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The Differentiated Maths Class – Responding to a Learner’s Needs

National Numeracy Facilitators ConferenceFeb 2007

Caroline Bird

cbird@waikato.ac.nz

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• What differentiation is,

• Why focus on differentiating instruction,

• Key Elements of differentiated instruction,

• Strategies for differentiated instruction,

• Classroom management in a Secondary Classroom.

Differentiation is responsive teaching, rather than one-size-fits-all teaching.

Goals for today’s workshop:

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• Responsive teaching

• It is a way of thinking

• Attending to the learning needs of a particular student or small group of student’s

Tomlinson & Allan “Leadership from Differentiating Students & Classrooms “

What is differentiation ?

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Why is this my focus ?

I saw a need!

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Differentiation could help with the implementation of the Numeracy programme in a classroom.

CHANGE

Unnerving

Uncomfortable

Challenges

Comfort zone

Taking risks

Learning new ways of thinking

Unlearning old ways

Entrenched ways of thinking

Change in pedagogy

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Why does there appear to be so much focus on Differentiated Instruction ?

It’s not a new trend!!

It’s about connecting with students (Teacher-Student relationship)

OSFA

Differentiated teaching suggests that a teacher will make modifications in accordance to the student’s needs.

Standardization Individualisation

Tomlinson

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What are the Elements of Differentiated Instruction?

Differentiation of Instruction

Guided by general principles of differentiation, such as;

Respectful tasks

Flexible grouping

Ongoing assessment and adjustment

Tomlinson

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Teachers can differentiate

Content Process Product

according to student’s

through a range of instructional and management strategies such as

Readiness Interests Learning Profile

multiple intelligencesanchor activitiesvaried textsvaried supplementary materials

tiered lessonstiered productslearning contracts

varied questioning strategiesInterest centresVaried homework

Tomlinson

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Using Varied Instructional and Management Strategies

Tools of Differentiation

Instructional

Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner: 8 ways to think and learn• Stronger in some areas than others• Need experience in all 8 ways so you can “pump up” the ones you are less strong in• Many things require more than one intelligence to accomplish the task• Aren’t labels – simply an indication of your learning preference Heacox

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A task to which a student automatically moves when an assigned task is finished,

Traits of effective Anchor Activities

Important

Interesting

Allow Choice

Clear routine and expectations

Seldom Graded

Anchor Activities

Tomlinson, Allan

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• An agreement between teacher and student.

• Teacher grants certain freedoms and choices about how a student will complete tasks.

• Student agrees to use the freedoms appropriately in designing and completing work according to specifications.

• Specifies working conditions to which students must adhere during the contract time.

Learning Contracts

Tomlinson

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Focus on essential understandings and skills but at different levels of complexity, abstractness and open-endedness.

Some guidelines;

• Select the concept, generalisation and skill that will be the focus of the activity for all learners.

• Chart the complexity of the activity - decide where the lesson should be placed on the ladder- “Clone” the activity along the ladder to provide different versions at different degrees of difficulty

Tiered Activities

Tomlinson

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Tools of Differentiation continuedManagement

Discuss routines:Beginning a classGiving directionsMoving Encouraging good listenersGetting help when teacher is busyAnchor activities

Gather information about each student - records

Set up behaviour guidelines and procedures to make the classroom work. - discuss them and be consistent about enforcing them - working alone, in pairs, in groups (interest, ability, teacher directed, student choice)

Talk with students early and often ( dialogue)

Tomlinson

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Remember – the teacher does not try to differentiate everything for

everyone every day!• Changing Teacher Practice

• Differentiation is an organised yet flexible way of proactively adjusting teaching and learning to meet kids where they are

• Start small

• Start where you are at

• Differentiate a task for a small block of time

Fairness is not treating all students the same, fairness is providing what individual students need

Tomlinson

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The greatest sign for a teacher is to be able to say

“ The students are now working as if I did not exist “

Maria Montessori

Tomlinson

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Teachers’ beliefs in and about human potential and in the

ability of all children to learn and achieve are crucial.

Education on the Edge of Possibility 1997

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Where to from here for you ?

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National Numeracy Facilitator’s Conference, Feb 2007

Some Resources for Differentiation

Tomlinson, C. A. & Allan, S.D. (2000). Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

How to develop differentiation with staff, with strategies to help implement it.

Tomlinson, C. A. & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Tomlinson, C. A. & McTighe, J. (1999). The Differentiated Classroom, Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

3 chapters describe actual lessons, units and classrooms with differentiated instruction in action.

Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom. How to Reach and Teach All Learners, Grades 3-12 Minneapolis,: Free Spirit.

Has reproducible handouts, examples, resources