DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION SESSION NAME DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION BUILDING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

Differentiating Instruction True or False SESSION NAME Differentiating Instruction True or False Differentiation is something extra teachers would have to do in the classroom FALSE TRUTH: Differentiation is a matter of doing one small step at a time, and then collecting that work into a file so you can share it/not do it again. C. Tomlinson tells us that differentiation is not something extra, it is just good teaching. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy 2 NBPS Professional Development Academy 2

Differentiating Instruction True or False SESSION NAME Differentiating Instruction True or False False Differentiation is the lowering of expectations for students. It causes them to be dependent TRUTH: the reality is that it builds responsibility because others are counting on you, working with you. Like an orchestra – everyone is playing their part – doing their role and without all the sounds, it does not work. By providing students with assignments that are appropriate for their level of readiness or suits their learning style, it is possible to hold them more accountable, not less. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy 3 NBPS Professional Development Academy 3

Differentiating Instruction True or False SESSION NAME Differentiating Instruction True or False Differentiation requires the use of many different instructional strategies, a bag of tricks. True TRUTH: Instructional strategies are tools. Differentiation happens when we match the tools with our students. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy 4 NBPS Professional Development Academy 4

Differentiating Instruction True or False SESSION NAME Differentiating Instruction True or False Differentiation is for kids with labels: (LD, ADHD, BD, Gifted and Talented, ELL, etc.) True and False Good for all, essential for students with disabilities … TRUTH: The workplace is collaborative; differentiation promotes collaboration. Differentiation is for all students; the most able student in the class, the student who struggles on a regular basis and that “in the middle” kid who is just chugging along. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy 5 NBPS Professional Development Academy 5

Differentiated Instruction is: SESSION NAME Differentiated Instruction is: balancing success and challenge for every student. putting the students at the center of the conversation. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy Train the Trainer Differentiated Instruction NBPS Professional Development Academy

FIRST, KNOW YOUR STUDENTS! SESSION NAME FIRST, KNOW YOUR STUDENTS! READINESS INTEREST LEARNING PROFILE AFFECT It is very important, at the beginning of the year, to be proactive in identifying the needs of all the students. It is important to look through the cum folders/Realtime/Performance Matters and find the needs of the student; any educational history or family background. Find their strengths or weakness. Find their likes and dislikes. Capitalize on the positive aspects of their learning. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

THEN DIFFERENTIATE! CONTENT PROCESS PRODUCT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT SESSION NAME THEN DIFFERENTIATE! CONTENT PROCESS PRODUCT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

Essential Qualities of Differentiated Instruction SESSION NAME Essential Qualities of Differentiated Instruction Teachers: Build background knowledge and vocabulary. Hold students accountable for their learning through ongoing assessment. Provide appropriate choices. Focus on student strengths (consider multiple intelligences and perceptual preferences). Use flexible grouping. Recognize and plan for concrete, representational and abstract thinking. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

Vary presentation styles. Create a positive classroom environment. SESSION NAME Teachers: Vary presentation styles. Create a positive classroom environment. Find opportunities for small group instruction based on student need. Tier and scaffold assignments/teacher-made assessments around key concepts and skills. Provide appropriate practice and review using multiple strategies. Model, model, model! What are the three words you use when you talk about Real Estate and buying a piece of prime property? Location, location, location! The three words we need to consider when talking about Differentiated Instruction is model, model, model! New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

Foundational Concept: Structured Teaching SESSION NAME Foundational Concept: Structured Teaching Structured teaching is a model for providing differentiated instruction within whole class and small group instruction. The 4 basic steps are: I do it – Focus lesson We do it – Guided instruction You do it together – Collaboration and Differentiation You do it alone – Independent practice New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

SESSION NAME Foundational Concept: Grouping Students can be grouped in a variety of ways to facilitate differentiated instruction activities. Whole Group Small groups – teacher led Small groups – student led Learning centers Peer tutoring Teacher-student/1 - 1 Independent Work Ability level Interest Learning Preference Choice Random New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

NEXT STEPS Sustained Professional Development at CPT/PLT meetings SESSION NAME NEXT STEPS Sustained Professional Development at CPT/PLT meetings Word Splash Word Splash builds background knowledge and content specific vocabulary. Perfect Ten/Bingo Perfect Ten allows students to choose the best way to demonstrate their understanding of a topic. In the next few months, we will be infusing these D. I. strategies into the curriculum. We will be presenting various strategies/activities in CPT/PLT groups. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

SESSION NAME District Commitment The New Brunswick Public School District is committed to providing students learning opportunities that enable them to be prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century. The district is also committed to providing teachers with the curriculum, strategies and assessments to do so. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

SESSION NAME District Commitment To that end, the district committed to sending 13 teacher leaders to the NJ DOE’s professional development sessions on Differentiated Instruction. The district has provided that team with release time to prepare presentations based upon their training. The principals have committed to embedding this professional development into CPT and PLT meetings. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

SESSION NAME Time to Reflect We have already had PD on the Marzano’s six steps of vocabulary instruction. It’s working well and we have seen an increase in vocabulary Allow teachers to reflect on how they will be able implement DI – 3 to 4 minutes Discuss examples of DI already used in classroom Reflect on importance of DI How can DI raise the achievement of our students? How can DI keep students engaged? How can DI improve the behavior of our students? New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

SESSION NAME Closing Thoughts What did you hear that confirms something you know and implement about differentiated instruction? What did you learn that extended your thinking about differentiated instruction? What specific strategy or lesson will meet the needs of your students? These may be things that we will be covering in the next few months. Keep your mind open and be receptive to these new ideas in your CPT and PLT groups. Teach smarter, not harder! New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE SESSION NAME TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE Now is the time we are all accountable. We need to meet the needs of ALL our students. New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy NBPS Professional Development Academy