Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Spring 2014 | Page 8

IN T H E C L A SSR OOM

Senior Hannah Wuerthner
appreciates having class time freed
up to work on difficult chemistry
problems because “you can do [the
work] at your own pace.”

Blazing a trail with new technologies,
new methods
adequate support. “I get to check in
with every student every day and that
did not happen before.”

A Periodic Table of Elements,
beakers, pipettes, and sinks make
Room 57 in the science wing look like
your typical chemistry classroom. It’s
not. This classroom has been
“flipped” -- students now grapple with
“homework” in the classroom and
watch lectures at home.

Arenstam is currently working on a
master’s degree at the University of
New England and the “flipped
classroom” model kept coming up in
her research. Then her husband, TA
English teacher David Arenstam,
“I used to have my desks arranged in
attended a conference presentation
nice, neat rows. I was a very
by the chemistry teachers who
traditional teacher,” explained Teri
Teri Arenstam ‘77
developed the flipped classroom
Hogan Arenstam ‘77. That all
model and penned a book called
changed this year. Now, Arenstam’s
Flipping the classroom is only
Flip Your Classroom: Reach
lectures are videotaped and
possible because of technology, but Every Student in Every Class
students watch them at home.
Every Day (by Aaron Sams and
Seated at desks clustered in
the biggest success as a teacher is
Jonathan Bergmann).
groups of four, students dedicate
still the relationships with students.
class time to working
Inspired by Flip Your Classroom,
collaboratively on what would
group to group and check on them
Arenstam approached the
“normally” be considered homework.
and help them with anything that
Associate Head for Teaching and
Assignments often utilize iPads.
they’re stuck on,” she said.
Learning and received a green light
to try it. The response to this change
“Students are working with their peers Arenstam is able to ensure that
and since I’m not lecturing, I go from
has been overwhelmingly positive.
students who are struggling receive

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Arenstam record ́