The 'Nearly' Flipped Classroom

The concept of the flipped classroom started in 2007 with two US teachers posting powerpoint lectures online for students to watch at home and then follow-up in the classroom.  The concept went viral with the onset of high-speed broadband and online videos.

Here is a great visual representation of what the flipped classroom is:

Flipped Classroom Explanation

At school yesterday Lilly and Marguerite arrived to show me what I thought was a 'nearly' version of the flipped classroom.  The girls were using a video of a maths strategy to reinforce the learning they had just been introduced to with their teacher, Mrs Davidson.

The introduction of the high-speed broadband at our school has opened up a whole other realm of learning possibilities and it using tools like this that we can maximise the benefits of all our learners.

Check out the girls explanation and demonstration below, it is uncut and the girls are still developing their understanding but it is extra special all the same!

Touch Finals

Last night I really enjoyed going down to watch our touch teams in the local touch competition.  Brilliant to see so many children participating on the sports field in the one spot at the one time.  By my count we had at least 11 teams competing including students from 5 through to 13 years old.  A huge thank you to Anne Prattley for organising the teams and the very smart touch tops.  I look forward to seeing you all back playing next season.  Here are a few pics from the games.

Reflecting on Our Learning

One of the key skills or attributes that is seen as important for our 21st century learners is the ability to reflect on their own learning and progress.  The ability to reflect on what we have learnt is the first step in recognising our own strengths and even more importantly what we have to learn next.  Being able to design your own learning pathway requires this sort of reflection and is a key attribute of a life-long learner.

At Swannanoa we try to promote the skills of reflection in all sorts of ways.  Recently in R9 Mrs Davidson and a couple of her students have been posting all sorts of learning reflections on the web for parents to share in by using the iOS App, 'SeeSaw'.  Not only does it give some authenticity to their reflections by sharing with an important audience it also allows them to develop some independence using the iPad at a young age for purposes other than just repetition apps.

Here is Thomas from R9 telling us about SeeSaw.  Katie (R9) also shares some learning at the end of the movie.

Teaching and Learning in Inclusive Settings

Course Three:  Teaching and Learning in Inclusive Setting

Please find below a summary the third summary from my 2014 study leave.

This course was a nice follow-on to the first semester course I completed on Autism Spectrum Disorders in that it further developed a broader understanding of what it means to be a truly inclusive education environment for students with a diverse range of needs.

A central aspect of this course was developing an understanding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an approach that encourages educators to consider the design of learning programmes so they embrace the diversity of learners by catering for their individual needs.  The best way for you to learn more about UDL is by visiting the CAST website.  The principles of UDL provide a really effective blueprint for effective teaching, regardless of any specific needs students may have and is something that I am very enthusiastic about embedding within our own school environment.

The course explored other critical aspects of inclusive practice such as the hidden curriculum, use of technology, individual education plans (IEPs), and the role of teacher aides.  One thing I want to ensure we do when I am back at school is utilise the two websites below for their up to date resources and professional development tools.  Having paid access to these two websites will give us a wealth of knowledge about the latest developments in inclusive practices:

Closing the Gap

Spectronics

In terms of the expectations for the course I completed a variety of assignments.  The first was an annotated bibliography that explored ten empirical (research studies that involved actual research) studies with the aim of establishing how we can establish inclusive learning environments in the area of mathematics education.  There was some really interesting research studies out there and some of the key messages that have resonated with me are the impact of practices such as cross-grouping (putting similar ability students into the same class), withdrawal programmes and the time spent on interventions.  You will have to scan my annotated bibliography here to get more detail:  Inclusive Mathematics Education Research Summary.  Or if you want to save some time, check out the summary I did as a powerpoint presentation for other members of the course, this focusses on the implications of the research and how it should impact on our practice as educators:  Inclusive Learning in Primary Mathematics Powerpoint.

The final part of the course gave me the opportunity to further develop my understanding of UDL and how the use of Assistive Technology (AT) can benefit learners with a range of diverse needs.  There is again two parts to this work, a literature review aspect and a powerpoint presentation that is designed as a sequence of 3-4 professional development sessions to do with our staff.  I have linked them both for your interest:  AT and UDL for Inclusive Practice and Using AT to Embed UDL Principles Powerpoint

Catering for the needs of students with a range of developmental and learning issues has always been something I have wanted to learn more about and this course has given me a great starting point for developing my knowledge and skills in this area.