One Does Not Simply Finish Blogging

Hello, this will be my final post for this class (I am sad that my meme sharing will be coming to an end!) My final post is going to be talking about how I specifically can flip my classroom or utilize flipped learning in the library. This is a topic that I have been thinking about for the better part of a semester and this is a question that I have been struggling with. Originally, when I was thinking about Flipping the Classroom, I was a bit caught off guard, because as a part of my job, I do not give homework or even give grades. This complicated the idea a little bit. But, I think that it could be a very effective technique that is used within my own time block of 45 minutes. I am thinking that the best way to do it for me would be to create a center rotation system. That way, when the students are in the actual lesson part of the center rotation- it would function as a small group instruction that would maximize their time and learning with assistance from me. The other rotations could be listening stations, iPad activities, or other authentic activities that supported the learning goal. This approach would also lend itself to be more of a Flipped Learning style, rather than a one time Flipped Classroom, which is more ideal as an approach. For other teachers that are specialists and are not able or willing to assign homework, you could do the same approach or ask the students to come prepared with the video already watched. I would hesitate to step on the classroom teacher's toes for homework purposes, which is why I like the idea of center rotations.

(People always think they do not have time to Flip)

(What really happens when you have Flipped Learning)

There is quite a bit of research done, and talk within the librarians community (primarily in the elementary library) that agrees with this approach, and has already implemented a similar system in their library. Here are some examples that I found:

The Elementary Librarian "Welcome to ElementaryLibrarian.com! This site was created by a certified K-12 librarian in 2012, and it has now grown into a community of thousands of elementary librarians sharing lesson plans, resources, and ideas!" 

Continuously Learning has a list of fabulous center ideas. Pop up books, research, listening, you name it, they have it! 

Learning Librarian is another long list of blog ideas, very diverse list!

Literacy Work Stations "A literacy workstation is an area within the classroom where students work alone or interact with one another, using instructional materials to explore and expand their literacy."