Determination

  With determination you can do anything you set your mind to.   Last year I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and flip my classroom.  I received the flip classroom certification through Jon Bergerman (flip classroom pioneer) and learned the components needed to flip my classroom.  The flipped, classroom approach produced a community of online learners.  My students were teaching each other math strategies through online collaborations after school. I mediated and provided feedback to my students during nightly conversations (online).  It made a remarkable difference in their learning. Students were prepared for the lesson the next day because they took ownership of their learning. One of my students who struggled to pay attention in class became a leader in the nightly conversations.  He provoked others to think and challenged their ideas. Flipping my classroom has been an amazing experience for me and my students.  I believe the flipped, classroom approach has effectively taught 21st century skills that will transfer outside the classroom . It was a lot of hard work but my kids were so worth it.  I took a risk and that risk helped me discover another way to reach my kids. We must be teachers who continually learn and try new instructional strategies.  When we stop learning we stop growing.