Time For a Change...

I have been struggling with my role in the classroom for a couple of years.  I believe that I am successful at teaching AP US History...my scores are good, my enrollment is good, but my satisfaction with the lecture centered AP classroom has been making my professional experience less than what I want for myself.

AP presents a whole set of challenges that may or may not be seen in a non-AP classroom...but the biggest issues for me is content coverage.  I was starting to lose my mind...did I cover this, should I cover that, and as a consequence of that struggle I was lecturing more...and more...and more.

Now... lecturing can be a great way to teach content.  In fact, I think that I am pretty darn good at lecturing.  But the time has come to transform my teaching.  I want to prove that even in an AP environment that the focus can be on learning and not teaching.

Then, I heard about the Kahn Academy.  So I did a little research about Kahn and his philosophy.  I found something very intriguing...the flipped classroom.  Then I started researching...reading...and I found myself wondering why I would ever lecture in a face to face capacity again!!!

The powerful combination of a screen-cast of my lecture notes and the ability of my students to see it, download it, and ask questions about my lectures via Blackboard is an amazing tool for my students.  This will allow me more time in class to do what I want to do...work with students and apply the knowledge they have gained.

Luckily I have the support of my district and principal and I am able to take a chance...a leap...and do something that I think will benefit my students in astronomical ways.  This blog will be part of my journey as I reflect on the successes and pitfalls of a transition to a flipped APUSH classroom.

Watch the Kahn talk at TED...great stuff.