I'm FLIPPING

Flipping you ask?  I am flipping my class in my next unit.  This means I will be delivering notes through video presentations.  Students will be responsible for watching assigned lessons and or videos prior to coming to class.

Now that I have more time in class I will be assigning project based learning activities.  Now, I'm not really sure what those activities are yet.

What I do know:
1. My unit is on Middle Ages Europe
2. My unit will be approximately 3 and half weeks
3. My students will need access to both the internet and some sort of electronic presentation program
4. I want a variety of different student outputs: formative and summative
5. I want my students to share their output: either in class or online
6. I will use Schoology to facilitate the delivery

What I do NOT know:
1. How exactly I'm going to deliver my lessons
2. What exactly will my students produce
3. How much time should I allow for class work

I have talked to my county blended learning coordinator, my school ITRT and consulted a ton (okay, that's a hyperbole) of websites.  My favorite website is bie.org.  It is full of very useful and well organized information.

I will keep you up to date on my flipping!

Am I a first year teacher?

I usually don't "vent" online.  I am going to keep that mindset and tell you all of the new things that are going on with my teaching world.  

First, coming up with a new curriculum has been challenging and fun.  I've enjoyed relearning and remembering all of the things that I forgot I knew.  I remember when I student taught US I I felt very inadequate in that particular content.  At my alma mater, Roanoke College, I took many world history classes: Renaissance Italy, Medieval England, Colonial Africa, Modern Japan, Ancient MesoAmerica, another African history.  I had taken many American classes but they weren't exactly what I needed to know the content for my student teaching.  Now, I get to take that "old" information and use it for my classes.  

Second, I am excited to be apart of a technology pilot group at my school.  One of my five classes travels together (Science, English, Math, me and then Spanish) and they have a Chromebook Notepad.    I don't have an online textbook, like some of my colleagues, so my goal is to have as much online as possible.  I'm using Google docs and Google forms.  Additionally, I'm using Schoology  at my LMS (learning management system).  

Third, I am not coteaching this school year.  I've cotaught for the last three years.  I enjoy the students I have this year; however, I miss that adult interaction throughout the day.  And I won't lie: I miss the free bathroom pass.  I've had to find my teacher bladder again.  

Fourth, I'm just tired.  :-)  

I hope each of you are having a great school year thus far and I know that the rest of the year will be very successful!  

Happy Teachings!

C