June 5th, 5:30-7:30PM @ Watty and Meg, 248 Court Street, Bklyn

Are you an NYC-area teacher tinkering or interested in trying the "Flipped mastery model" of instruction?  Would you be interested in joining an informal network of other NYC educators interested in problem solving and sharing around the problems of practice that arise when trying to implement a technology-enabled, personalized mastery model in your classroom or school?  

This blender aims to launch a sustained community of practice around the implementation of a personalized mastery model that uses digital resources (video, online content, etc.)  to "flip" the mechanism for direct instruction into the online space.  While there is no "one way" to do flipped instruction, leaders in the community of practice have defined it as a set of teaching strategies that optimize the use of classroom time and information systems to allow for a learning model in which individualized assessment of outcomes, rather than a fixed dedication of time, determine student pacing and progress in the course.

Join the Flip It! Challenge on YouPD!

As defined by Jon Bergman, Jerry Overmeyer, and Brett Wilie, several founders of this community of practice:

The traditional definition of a flipped class is:

• Where videos take the place of direct instruction
• This then allows students to get individual time in class to work with their teacher on key learning activities.
• It is called the flipped class because what used to be classwork (the "lecture" is done at home via teacher-created videos and what used to be homework (assigned problems) is now done in class.

However the article linked above goes on to insist:

The Flipped Classroom is NOT:

• A synonym for online videos. When most people hear about the flipped class all they think about are the videos.  It is the the interaction and the meaningful learning activities that occur during the face-to-face time that is most important.
• About replacing teachers with videos.
• An online course.
• Students working without structure.
• Students spending the entire class staring at a computer screen.
• Students working in isolation.

The Flipped Classroom IS:

• A means to INCREASE interaction and personalized contact time between students and teachers.
• An environment where students take responsibility for their own learning.
• A classroom where the teacher is not the "sage on the stage", but the "guide on the side".
• A blending of direct instruction with constructivist learning.
• A classroom where students who are absent due to illness or extra-curricular activities such as athletics or field-trips, don't get left behind.
• A class where content is permanently archived  for review or remediation.
• A class where all students are engaged in their learning.
• A place where all students can get a personalized education.
   

Flipped instruction is distinct from most other blended learning models because its leading practitioners insist on increased depth and flexibility in the teacher-student relationship, in which each learner's progress and needs are known at a granular level, and in which class time is optimized for what most benefits learners - inquiry or project-based activities, targeted coaching, feedback-rich assessment opportunities, and small group instruction.

This blender will feature short presentations from "Flipped" practitioners around NYC focused on the problem of practice:

"What tools, systems, and procedures do you use to support a "flipped" mastery learning model in your classroom?"

Presenters to include:

• Noam Pillischer - flipped Physics Teacher @ Urban Assembly Insitute for Math and Science for Young Women
• Sarah Prendergast - flipped Math and Module teacher at NYCiSchool, Math for America Fellow, New Visions Digital Teacher Corps Member
• Marc Seigal - flipped chemistry teacher in Basking Ridge NJ, blogger, active participant in #flipclass Twitter hashtag community.  Tweet him at @DareToChem
• Brian Bennett - flipped Chemistry teacher, blogger, active participant in #flipclass Twitter hashtag community.  Presenting virtually from Indiana. Tweet him at @bennettscience
• Maria Clausen - self-paced mastery model SpEd instructor at New Design High School.
• Jerry France - math teacher and co-founder of The Young Women's Leadership School of Astoria currently flipping his math classes.  He is in the process of melding differentiated instruction with the flipped class model to better meet the needs of his students.

...more presenters being actively recruited...email astillman (at) newvisions.org if you have good leads!

Join the Flip It! Challenge on YouPD!