STILLWATER — Stillwater Area Schools is testing the idea of flipping the traditional way of teaching math to fifth-graders on its head.

Instead of listening to lectures in class then working through the math problems at home, students watch their teachers’ presentations over the web or on DVD then do their homework during class.

It’s a technique that’s growing more popular. Earlier this week, Byron Senior High School in southeastern Minnesota won a national award for what it calls “reverse classrooms.”

Stillwater schools are testing the concept in six fifth-grade math classrooms to see if it improves student achievement.

So far, it’s been a hit with parents like Kim Corbett. She said it helps parents and children learn difficult math concepts together.