To be fair, writing words on paper isn't going to make my parents more proud of me than how they already feel. Knowing that I'm in education for the right reasons, that I love my wife and kids, that I pay my bills on time, and that I'm a giving person are all the reasons my parents need to be proud of me. But seriously, isn't it nice to hear those words every now and then? We're all just big kids in the grand scheme of things, wanting to be appreciated and acknowledged when we do something that is positive.
A few months back, some guy I hardly knew named Jason Bretzmann tossed an email into my inbox that went a little something like an offer to be a published author in a book about my flipped classroom experi... WHAT? Wait a minute. I'm a math head. I just follow people on twitter, get really cool ideas from things that they post, and try to keep up with the #EduFirehose. You want me to be an author? Why yes, sir, I accept.
A few months back, some guy I hardly knew named Jason Bretzmann tossed an email into my inbox that went a little something like an offer to be a published author in a book about my flipped classroom experi... WHAT? Wait a minute. I'm a math head. I just follow people on twitter, get really cool ideas from things that they post, and try to keep up with the #EduFirehose. You want me to be an author? Why yes, sir, I accept.
My wife and I had always talked about me writing a book of some sort, but it's just a bunch of jumbled text wrapped into a plethora of drafts left unfinished. To be approached by Jason and be offered an opportunity like this is something that simply cannot be refused. As soon as I accepted, I started typing. Man, oh man, I typed out all of my ideas. This was going to be epic. But it wasn't. Quite frankly, after I read it from a lens of someone other than myself, it was awful.
Over the next few weeks, it became clear that authors like me need time. I have a brain full of words and a set of hands that don't always serve as acceptable interpreters. This wasn't something that was going to appear overnight. On the contrary, it took multiple rounds during multiple months to get something together that I was actually proud of. Even still, the typed words weren't the best part.
What had happened during this process of sharing my version (and its benefits) of the flipped classroom was that I began to reflect and refine my own idea of a flipped classroom. Truthfully, I was putting words onto paper that I didn't really agree with. I know that I should, but I'll make up every excuse in the book for why I didn't reflect during my first 6ish years of teaching. Writing a complete chapter on my teaching style forced me into that reflection and, because of that, I hope that my students have benefited.
My chapter in Flipping 2.0 is, for the most part, about the time that I am able to give back to students during class. Instead of playing the role of inevitable "sage", that time is spent bouncing from group to group as they interact with me, each other, and the content. Is this an easier way of teaching? I don't think so. I'm tired when I get home, but not from lecturing. I'm tired because my entire day is spent interacting with small groups of students and learning from them.
Just today, I got a special delivery in the mail. My wife sent me a text, saying "You got something in the mail today... Rhymes with hooks!!" Since I didn't order any Rook music recently, it meant that the proof of this dream had become a reality. When I told my parents that I was actually a published author, they made my day:
"We're proud of you, son"
For a copy of the book, click HERE
Happy Fishing
Over the next few weeks, it became clear that authors like me need time. I have a brain full of words and a set of hands that don't always serve as acceptable interpreters. This wasn't something that was going to appear overnight. On the contrary, it took multiple rounds during multiple months to get something together that I was actually proud of. Even still, the typed words weren't the best part.
What had happened during this process of sharing my version (and its benefits) of the flipped classroom was that I began to reflect and refine my own idea of a flipped classroom. Truthfully, I was putting words onto paper that I didn't really agree with. I know that I should, but I'll make up every excuse in the book for why I didn't reflect during my first 6ish years of teaching. Writing a complete chapter on my teaching style forced me into that reflection and, because of that, I hope that my students have benefited.
My chapter in Flipping 2.0 is, for the most part, about the time that I am able to give back to students during class. Instead of playing the role of inevitable "sage", that time is spent bouncing from group to group as they interact with me, each other, and the content. Is this an easier way of teaching? I don't think so. I'm tired when I get home, but not from lecturing. I'm tired because my entire day is spent interacting with small groups of students and learning from them.
Just today, I got a special delivery in the mail. My wife sent me a text, saying "You got something in the mail today... Rhymes with hooks!!" Since I didn't order any Rook music recently, it meant that the proof of this dream had become a reality. When I told my parents that I was actually a published author, they made my day:
"We're proud of you, son"
For a copy of the book, click HERE
Happy Fishing
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