Differentiating Instruction to Create a Culture to Support Diverse Learners

1. Differentiating Instruction to Create a Culture to Support Diverse Learners

2. Our Targets Participants will KNOW… • Common DI definition, key concepts/principles, and why DI is important • The importance of respectful tasks, knowing your target, and knowing your learner as a foundation for quality teaching & effective DI • Basic information about six DI strategies, including anchor activities, tiered activities, multiple intelligences, learning contracts, RAFTs, and student choice • Ways to gather and compile learner profiles

3. Our Targets Participants will UNDERSTAND… • The need for differentiated instruction to create a culture to support diverse learners • That we are all leaders and learners and, as such, it is important that instruction be differentiated for both adults and students

4. Our Targets Participants will be able to DO the following… • Identify two DI strategies that BLTs will study and implement in their Building PD Plan • Begin development of a Building PD Plan that aligns with the District PD Plan and supports the study and implementation of DI in all classrooms

5. Session Overview What Is Differentiation? Why use it? Respectful Tasks, Know Your Target, Know Your Learner Differentiated Strategies Resources

8. Think of a Time… • Turn to a partner at your table and talk about a time when you were really engaged in learning… • What did that look like? • What did that sound like? • Why do you think you were so engaged?

9. 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 the same subjects in the same way. Howard Gardner

10. Differentiation is a Way of Thinking About Teaching and Learning

11. Dear Miss Brin, Yesterday you got really really mad at me in class. I didn’t argue with you, because that just makes you madder and being yelled at makes my stomach feel funny and I can’t think. But I want to say what happened. Maybe you will understand why it looks like I don’t pay attention in class. You told us to open our books to chapter 4 and read silently. Then you asked everyone to put your hand up if we had finished the third page and Sean didn’t. You waited for him to finish the page. Then you told us to take turns reading out loud. When you got to me, I asked you what paragraph to start on, and you started yelling at me. You asked me a lot of questions but you didn’t let me answer any of them. You answered them yourself but the things you said weren’t true answers! This is what happened. I started reading when you said. I finished the chapter and stopped because you get mad if I read any more. I didn’t get out another book because that makes you mad too. I didn’t doodle or do math or talk to Sarah or get up or walk around because those things make you mad. So I worked on my Greek in my head until you called on me.

12. I tried to keep track of where the other kids were when they were reading. And I had the right page. I just didn’t hear where Kim stopped. Her voice is sooo quiet and the verb I was saying was too loud in my head! So it’s not true that I was day dreaming! And I’m not stuck up or arrogant or insolent or any of the things you said I was! I TRY to follow along but I CAN’T read that slow!! You said you got mad because I was wasting everybodies time. But I just asked “which paragraph Miss Brin?” Look at your watch and say it too. It takes 2 seconds. You could have said “the third paragraph.” That takes 21 seconds. I timed it too. Then Sarah and Amy R and Amy B would have 6 minutes to read aloud. Instead you yelled at ME for 6 minutes and they did not get to read any thing! Peter takes almost a whole minute to read “Ben heard the bear cough behind him.” I timed him. It’s a game I made up to pay attention instead of doing Greek or making up poems in my head. If I ask you what paragraph and you tell me it still takes me less than half a minute for me to read a whole paragraph. So I guess I don’t understand why you are mad or why you used 6 minutes to tell the class what a bad stupid mean person i am because I wasted their time for 4 seconds. I think YOU wasted their time!!! And I think YOU were mean to call me those names in front of everybody!!!!

13. Miss Brinn I want to do what you tell me! I don’t understand why I can’t keep reading at the end of a chapter. Or get out my other books. or study my Greek. Or draw or doodle or write in my journal. But you don’t want me to do that so I don’t. But I can’t sit and stare at the wall. If i try to do that I just start thinking about something else! I don’t know HOW to not think! I don’t know HOW to read slow! Please tell me what to do so it won’t make you mad at me all the time. And PLEASE don’t yell at me in class. love, your sad student, Anne

14. I know it’s been a long time since you heard from me. I wanted to let you know what I am doing now and that I think of you often, even though I have not been a particularly faithful correspondent. When you last saw me, you must have had some doubt about what I might do with my life. The interesting thing, though, is that if you did have doubts, you never let me know about them. You treated me as though I had all the possibilities in the world in my hands. The fact that I could not pass a vocabulary test seemed incidental to you. What mattered was what I could do. I didn’t get that at the time. I was too exhausted from years of lugging around my disabilities. You need to know that I will be receiving a Masters Degree in just a few days. My mom asked who I wanted to know about that from back home. You need to know. Your belief in me when I had no belief in myself opened the door that led here. . . R.G.

15. Foundations of Differentiated Instruction: WHAT IS DI? “Differentiated instruction is a teaching philosophy based on the premise that teachers should adapt instruction to student differences. Rather than marching students through the curriculum lockstep, teachers should modify their instruction to meet students’ varying readiness levels, learning preferences, and interests. Therefore, the teacher proactively plans a variety of ways to ‘get at’ and express learning.” Carol Ann Tomlinson

16. Differentiation Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs Guided by general principles of differentiation Quality Curriculum Flexible grouping Building Community Respectful Tasks Assessment for Instruction Teachers Can Differentiate Through: Affect/Environment Content Product Process According to Students’ Readiness Interest Learning Profile Through a range of strategies such as: Multiple intelligences…Jigsaw…4MAT…Graphic Organizers…RAFTS Compacting…Tiered assignments…Leveled texts…Complex Instruction… Learning Centers

17. Differentiation must be an extension of not a replacement for high quality curriculum.

18. Foundations of Differentiated Instruction: WHAT IS DI? • Let’s delve deeper… • How does a differentiated classroom differ from a traditional classroom?

19. “Differentiation is not so much the ‘stuff’ as the ‘how.’ If the ‘stuff’ is ill conceived, the ‘how’ is doomed.” Carol Ann Tomlinson

21. Foundations of Differentiated Instruction: WHY DIFFERENTIATE? • All people are different. • One size does not fit all. • Differentiation provides all students with access to all curriculum.

22. Foundations of Differentiated Instruction:RESPECTFUL TASKS Respectful tasks recognize student learning differences. The teacher continually tries to understand what individual students need to learn most effectively. A respectful task honors both the commonalities and differences of students but not by treating them all alike.

23. Foundations of Differentiated Instruction:RESPECTFUL TASKS A respectful task offers all students the opportunity to explore essential understandings and skills at degrees of difficulty that escalate consistently as they develop their understanding and skill.

25. Foundations of Differentiated Instruction:KNOW YOUR TARGET • Teachers answer the critical question— What do we want all students to know and be able to do? • They clearly identify & communicateKUDs • What students will..Know • Understand & • Do………. as a result of the unit/lesson • Knowing your target is essential to quality formative and summative assessment.

26. KNOW(facts, vocabulary, dates, rules, people, etc.) ecosystem elements of culture (housing/shelter, customs, values, geography) UNDERSTAND (complete sentence, statement of truth or insight – want students to understand that . . . ) All parts of an ecosystem affect all others parts. Culture shapes people and people shape culture. DO (Basic skills, thinking skills, social skills, skills of the discipline, planning skills --- verbs) Write a unified paragraph Compare and contrast Draw conclusions Examine varied perspectives Work collaboratively Develop a timeline Use maps as data Tomlinson * 02

28. Foundations of Differentiated Instruction:KNOW YOUR LEARNER Learner Profile Factors Learning Environment quiet/noise warm/cool still/mobile flexible/fixed “busy”/”spare” Group Orientation independent/self orientation group/peer orientation adult orientation combination Gender & Culture Cognitive Style Creative/conforming Essence/facts Expressive/controlled Nonlinear/linear Inductive/deductive People-oriented/task or Object oriented Concrete/abstract Collaboration/competition Interpersonal/introspective Easily distracted/long Attention span Group achievement/personal achievement Oral/visual/kinesthetic Reflective/action-oriented Intelligence Preference analytic practical creative verbal/linguistic logical/mathematical spatial/visual bodily/kinesthetic musical/rhythmic interpersonal intrapersonal naturalist existential

29. Discussion Question Now that you have a general awareness of what Differentiated Instruction is… What examples of differentiated instruction can you identify in your classroom and/or building? What examples of differentiated instruction can you identify in your building professional development? Why would it be important to differentiate for adults, as well as students?

30. Differentiation Strategies Six of many DI Strategies • Student Choice • Tiered Activities • Learning Contracts • RAFTs • Anchor Activities • Multiple Intelligences

31. Differentiation Strategy: STUDENT CHOICE Diner Menu – Photosynthesis • Appetizer (Everyone Shares) • Write the chemical equation for photosynthesis. • Entrée (Select One) • Draw a picture that shows what happens during photosynthesis. • Write two paragraphs about what happens during photosynthesis. • Create a rap that explains what happens during photosynthesis. • Side Dishes (Select at Least Two) • Define respiration, in writing. • Compare photosynthesis to respiration using a Venn Diagram. • Write a journal entry from the point of view of a green plant. • With a partner, create and perform a skit that shows the differences between photosynthesis and respiration. • Dessert (Optional) • Create a test to assess the teacher’s knowledge of photosynthesis.

32. Differentiation Strategy: STUDENT CHOICE THINK-TAC-TOE Book Report

33. Differentiation Strategy: TIERED ACTIVITY Writing a Persuasive Essay: 4th–6th Grade Classroom

34. Differentiation Strategy: LEARNING CONTRACT Learning Contract #1 Name _______________________ My question or topic is: To find out about my question or topic… I will look at and listen to: I will write: I will read: I will need: I will draw: Here’s how I will share what I know: I will finish by this date:

35. Differentiation Strategy: LEARNING CONTRACT LearningContract #2 To demonstrate what I have learned about ____________________, I want to _ Write a report _ Put on a demonstration _ Set up an experiment _ Develop a computer presentation _ Build a model _Design a mural _ Write a song _ Make a movie _ Create a graphic organizer or diagram _ Other This will be a good way to demonstrate understanding of this concept because ______________________________________________________________ To do this project, I will need help with ______________________________________________________________ My Action Plan is________________________________________________ The criteria/rubric which will be used to assess my final product is _________ ______________________________________________________________ My project will be completed by this date _____________________________ Student signature: ________________________________ Date ___/___/___ Teacher signature: ________________________________ Date ___/___/___

36. What is a RAFT? Differentiation Strategy: RAFT • RAFT stands for… Role Audience Format Topic

37. Parts of a RAFT Differentiation Strategy: RAFT

38. Courage – RAFT ProjectCreated by Kathleen Kryza – www.kathleenkryza.com Used with permission Differentiation Strategy: RAFT • Know: Attributes of courage • Understand: People show courage in different ways and for different purposes • Do: Create a project from the perspective of a character that shows understanding of the concept of courage

39. Courage – RAFT Project Created by Kathleen Kryza www.kathleenkryza.com Used with permission Differentiation Strategy: RAFT • Role – A character from Iron Will, White Fang or novel with a theme of courage • Audience – Teenagers today • Format – Song/Poem/Rap, Comic Strip, Motivational Speech, Public Service Announcement, Children’s Book • Topic – Share what this character learned about courage, and give advice about how to be courageous in today’s world.

40. DNA Raft Differentiation Strategy: RAFT Source: http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/~smitha/dna/dna.html#Raft

41. Read – comics, letters, books, encyclopedia, poetry, etc. Write – a letter, poetry in your Writer’s Notebook, a story, a comic, etc. Practice your cursive or calligraphy Keyboarding Help someone else Create math story problems or puzzles Work on independent study of your choice Play a math or language game Find out how to say your spelling words in another language Practice ACT / SAT cards Solve a challenge puzzle with write it up Practice anything! Get a jump on homework Use your imagination and creativity to challenge yourself! What Do I Do If I Finish Early? Differentiation Strategy: ANCHOR ACTIVITIES

42. Differentiation Strategy: MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES Differentiation According to Sternberg’s Intelligences Tall Tales Grade 3 Know:What makes a Tall Tale Definition of fact and exaggeration Understand:An exaggeration starts with a fact and stretches it. People sometimes exaggerate to make their stories or deeds seem more wonderful or scarier. Do: Distinguish fact and exaggeration Analytical Task Listen to or read Johnny Appleseed and complete the organizer as you do. Practical Task Think of a time when you or someone you know was sort of like the Johnny Appleseed story and told a tall tale about something that happened. Write or draw both the factual or true version of the story and the tall tale version. Creative Task --- RAFT Assignment Role Audience Format Topic Someone Our Diary entry Let me tell you in our class class what happened while Johnny A. and I were on the way to school today…. Johnny Appleseed’s Facts Exaggerations

44. From Attache Magazine

45. Students in a differentiated classroom do not need to work the system . . . . . because the system works for them!

49. Where are you on the continuum of DIFFERENTIATION? • What will it take for you to move? • What roadblocks are in your way? • How can you remove them?

50. My teacherdid not careas much aboutpage 51as she didaboutME!S. Kronos