Flipping Out About the New or So Called "Flipped Classrooms"

I have to rant here for a little while because this topic called the Flipped Classroom is getting way too much attentiion and exposure. I am so tired of education or educators having to attach "Good Instruction" to some new catch name or trendy thing to do in today's classrooms. I am often amazed at how many jump on the band wagon so to speak in terms of naming conventions. Here are my thoughts about the so called flipped classroom practices or the so called "new" way of doing things. 1. Visit this site - The Flipped Classroom - turning traditional teaching on its head....http://www.knewton.com/flipped-classroom/ Really, the infographic shows a traditional classroom like it is really all that we are seeing in our schools today. I am constantly in classrooms that have already been transformed into collaborative, creative and very self directed learning environments. We are in 2012 and yes there are still classrooms that are set up in rows of desks, but are students not participating in effective instruction simply because a teacher is no longer lecturing or providing direct instruction. Really, the guide on the side... haven't we heard this enough already? In my experiences in training and professional development over the past 24 years, it has been called "BEST Practice"! Creating the best possible learning situations for students to experience ongoing guided distributed instruction and practice. These are the staples of effective, creative, innovative and well managed classrooms. This is flipped??? I call it Best Practice. A teacher that stays on top of the professional game is not flipping anything. They are just simply Good and continuing to grow professionally! This infographic is just so insulting to me and to many of my colleagues who innovate everyday to instruct in the best ways possible for every learner. 2. Homework - Seriously, go home and watch me in this instructional video for homework and then tomorrow you will do your homework in class with me. Huh.... This practice is actually extremely discimininatory if you think clearly about it. Students, like the ones that I encounter in my travels in working with schools in improvement processes, do not have the luxury of the resources such as computers, internet, smartphones, parental support or understanding and equal access to complete such homework assignments. What do you do for those students? Some may argue, they can simply go to the library or they can watch it during a study halls or lunches. Again discrimination. When a child's basic needs aren't even being met at home, effective teachers realize that going home and watching videos to learn content is pretty unrealistic. So what now is the teacher to do with students who come back to school and say oh I couldn't watch the video, my dog ate the dsl cable.... They have to reteach, or have those students take time during class to then watch the videos which then creates a gap in who is getting what and when. Both are not very efficient. Oh and let's not forget, work that is not done at home is no longer "Homework". It's called classwork or guided practice, components of effective classroom practices. One might also want think outside of the box to getting student input by allowing them to design or create the instructional videos for learning. Teacher lead videos promote the same old ideology that teachers still have all fo the answers. How about enlisting the active participation of your student by having them locate and share great instructional videos to introduce new concepts. Get the kids interested in the new content by exploring. How many of you reading this already do this? Is it new or flipped? What about student learning readiness, styles and interests. Do you think this will engage every learner? That's a stretch. 3. Taking Education Professionals Seriously - It's no wonder why people in the genral population think that we are not worthy of increased slaries or the professional respect as others are afforded. Everytime there is a new name, label, or title givien to what many of us who have been at this profession for years, some are so eager to jump on board. These new things are not really new or flipped at all, it's what many have been doing for years to support and engage all learners. I am sorry, but in all of my years in the classroom at all levels, ES, MS and HS, it took creative planning and effective differentiated instructional practices to reach all of my students. I didn't flip anything. I just provided variation and choice for my students. I worked collaboratively with colleagues to create interdisciplinary learning experiences for students, I worked tirelessly on guiding, instructing, encouraging, supporting, enhancing and empowering students to create, collaborate, share, produce, learn and succeed. This is nothing "new" Good teachers do this every single day! Creating an instructional recording or video my be new to some, but many have been recording their lessons for years and placing them online for previewing and reviewing. Ultimately, the video provides a preview of what is to come. 4. Instructional/Educational Technology - Whether some want to admit it or not, technology is an essential part of learning today. Some in education feel that they have done it long enough without technology, why start using it now? Not a good argument or justification in my opinion. We need to be preparing our kids with the experiences that they are going to have after us, not the experiences that we are used to. I am an advocate of technology in education and promote it on my website Web20Guru, but know that like anything else, it has a time and place during instruction. Technology must be used relevantly to enhance instruction, engage and empower the learner, and enrich student learning experiences. Technology can lead to open learning experiences well beyond the scope of the four walls of our classrooms. Teachers should be provided support for expanding thier expertise, but they should also take the initiative to learn about how to effectively integrate technology to support instructional practices and desired student outcomes. It's not about flipping anything, it's about continuous professional growth and self directed initiative to be the best you can be. It really doesn't take money, just time to learn from colleagues from across the globe. 5. Good Teaching is Good Teaching - In any other profession, not keeping up on professional growth and practices would be malpractice. Why isn't it that way in education? Teachers that devote their lives to children and being the best damn teacher they can be don't need to wait for people to come up with the latest trendy names or sensational media coverage. Great teachers create learning environments that foster a passion for learning and personal growth. Kids know the great teachers, they will tell you. Those are the classrooms that they love to enter. They know those classrooms provide and promote instructional variety, choice, independence, guided practice, collaboration, creativity, communication, critical thinking, problem solving, technological resources, innovation, support, and true teacher passion for teaching and learning. This is not Flipped, it's just known as quality teaching. All teachers and educational professionals should be at the top of their game. Start where they are and be reqired to continue learning, just like we expect our kids to. Go ahead and create instructional videos, guide students while they work, but please for goodness sake, stop giving it a new trendy name. Just do it well and our kids will learn and succeed without the labels. Stop the Insanity! No more labels just do the best that you can with what you have. Our kids deserve nothing but our daily best. If you have "flipped" your classroom, that's great but remember that you have done nothing more than develop and implement an effective instructional practice that might work for some, but not for all. Remember equity and differentiation in the classroom are essential. Not all students will enjoy the flipped style of learning. Get feedback from all students to guide your instructional practices. Provide instructional flexibility, variation and student choice, these types of practices will go much further!