Revolutionizing My Revolution

So learning about flipped learning revolutionized my ideas about teaching and learning and even before I officially flip the more articles I read the more I realize that the revolution has just begun. Today I read a great article (http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/03/creating-classrooms-we-need-8-ways-into-inquiry-learning/) which led to further articles and eventually a completely new way to want to flip my Art History class and it even impacted my first period class this morning. As I was taking notes about classroom inquiry and flipped learning before school started I realized I was getting at it all wrong. I was creating lecture videos to introduce new art movements, not a bad way to start flipping but not why it excited me so much initially. I am now recreating my PowerPoint based flipped videos leading with higher order inquiry questions then showing them artworks that are from the movement rather than spoon feeding them the content. The idea would then be to open the class discussion the next day with their answers to their questions guiding the way and then as those questions get discussed and answered I'll interject with the lecture content as it fits student interest and the direction of the conversation. My new goal is to use the flip format to build student curiosity and hopefully this will lead to student initiated inquiry.

Starting the day with this renewed inspiration and a first period class starting my all time favorite art movement, Surrealism, tomorrow I didn't want to miss a chance to flip the learning. I could talk about Surrealism all day but will that really get the students as excited as I am about that topic? So out of no where I assigned a homework assignment for the students to search Surrealism online and then come to class able to tell me one way that Surrealist artists distort reality in their artworks. They all have iPads and we were wrapping up their current project so they had the time to do it in class if they chose. A student came up to me and said she posted her homework to our Edmodo group wall and a picture of a Surrealist artwork she liked. This was so great because what a wonderful idea. I then added a part two to their homework. They now had to also look for a Surrealism artwork they liked and post it on our Edmodo wall to share with the class. They didn't have to say anything about why they liked it, although that would be a nice part three and will probably makes it way into future flipped moments. The great thing is that no one complained. They all immediately did the assignment, or most did. The rest got it done before the bell rang. In a conversation with a student toward the end of class I learned that she really liked us getting at the content this way and she hoped we'd do it more often. Ok, not a problem. I was pumped, the kids were curious, and it was a great transition time filler. Fingers crossed that tomorrow is an exciting day in the art room as we talk about art and along the way students become engaged and learn some content that will inform their own Surrealism artworks. I can't wait for to see what happens!