Differentiating Instruction One Size Doesn’t Fit All

1. Differentiating InstructionOne Size Doesn’t Fit All Contents: Tiered instruction Anchor Activities Learning Contracts Cubing www.loudoncounty.org/ourpages/auto/2007/8/7/1186503506976/October%20Differentiation%20In-Service.ppt

2. One Size?

3. “The fact that students differ may be inconvenient, but it is inescapable. Adapting to that diversity is the inevitable price of productivity, high standards, and fairness to kids.” • Theodore Sizer, Brown University

4. The biggest mistake of past centuries in teaching has been to treat all children as if they were variants of the same individual and thus to feel justified in teaching them all in the same way. -- Howard Gardner

5. 1. Describe one or two students you teach who have unique learning needs. 2. What would those learners need in their classes to make it a great year? Addressing Diverse Learner Needs

6. Differentiation is... ...the recognition of and commitment to plan for student differences. A differentiated classroom provides different avenues to acquire content, to process or make sense of information and ideas, and to develop products.

7. The Goals... ... of a differentiated classroom are to maximize student growth and to promote individual student success.

8. What are we doing now?

9. Our brightest are marching in place!

10. Brain Research

11. Brain Research

12. Brain Research

13. Brain Research

14. This doesn’t work…

15. When to Differentiate

16. Some Basic Principles • We differentiate instruction when we use a variety of instructional techniques that enable us to meet the diverse learning needs of our students. • It is not the cumbersome technique of individualization. • It can be thought of as grouped individualization.

17. Some Basic Principles

18. Some Basic Principles • Differentiation can be done by readiness, interest, or learning styles • Rome wasn’t built in a day. Begin with areas with which you are the most comfortable.

19. Differentiation is… • Providing multiple assignments within each unit, tailored for students of different levels of readiness, interest, and/or learning style • Having high expectations for all students. Aim high and differentiate down as necessary.

20. Differentiation is… • Permitting students to opt out of material they can demonstrate they know and to progress at their own pace through new material. • Structuring the class assignments so they require high levels of critical thinking but permit a range of responses.

21. Differentiation is… • Allowing students to choose, with the teacher’s guidance, ways to learn and to demonstrate what they have learned. • Providing students with opportunities to explore topics in which they have strong interest and find personal meaning.

22. Differentiation is… • Implementing flexible grouping strategies that cluster students by achievement in a particular subject area, interest, learning style, personal choice, and/or ability.

23. Differentiation is… • Flexible. Teachers may move students in and out of groups after assessing students’ instructional needs.

24. Differentiation isn’t... • Individualization. It isn’t a different lesson plan for each student each day. • Giving all students the same work most of the time, even in achievement or ability grouped classes.

25. Differentiation isn’t... • Assigning more math problems or more reading at the same level to high achieving students. • Focussing on student weaknesses and ignoring student strengths.

26. Differentiation isn’t… • Requiring students to teach material that they have already mastered to others who have not yet obtained mastery. • Cooperative learning delivered in rigidly grouped formats, lacks individual accountability, and/or focuses on work that isn’t new to all of the students.

27. Differentiation isn’t… • Depending solely upon the differences in student response to whole class assignments to provide differentiation. • Limited to acceleration. Teachers need to able to use a variety of strategies to meet student needs.

28. Assessment is Crucial to Success • Assessments should be planned prior to instruction – not an add on! • Assessment is ongoing and diagnostic. • Readiness levels are identified and lessons are planned accordingly. • Students use assessment data to evaluate their own learning.

29. Most Importantly… • Assessment ALWAYS has more to do with helping students grow rather than recording their mistakes and failures!

30. Assess in many ways for many reasons… • Pre-assessment necessary for effective planning • On-going assessment to determine effects of instruction and next steps for the student • Assessment to evaluate student achievement • Self-Assessment to help students see personal strengths and areas of need

31. Instructional Strategies • tiered activities and/or products • learning contracts • anchor activities • adjusted questions • compacting • cubing

32. Tiered Instruction

33. Tiered Instruction Tiered Instruction

34. Tiered Instruction

35. Tiered Instruction

36. A simple tiered activity Grade K: Counting (skill) • Task 1Find a way to count and show how many people are in our class today. • How did you get your answer? • Task 2Find a way to show how many people are in our class. • How many are absent today? • How many are here today? • How do you know? • Task 3Find a way to show how many boys are in our class today. • How many boys are absent today? • How many girls are here today? • How many girls are absent today? • Prove you are right. From Carol Tomlinson

37. Whole Group Activities • The teacher will read portions from Arctic Memories while showing the pictures. • Whole class discussion questions: • What does Inuit mean? (The people) • How is the land and weather in Grosse Pointe the same as in Arctic Memories? How is it different? • What did the Inuit people do for food? Shelter? How do they travel? • What do the parents do for jobs? What do your parents do?

38. Tiered Activity Groups • Group A: Find the Arctic Region on a map or globe or use the computer. Draw a series of pictures and write captions to: • Show where the Arctic regions are. Does the place on the map effect the weather? • How does the weather effect the way of life? • What might happen if there was a big weather change? • What themes do you see in the art over and over? How might the art themes change if the weather changed?

39. Tiered Activity Groups • Group B: • Draw a Grosse Pointe family activity and an Inuit family activity. In the pictures show one way that an Inuit family is similar to a Grosse Pointe family and one way that it is different. • Go to the computer and use Write Along to make your own captions for your pictures. Print them and past them onto the pictures.

40. Conclusion • All students explain their pictures and captions to either the whole class or a mixed group. • Pictures could be bound to make a class book.

41. Instructional Strategies • tiered activities and/or products • learning contracts • anchor activities • adjusted questions • compacting • cubing

42. Find a friend and do Board math with problems 1 -10 on Come to the Red math page 71 of your workshop on Monday math book. and Tuesday remember the "no more than four" rule. Design an animal on graph paper using Solve the great graph the creature mystery in your math blueprint. Get your folder. Check your graph approved. answers with a buddy Then make a first, then with the drawing, painting or teacher. model of it. Work at the Use the dominoes measuring and to solve the graphing center problems in your until you complete folder. Draw then the red work. write your answers. Grade 3 Math Contract : Below Grade Level Differentiated Learning ContractsKey skills: Graphing and MeasuringKey Concepts: Relative Sizes • Read: How Big is a Foot? • Apply: Work with a friend to graph the size of at least 6 things on the list of “ten terrific things.” Label each thing with how you know. • Extend: Make a group story – or one of your own – that uses measurement and at least one graph. Turn it into a book at the authors’ center.

43. Measure your height, the height of a friend Come to the green math and the height of workshop on Monday and your teacher. Graph Friday their relative sizes on a graph board. Label them and give them a personality. Work the even numbered Complete and graph the problems on p. 71 of your domino multiplication bath book. Use the challenge. Record your expert of the day to answers on the wall chart. Main Idea check your work. Work the Solve the great graph measuring and mystery in your graphing center folder. You can work until you complete with someone on the the green work green team if you there. like. Check your answer with the teacher. Grade 3 Math Contract : On Grade Level Differentiated Learning ContractsKey skills: Graphing and MeasuringKey Concepts: Relative Sizes • Read: Alexander who Used to be Rich or Ten Kids, No Pets • Think: Complete the math madness book which goes with the story you read. • Extend*: Now, make a math madness book based on your story about kids and pets or money that comes and goes. Directions are at the authors’ center. *You can propose an extension of your own.

44. Find a place in the school of which you Come to the blue math could make a pattern workshop on Tuesday or graph. Make the Thursday. graph and create 3 problems for a classmate to solve. Complete the extension Do a timed test of two- problems on p. 74 of your digit multiplication. Use a bath book. Use the peer peer monitor. monitor to check your Main Idea work. Work the Solve the great graph measuring and mystery in your graphing center folder. You can work until you complete with someone on the the blue work blue team if you like. there. Check your answer with the teacher. Grade 3 Math Contract : Advanced Level Differentiated Learning ContractsKey skills: Graphing and MeasuringKey Concepts: Relative Sizes • Read: Dinosaurs Before Dark or Airport Control • Apply: Research a kind of dinosaur or airplane. Figure out how big it is. Graph its size compared to yours on graph paper or on the blacktop outside our room. Label it by name and size. • Extend: Make a book in which you combine math and dinosaurs or airplanes or something else big. It can be a number fact book, a counting book, or a problem book. Instructions are at the author's center.

45. Poetry Contract

46. Poetry Contract

47. Instructional Strategies • tiered activities and/or products • learning contracts • anchor activities • adjusted questions • compacting • cubing

48. Anchor Activities

49. Anchor Activities

50. Instructional Strategies • tiered activities and/or products • learning contracts • anchor activities • adjusted questions • compacting • cubing