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Class Act: Flip Teaching

By Evie Allen

JUNCTION -- Gallatin Elementary School has introduced 'flip teaching', a new method that allows students to learn math concepts at home before studying them in the classroom.

"Flip teaching is a reverse classroom where the students see me teaching new concepts at home instead of in the classroom," explains fifth grade teacher Amanda Austin.

The lessons are available on iPods, dvd, or a jump drive. Austin says her students now have a better understanding of concepts before they come to class.

"That gives me more time in class to have hands-on activities and go more in depth with the new skills," says Austin.

Fifth grade math teacher Mariah Dennison has been using this method since January. She added a site similar to Facebook, which allows her students to ask her questions after school.

"Now they can go ahead and communicate with me and ask me that question. I can explain it, or I can say re-watch this video, this certain part of the video, and then they're pretty good to go," say Dennison.

Parents have also jumped on board with this new way of teaching.

"They like it cause they know what I'm doing at school," says fifth grader Madison Raymer.

Right now, Austin and Dennison only use the videos two to four times a week, recording one chapter at a time. This gives students the opportunity to work ahead.

"Tuesdays and Thursdays we have baseball practice, and I don't have time to do it after, so I can do it at school cause it explains it," says fourth grader Gage Disney.

Both teachers and students have noticed a difference in grades since the program began.

"It's been a lot for me, and my grade scores have went really high since we've started," says fifth grader Lucas Reeder.