way of learning in my classroom! If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me.
All the best,
Ms. Fair