A Peek Into a Differentiated Classroom

1. A Peek Into a Differentiated Classroom Sarah Kasprowicz WATG President watgpresident@gmail.com 5th and 6th Grade Classroom Teacher Merton Community School District kasprowiczs@merton.k12.wi.us A WATG Four Corners Workshop Saturday, March 6, 2010

2. Classroom Dynamics • The stage has been set for differentiation. • Alternate activities are expected and encouraged. • All students may propose an alternate project. • We have “Friday Projects” with weekly work time in the library. • Student-led portfolio conferences are conducted at the end of each year. • Looping: 5th-6th grade

3. Classroom Organization • Portfolio crate with hanging folders • Bookshelves to keep resources for various independent projects • 3 computers • Bulletin boards and walls have papers stapled to them to help keep track of alternate projects and due dates. • S. P.R.I.T.E. crate with student folders, blank forms and rubrics

4. Supported Independent Reading(S. P. R. I. T. E.) • Based on the research of Sally Reis • Elements of Differentiation • Higher level questioning • Choice • Flexible grouping • Tiered assignments • Mentors (guest readers)

5. Sprite links • 5-10 points • The questions match any book. SEM-R Bookmarks

6. Sample questions • Describe a very important event that happened in today’s reading. • Name an adult that you know that would like this book. Explain why they would like this book. • What is the best thing the author has done so far in this book? (plot, perspective, description, conflict, setting?) Explain why you think so. • Which character in your book is the easiest to trick? Why? • Write three predictions you have for the rest of the book.

7. Sample questions • Who, in your book, would you least like to sit next to in our new seating chart today? Why? • Who, in your book, would you want to be your Face Book friend? Why? • Who, in your book, do you trust the least? Why? • You have to buy a pet for the main character. What pet would you buy them and why? • Explain one way you would change the setting if you were the author. • Name one thing you thought would happen in the book that did not happen. • Who is the least important character in the book? Why? • What is one event that was unnecessary in this book? Why?

8. Which character do you trust the least? • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Craig because he does odd things. • Penny from Heaven: Uncle Angelo because he is getting drunk all the time and keeps losing his job. • The Incredible Journey: The cat because he can take stuff away from the dogs. Also he always sneaks around. • Peak: I trust Josh the least because he was climbing a mountain and got a call that his son was born. Zopa kept bugging Josh saying that it’s not good for a father to neglect his son.

9. Grading • Two Words

10. Release Yourself

11. Release Yourself From: • Filling in each space in your grade book • Assigning practice that some students don’t need • Managing every detail • Creating every project • Writing every rubric

12. Appropriate Grading • Pretest • Schedule pretests with enough time for students to preview material. • Set a percentage needed to “test out” such as 90% or higher. • Require students to do learn concepts missed on the pretest and demonstrate acquired knowledge. • Select alternate project in accordance with interest, theme or portfolio requirements.

13. Insert Rigor and Depth • GT Students are used to minimal struggle. • The classroom teacher can require rigor and depth to be part of each alternate project. • Include rigor in rubric design • Higher level subtopics are required • Higher level subtopics are weighted twice • Include multiple higher level subtopics based on student readiness

14. Higher Level Subtopics • Based on the research of Diane Heacox • Sample topic: The Rainforest • What is still unknown about the rainforest? • Describe a current controversy connected to the rainforest • How has the rainforest changed over the last 200 years? • What are current theories connected to the rainforest?

15. More Subtopic Ideas • What are common assumptions about the rainforest? • Analyze connections between research in the rainforest to other scientific fields. • Identify important cause and effect relationships connected to the rainforest. • Defend a prediction you have about the future of rainforest destruction. • SOCIAL STUDIES INQUIRY TOPICS • SOCIAL STUDIES REQUIREMENTS

16. Grade Book Issues • GT students will have fewer grades. • GT students are excused from daily work grades. • GT students will have scores for: • Pretests • Post-tests • Alternate projects

17. Grade Book Tips • Leave the excused boxes BLANK. • Use different colors of ink to code tiered assignments and projects. • Use Webgrader features to assign students to assignments and excuse students from daily work. • Keep a separate class list in your grade book to keep track of alternate project grades

18. Assessing Alternate Projects • Rubrics • Rubistar • Student generated • Teacher generated • Written as a partnership between student and teacher • Generic rubrics (see examples) • Inform Parents of alternate grading policies in your classroom

19. Assessing Alternate Projects • Time management • Assess work logs for time management and use this as evidence for or against future participation. • Self Assessment • Students rate themselves on their rubric before handing in final project. • Portfolios • Students may use alternate projects as portfolio pieces. • Bonus • +5 points in Webgrader for tiered assignments

20. Sample rubrics and forms • Friday Projects(Website Link) • All students work on a project on a topic of their choice. • Students have 45 minutes of work time in the library each Friday afternoon • Solves the “What do I do when I’m done?” dilemma. The answer is, “Work on your Friday Project.” • Students document their readiness level on a “Starting Point” sheet and proceed with learning from there • Partners and small groups are acceptable, but each group member has their own questions and is responsible for creating their own rubric. • Sample Calendar

21. Create an online class • Moodle Elements of differentiation ~Choice ~Compacting ~Parallel studies and orbital studies ~Intellectual peers ~Readiness levels

22. extensions • Rti for all students • 30 minutes per day • 5 classroom teachers • 1 teacher of At-Risk students • 1 staff member from our curriculum department

23. How do extensions work? • Screeners and data wall from the previous grade is used to provide data to place students in interventions • Students are given choices of enrichment mini course extensions and they rate them their first, second and third choice. • Every 3 weeks the intervention teachers will reassess the students to see who is able to exit the intervention class. • Topics of enrichment classes change throughout the year ~ every 3 weeks.

24. schedule 12:00 – 12:30 every day Mrs. O: Helps supervise Storybook and Sketchbook students working in the library. Mrs. M.: Works one on one with one boy on math intervention (needs tier 3 attention). When that boy is absent she works with Mrs. Schiellack on math interventions.

25. Enrichment Mini courses • Storybook: The students have the choice between writing a story inspired by an illustration in Chris Van Allsburg’s The Mysteries of Harris Burdick or participating in an online novel study of Bud, Not Buddy and Depression Era themes. • Web Book: The students learn how to use Web 2.0 tools to demonstrate learning. • Sketchbook: The students participate in sketching, drawing and other art activities.

26. Mini courses so far this year • French • Strength and fitness • Space Race • Cartooning • Journalism • Brain Teasers and Logic • Community Service • Picture Book Production • Wars and Conflict • Sportsmanship

27. Future enrichment ideas • Spanish class • Origami • More Logic Puzzles • Science experiments • Robotics • News writing • Sculpting • Chinese class • Flight and airplanes

28. Press room • Merton Community School District • Student Created Press Room Page

29. Intensity Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities and Theory of Positive Disintegration • Psychomotor • Sensual • Intellectual • Imaginational • Emotional

30. “Mellow Out” • Written by Michael Piechowski, Ph. D. • “Mellow out,” they say, to which I can only respond, “If only I could.” At birth I was crucified with this mind that has caused me considerable pain, and frustration with teachers, coaches, peers, my family, but most of all with myself. ~Carol, cover illustrator

31. Accommodations for Intensity • Classroom teachers differentiate for disposition • Help students with stress management. • Time management: extended deadlines and one on one help with task analysis • Assistance with transitions • Suggest involvement in Tae Kwon Do • Discussions with student about triggers • Counseling about intensity • Do not attempt to “fix” the intensity. • Students and parents need to accept intensity and develop strategies to accommodate for themselves.