5 Challenges & How to Overcome Them

As teachers, we are often told that being proactive is key to handling challenging situations. And if you’re already a teacher then you know that the job comes with its fair share of challenges. As such, here are five challenges you may encounter when flipping your classroom and how to overcome them.

1. Ensuring Students Watch the Videos and Take Notes

This is by far the most challenging part of a flipped-classroom approach to learning: ensuring students watch the videos at home and take notes. In fact, I would be lying if I told you that I have mastered this challenge effectively. That being said, here is how I overcome this challenge yearly.

How to overcome challenge:

– Teach students how to watch the videos and how to effectively take notes beforehand

– Provide a consequence for incomplete homework (decide what works best for you)

– Inform parents of incomplete homework

– Be consistent

2. Ensuring the Videos are Engaging

One of the biggest pieces of feedback I received from students when I first implemented the flipped classroom approach was the importance of engaging videos. Lengthy videos such as thirty minutes should be avoided. I would recommend videos that are no more than ten minutes long to ensure students remain engaged the entire video.

How to overcome challenge:

– Make your own videos that are engaging

– Choose among the thousands of online videos (check out Math Antics for awesome math videos)

– Ensure to watch the videos beforehand

– Embed assessment questions in the video to ensure students remain engaged

3. Getting Students and Parents Onboard

Change never comes without some resistance. Individuals are often afraid of change even if the change is beneficial to them. As such, it is important to inform students and parents about how the flipped classroom approach to learning really works. A quick introduction email to parents along with an informative booklet about the flipped classroom will help to ease the anxiety of some parents.

How to overcome challenge:

– Educate students about the flipped classroom approach to learning

– Send an informative email to parents about the flipped classroom approach

– Provide resources for both students and parents to explore

– Be patient

4. Time Consuming

I would be lying if I told you that flipping your math class will not be time-consuming at the beginning. However, once you’ve retrieved all the videos and embedded all the questions, the years to follow will be a breeze. If you are worried you will not have enough time to flip your math class the following suggestions are for you.

How to overcome challenge:

– Find websites such as Khan Academy

– Find videos that are already created

– Use platforms such as Playposit or Edpuzzle and search already made videos which include questions

– Be patient

5. Teaching Students to be Independent Learners

Teaching students to be independent learners is important for both the teacher and students. I will often time direct students to their notes for questions that arise during group work or encourage them to discuss with each other. For this to be as effective as possible, you must ensure students take notes of the videos and bring them to class. Over time your class will become a class where students are learning from each other.

How to overcome challenge:

– Encourage students to take notes of the video and bring them to class

– Encourage students to use their notes when answering questions

– Encourage students to use Google to find the answer to their question

– Be consistent

Conclusion

Flipping your math class will be challenging at first but will get much easier over the years. I encourage you to flip your math class today and remember that if you encounter challenges it is normal. Without challenges change would not be possible.