Friday, March 19, 2010 PS/MS 20 Jo Ann Benoit CFN 6 Social Studies PD Differentiation Instruction Social Studies Classroom Friday, March 19, 2010 PS/MS 20 Jo Ann Benoit

Agenda 8:00 am Breakfast and Networking 8:30 am Welcome, Acknowledgement, Overview - “Differentiated Instruction…Why do it? What is it? How do I differentiate?” 10:00am BREAK 10:15am “A Differentiated Approach to Analyzing Documents”, PS/MS 20 10:45 am “Looking at D.I in Action: In the Classroom”, PS/MS 3 11:15 am Smartboard Technology Presentation 11:45am Q & A and feedback

Objectives To continue the “vertical conversation” within the network around trends and best practices in social studies. To bring to the forefront our beliefs about learning and understand how they shape our practice in the classroom. To become more familiar with Differentiation. To share with and support our colleagues in the development of promising practices. To become more familiar with technology that will help us differentiate in the SS classroom.

Group Norms Equity of voice Monitor Electronics Active Listening Allow space for different perspectives Collective responsibility for the meetings’ success Confidentiality Seek innovation University of California at Santa Cruz Professional Development model

DIFFERENTIATION WHY DIFFERENTIATE?

Standard: A level of good health for my patients that enables them to lead an independent life

Standard: A level of safety that meets required standards, allowing a building to be lived in

Standard: Understand numbers, multiple ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems

DIFFERENTIATION Work in a trio to find as many words possible from the word: DIFFERENTIATION You have 3mn

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION A-Define Differentiated Instruction (2mn) B- Whole Group Share (3mn) C- Beliefs about Learning: Individually, read the statements from the sheet “Beliefs about Learning” and check the column which most closely describes your reaction to the statements. In small groups, share your answers (find similarities and differences in them). Why do you think they exist?

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION Think of the last lesson you taught or observed and circle the words (using “Practices in Schools” – orange sheet) that describe the activities/tasks you observed during that lesson. Which words did you circle? What are the patterns?

Urban Teaching The Pedagogy of Poverty Giving information Making assignments Giving directions Monitoring seatwork Asking questions Reviewing assignments Punishing non-compliances Assigning homework Settling disputes Reviewing homework Marking papers Giving tests Giving grades Marking tests

Practices derived from Core Values and Beliefs

WHAT IS DIFFERENTIATION?

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION EFFECTIVE TEACHING DOING THE RIGHT THING COMMON SENSE

Definition I In differentiated classrooms, teachers begin where students are, not the front of a curriculum guide. They accept and build upon the premise that learners differ in important ways. Thus, they also accept and act on the premise that teachers must be ready to engage students in instruction through different learning modalities by appealing to differing interests, and by using varied rates of instruction along with varied degrees of complexity. (Carol Ann Tomlinson)

Definition II In differentiated classrooms, teachers provide specific ways for each individual to learn as deeply as possible and as quickly as possible, without assuming one student's road map for learning is identical to anyone else's. These teachers believe that students should be held to high standards. They work to ensure that struggling, advanced, and in-between students think and work harder than they meant to; achieve more than they thought they could; and come to believe that learning involves effort, risk, and personal triumph. (Carol Ann Tomlinson)

HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE? DIFFERENTIATION HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE?

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION A TEACHER CAN DIFFERENTIATE: 1- CONTENT 2- PROCESS 3- PRODUCT 4- LEARNING ENVIRONMENT ACCORDING TO STUDENTS’: 1- READINESS (ACADEMIC SKILLS) 2- LEVEL OF INTERESTS 3- LEARNING STYLES

Carol Tomlinson, professor at the University of Virginia, identifies four classroom elements that can be differentiated: Content:   What the student needs to learn. The instructional concepts should be broad based, and all students should be given access to the same core content. However, the content’s complexity should be adapted to students’ learner profiles. Teachers can vary the presentation of content,( i.e., textbooks, lecture, demonstrations, taped texts) to best meet students’ needs.

Carol Tomlinson, professor at the University of Virginia, identifies four classroom elements that can be differentiated: Process:   Activities in which the student engages to make sense of or master the content. Examples of differentiating process activities include scaffolding, flexible grouping, interest centers, manipulatives, varying the length of time for a student to master content, and encouraging an advanced learner to pursue a topic in greater depth.

Carol Tomlinson, professor at the University of Virginia, identifies four classroom elements that can be differentiated: Products: The culminating projects that ask students to apply and extend what they have learned. Products should provide students with different ways to demonstrate their knowledge as well as various levels of difficulty, group or individual work, and various means of scoring.

Carol Tomlinson, professor at the University of Virginia, identifies four classroom elements that can be differentiated: Learning Environment: The way the classroom works and feels. The differentiated classroom should include areas in which students can work quietly as well as collaborate with others, materials that reflect diverse cultures, and routines that allow students to get help when the teacher isn’t available (Tomlinson, 1995, 1999; Winebrenner, 1992, 1996).

FOCUSING ON THE MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES: WHAT IS YOUR LEARNING STYLE? WHAT IS YOUR TEACHING STYLE? DO YOU KNOW YOUR STUDENTS’ LEARNING STYLES? HOW DO YOU USE THE DATA AROUND LEARNING STYLES IN YOUR CLASSROOM?

Break

A DIFFERENTIATED APPROACH TO ANALYZING DOCUMENTS PRESENTATION BY PS/MS 20 AP AND TEACHERS

LOOKING AT DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION: IN THE CLASSROOM PRESENTATION BY SS COORDINATOR AT PS/MS 3 MR. LONGFIELD

SMARTBOARD TECHNOLOGY PRESENTATION BY SMARTBOARD TECHNOLOGY

NEXT STEPS From this morning’s conversation: What will be a next step for you in improving teaching and learning in the social studies?

Next meeting dates April 16 Possible June Fair (ELA, Math, Sci, SS, Art etc)

Jo Ann Benoit 718-828-3239 347-254-0243 jbenoit@schools.nyc.gov Contact Jo Ann Benoit 718-828-3239 347-254-0243 jbenoit@schools.nyc.gov