Beginning Our Journey

Welcome to our Differentiated Instruction journey. As a way to begin please:

Reflect on 1-2 of the most powerful learning experiences you’ve had in your life, from your earliest memories, through your years as a student and teacher.

Record a short description of each of your experiences on the note card provided.

Place your note card on the appropriate place on the timeline.

When you are finished, take a few moments to share your reflections with a partner, and hear their stories. We will meet as a whole group to complete our discussion.

The Ten Principles of Successful Classrooms

Listed below are four of The Ten Principles of Successful Classrooms. 1.) Connected Learning

2.) Individual Learning Path

3.) Student Responsibility for Learning

4.) Focus on Higher-Order Open-Ended Problem-Solving

Discuss what you think each principle means with a small group.

The Ten Principles

Of Successful Classrooms

Connected LearningStudents see learning as being

connected, both across the disciplines and to their lives.

High Academic StandardsAll students are expected to

achieve at high levels utilizing the teacher, peers, and other

resources to meet with success.

Focus on Higher-Order, Open-Ended Problem-

SolvingProblem solving activities are the focus of the learning environment, setting a context within which to

learn lower-order skills.

Technology InfusionTechnology is used as a tool and a

resource to support learning and not seen as a goal unto itself.

Global CitizenshipStudents understand their role as

contributors to a global society and make strides to contribute to

the betterment of their world.

High Social CapitalStudents have strong, consistent

relationships with adults in school; parents are involved as partners

in the learning process.

Student Responsibility for Learning

Students take responsibility for setting goals, scheduling time, utilizing resources, and making

other decisions.

Individual Learning PathTeachers differentiate instruction

to meet the needs of each individual learner.

Working Well Collaboratively

Students engage in collaborative problem-solving on open-ended

problems with peer, working independently on subtasks.

Learning from a Felt NeedStudents are presented with

meaningful, higher-order activities that create the context for learning and

build a “felt need” to learn the lower-order skills.

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

It means changing the pace, level, or type of instruction provided in response to an individual learners’ needs, learning style or interests

What is Differentiated Instruction?

Key Principles of a Differentiated Classroom The teacher is clear about what matters in subject matter.

The teacher understands, appreciates, and builds upon student differences.

Assessment and instruction are inseparable.

The teacher adjusts content, process, and product in response to student readiness, interests, and learning profile.

All students participate in respectful work.

Students and teachers are collaborators in learning.

Goals of a differentiated classroom are maximum growth and individual success.

Flexibility is the hallmark of a differentiated classroom.

Source: Tomlinson, C. (2000). Differentiating Instruction for Academic Diversity. San Antonio, TX: ASCD

How Does Research Support DI? Differentiated Instruction is the result of a

synthesis of a number of educational theories and practices.

Brain research indicates that learning occurs when the learner experiences moderate challenge and relaxed alertness –readiness

Psychological research reveals that when interest is tapped, learners are more likely to find learning rewarding and become more autonomous as a learner.

Agenda June 26,2009 Beginning our Journey 10 Principles of a Successful Classroom Differentiation Overview – power point Centers – How to sheets, Exit Cards, Special Child,

Totally Ten, Powerful Facilitation, Instructional Strategies, Differentiation Grid, Student Responsibility

Gum Drop Houses Rubrics Assessment

OPTIONS FOR DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

To Differentiate Instruction By

Readiness

To Differentiate Instruction By

Interest

To Differentiate Instruction by

Learning Profile

add or remove scaffolding٭ & vary difficulty level of text ٭equalizer adjustments (complexity, open-endedness, etc.supplementary materials٭adjust task familiarity ٭vary direct instruction by small group ٭ adjust proximity of ideas to student ٭experience

encourage application of broad ٭concepts & principles to student interest areas give choice of mode of expressing ٭learning use interest-based mentoring of ٭adults or more expert-like peers give choice of tasks and products ٭(including student designed options) give broad access to varied ٭materials & technologies

create an environment with flexible ٭learning spaces and options allow working alone or working with ٭peers use part-to-whole and whole-to-part ٭approaches Vary teacher mode of presentation٭(visual, auditory, kinesthetic, concrete, abstract) adjust for gender, culture, language ٭differences.

useful instructional strategies:- tiered activities- Tiered products- compacting- learning contracts- tiered tasks/alternative forms of assessment

useful instructional strategies:- interest centers- interest groups- enrichment clusters- group investigation- choice boards- MI options- internet mentors

useful instructional strategies:- multi-ability cooperative tasks- MI options- Triarchic options- 4-MAT

CA Tomlinson, UVa ‘97

Planning Lessons

Foundational to Transformational

Concrete to Abstract Simple to Complex Single Facet to Multiple Facets Small Leap to Great Leap Structured to Open-Ended Dependent to Independent Slow to Fast

Readiness

Planning Lessons Interest Areas-Fine

arts, athletics, travel, hobbies, etc.

Modes of Expression- oral, written, designed/built, artistic, service to community

Student Interest

Planning Lessons

Intelligence Preferences

Culture-Influenced Preferences

Gender-based Preferences

Learning Styles

Assessing Your Students

Differentiating in the Classroom By:*Readiness

*Student Interest*Learning Styles

Differentiating By Content Concept-based

Teaching Curriculum

Compacting Using Varied test

and resource Materials

Learning Contracts Mini-lessons

Varied Support Systems:

Audio/Video/DVD CDs/CD-ROMS Note-Taking

/Graphic Organizers

Study Guides Peer and Adult

Tutors

Differentiating By Process

Learning Logs Literature Circles Journals Graphic

Organizers Role Playing Think-Pair-Share Learning Contracts

• Jigsaw• Model Making• Choice Boards• Labs• Centers

Differentiating By Product

Tiered Assignments

Totally Ten Design a Web

Page Design a Game Present a Mock

Trial Present a Radio

Program

• Make a Video• Design and Make

Costumes• Write Letters to the

Editors• Develop a

Collection• Create Authentic

Recipes

Tiered InstructionTiered Activities are important when we want to ensure that

students with different learning needs work with the same essential ideas and use the same key skills

Tiered Instruction is a stairway providing access within the large building of learning.

Bottom Floor – Students with less readiness & fewer Skills. We move students UP the stairway to reach the

appropriate challenge level. Within each tier there can be multiple small-group activities

presenting different ways to learn.On certain floors there can even be multiple stairways or

elevators as our students access higher learning levels differently and at different rates.

Center Tips Expectations -Make sure students know how they are to move from

center to center. Students should know what to do with finished work. System for what students should do when they are have a

question Students should know if they can talk quietly or must be

silent Clearly communicate expectations for their center tasks Always let students know you trust them to be responsible,

active learners during centers.Organizing Centers We need to be clear about where materials are located. Centers can be in a specific location or just in folders. Noisy centers should be away from where students are

working quietly.

A Student who UNDERSTANDS Something can… Explain it clearly, giving examples Use it Compare and contrast it with other concepts Relate it to other instances in the subject studies, other

subjects and personal life experiences Transfer it to unfamiliar settings Discover the concept embedded within a novel problem Combine it appropriately with other understandings Pose new problems that exemplify or embody the

concept Create analogies, models, metaphors, symbols, or

pictures of the concept Pose and answer “what-if” questions that alter variables

in a problematic situation Generate questions and hypotheses that lead to new

knowledge and further inquiries Generalize from specifics to form a concept Use the knowledge to appropriately assess his or her

performance, or that of someone else.Adopted from Barell, J. (1995) Teaching for thoughtfulness: Classroom Strategies

Exit Cards

Exit cards are..

A quick and efficient way to informally assess whether students understand a concept that has been taught.

Written student responses to questions posed at the end of a class, learning activity, day or unit.

used at any grade level and every subject area

A vehicle for students to express in writing some of their thinking.

Help students condense or summarize.

Encourage deeper processing of the material.

Facilitate review of key ideas.

Exit Cards Continued Exit Cards are useful to:

Act as a part of ongoing assessment Reveal important information about student understanding of a concept Diagnose misconceptions early in the learning process when an intervention

would have the greatest impact Provide regular review of major concepts of a curriculum Tap into higher level thinking on a regular basis

Exit Cards are not:

Formal Evaluation (not for marks) A one correct answer proposition Long and drawn out (5 minutes to complete)

What conclusions can we draw about learning in a Differentiated Classroom?

There is a great variation in how are students learnThere is no substitute for high quality curriculum and instruction.We will never help students reach their goals unless we build a bridge between the learner and learning.

New Home Builder Seeks Answer to Your Dreams

A local Builder will be creating a new home development based upon his vision of geometry and art,But he needs your help. While his vision is important, he believes that every family should live in the house of their dreams, but for every family the dream is different. Unfortunately, he can’t build a different home for each family, but he can incorporate many different dream in each one. Help him to understand your dreams by constructing a model dream house with your team members that reflects aspects of each individuals dreams! You will have about 15 minutes to design the model using the materials provided: gumdrops and toothpicks!Each team will present their “Dream Home”

Comparison of Types of Assessment

Formative Assessment

Summative Assessment

Purpose To improve instruction and provide student learning

To measure student competency

When administered

Ongoing throughout unit End of unit, book, topic

How students use results

To self-monitor understanding

To gauge their progress toward goals and benchmarks

How teachers use results

To check for understanding

For grades

Checking for Understanding

Completes the circle of assessment, planning, and instruction

Provides teachers with real evidence of learning

The results of formative assessment are used to modify and validate instruction

Ongoing reviews and observations in a classroom

Types of Formative Assessment

Checklists Student Journals Student Folders One Sentence Summary Do Now Facilitation Grid

Exit Cards Self-Assessment Peer Evaluation Notebook Check Portfolio Check Higher Order Questions Conferences

Exit Card

Which strategies that were presented can you use in your classroom in September?