A Teacher's Flipped Classroom Transformation - Part 1

I can't wait to share this with you!  Recently, I interviewed Keri Tafuro who demonstrated how flipping her classroom has transformed the teaching  experience and the learning  experience of her students, both within the pandemic and regardless of it.

On today’s episode of the Sustainable Teacher Podcast I am so excited to welcome Keri Tafuro, a full time classroom teacher of  7th and 8th grade math  in Vacaville, California.  Keri isi a 22-year teacher, having  taught math  at the  high school, and now middle school level.  She and her husband  have two college-aged children, and mine and Keri’s paths crossed about a year ago when Keri was exploring a bit more about the flipped classroom, and came upon one of my Facebook live trainings.

Since then she has jumped in with two feet taking Flipped Classroom Formula last summer and into flipping her classroom this school year.  I can’t wait to bring her on and have you hear her story of her transformation, and that of her students.  So without further ado, here i s Keri Tafuro in our first of three episodes on a Teacher's Flipped Classroom Transformation.

Topics discussed in today's episode include:

1. Tell us about you, your teaching life, what it was like before and what  it’s like now.
2. What shifts have you seen in your students because of flipping?
3. How has flipping impacted your classroom this year in particular amongst the hybrid and online  learning?
4. What will your classroom look like moving forward?  What advantage do you think you have because of flipping?

#Teacher Win

Wow!  What an interview, and what a story of teacher (and therefore classroom and  student) transformation to share.  I  can’t tell you how proud I am that I got to play a small role in helping  Keri flip her classroom, and help her build the classroom atmosphere she’s been longing for.  And to think that she did it in year 20 of teaching!!!!  

Teacher of the Year!

Now, I’m recording this part of the episode after my interview with Keri, and I’m now looking back on it a bit sad, kicking myself, because something we didn’t talk about was that Keri was nominated by her colleagues and received teacher of the year for the 2020-2021 school year for her school district.  I’ll say that one more time… she is teacher of the YEAR and was nominated by her colleagues!  How esteemed and wonderful is that?!?  But what I really love is that Keri didn’t bring it up on our episode as I’m sure that’s not what she and most teachers hang her hat on, right?!?! No, instead we hang our hats on the moments like she shared on the episode where her students conquer their fear and frustrations with math, and they get involved in and become so great  in the messiness that is the learning process.

I’m going to leave you with what Keri said when she reached out to me initially to share her great news, and at that point I wanted to shout  it from the rooftops sot hat other  teachers could celebrate with her in this  moment and we can shine some awesome positivity in what is a very hard year.  Here’s what she said...

Hey Mandy,

I just wanted to give you a huge thank you!  This year I was named Teacher of the Year for my school. Our school is one the the shining stars of the district. It is an award winning middle school in  California, so I am extremely honored and humbled by this award. But your course played a great part in it. While I had already made the guided student notes,  I was scared to Flip my Class. You gave me the tools and the confidence I needed to make it happen. I have been asked about flipping my classroom and I always point people to you.

While I am so humbled and  proud that I got to play a small role in her success, Keri, this  moment is yours girl and here I am shouting it from the rooftops  so  we can all celebrate with you.  A huge  congratulations to you both for your award and with the tangible success you’ve felt this year with your students.

And there you have it teacher friend, our first in a three part series of Teacher Transformations  with their very own flipped classrooms.  I’m so thankful for Keri taking some time on  her Spring  Break to chat with me, and hope that  you got to enjoy hearing about her experience and her transformation as well.

We’ll see you next week right here on the Sustainable Teacher Podcast.  Bye for now.

I am SO Excited to announce, and want to personally invite you to my exclusive and only comes around every once in a blue moon, teacher workshop on the flipped classroom.  It's totally free, will be about one hour in length, and you'll get a certificate of completion at the end for CEUs!  

Please join me for my all new teacher workshop, 3 Insights to Flipping Your Classroom: Being MORE Sustainable in the New Normal of Education.  I'll have freebies for being there live, give you immense training on the flipped classroom, and then share an opportunity to work more together.  I hope to see you there!