On the Flip Side

Flip classrooms; what a controversial topic at Heritage High. You may be familiar with the concept but there is also a great chance you have no idea what I’m talking about. Flip classrooms are essentially what they are named to be, flipped. Instead of learning the lesson in class, they take a much more unorthodox approach which is learning the concept at home by watching detailed videos, doing the work and coming to class to review, apply the concept and ask questions. With that being said, it is inevitable for students from all grade levels to have different opinions on the concept.

While new to some people, flipped classrooms have been around for many years. Kira McIntyre, sophomore, loves flip classrooms! She believes that although it’s making learning harder it gives her more time to work on assignments and it benefits her grades dramatically. In contrast to her opinion, others have had different experiences. Brett Johnson, junior, is not a fan of this teaching style. The long videos make it harder for him to learn and they interfere with his schedule, which he attributes to his lower math grade. The majority of seniors who gave their response also said that it doesn’t teach well and they don’t learn the way they should be.

With that being said, I would like to share my opinion on this subject. I believe that flip classrooms take up a lot of my time, strictly based on the fact that I have to spend an hour at home watching the lesson AND coming to school to review. Even though I’m not a fan, I have noticed how well I’m doing in my math class, which is flipped. My grade has increased a lot and for the first time ever, I actually understand the material we are learning.  After talking with different people, I have come to the conclusion that there are varying opinions and that although many people have a negative consensus, it will take time for them to discover the benefits of this teaching style.