Flipped Classroom

               We have briefly discussed student interest and participation in the classroom and why students do and do not show up for their class. I found and interesting article called "Turning Education Upside Down" (http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/turning-education-upside-down/) that suggest a new setup for schools that may generate more student interest and participation in the classroom. In a school north of Detroit called Clintondale, all of the classrooms are "flipped." Teacher's lectures and instructions are found online that explain what the kids will be learning next or how to solve the next problems they will be doing in class. Then, when the students get to their classroom, they can ask questions and do the problem solving or other assignments that would normally be taken home and done as homework. I think this is a great experiment to try in classrooms. I think it allows more time in class for students to receive help and attention from their teachers, it might bring up some students grades (because now all they have to do for homework is watch and learn for the next class), it leaves more time for in-class discussion from the students (which would hopefully generate more interest), and it doesn't include long periods of time where a child is just sitting at his desk probably day-dreaming as the teacher lectures them. If a student goes home after a long day of not retaining any information then has to sit down and do homework, they might not know how to even start it and get discouraged from doing the assignment completely. In a flipped classroom, students will have to come to class with their opinions, ideas, and questions ready to share with the teacher and other students. I think if more classrooms tried this flipping setup, more students would participate and the knowledge would stick with them longer than just the couple days they need to have it for tests.