Differentiating Math Instruction Challenge the Stars, Reach the Strugglers NCTM Annual Meeting 2006 Susan Phillips Meadow Lane Elementary Lee ’ s Summit, MO ? ?

Successful learners who find math rewarding and enjoyable Our Goal

Our Reality Different Personalities Different Mathematical Backgrounds Different Abilities

Meet the diverse needs of the students in your classroom by implementing Curriculum Compacting Flexible Grouping

Curriculum Compacting

An instructional technique for modifying the curriculum for above average ability students (Reis, Burns, & Renzulli, 1992)

Purposes of Curriculum Compacting To facilitate learning experiences that are rewarding and enjoyable for all students To relieve students of the repetition of work in areas they have already mastered To provide time for in-depth learning or enrichment activities

Rationale Findings of Curriculum compacting study by Renzulli: Ninety-five percent of teachers were able to identify high ability students in their classes and document students ’ strengths Approximately 40-50% of traditional classroom material could be eliminated for targeted students

These student behaviors may suggest that compacting is needed: Consistently finishing tasks early Expressing interest in pursuing alternate or advanced topics Consistent high performance or motivation Building a complete replica of a human skeleton out of paper clips, pencils, and rulers while raising his hand to answer a question in class

Every person is gifted in some area. We just have to find out in what. Evelyn Blose Holman

The Compacting Process Determine the learning objectives of the regular curriculum for a single unit Assess students for previous mastery of these objectives Substitute more appropriate learning options for the students who show mastery

Step 1 Select a learning unit, chapter, or topic in one content area Averages Mean Median Mode

Step 2 Develop a pre-test (and post-test) to assess the learning objectives for that unit Determine criteria for “mastery” of the concept using the pretest Averages Mean Median Mode Pretest

Step 3 Develop an enrichment activity or in-depth learning opportunity for the compacted topic Develop a “compacting contract” for the project or another way of identifying student expectations Averages Mean Median Mode Pretest

Step 4 Administer the pretest Identify compacting students for this unit Identify Students Averages Mean Median Mode Pretest

Step 5 Introduce the compacting project to the identified students Review student responsibilities and identify student expectations (contract, scoring guide, check list) Let them get to work!

Flexible Grouping

Allowing students to work in differently mixed groups depending on the goal of the learning task at hand. Michael Opitz

Flexible Grouping Roots in the “ One-Room Schoolhouse ” Students are grouped and regrouped according to specific goals, activities, or individual needs Tends to make teacher ’ s job easier and students more productive Allows teacher to work in small groups, taking all students to a higher-level of thinking about the learning experience

Flexible Grouping Specific Performance Ability Grouping General Achievement FluidStatic All groups are given higher-level thinking activities Different groups receive different instruction – “ low ” group is given lower-level activities

Flexible Grouping Pre-test gives information needed to group students Non-compacting group can be split into two sections to better meet the needs of the students: Facilitated by the Curriculum Compacting process The “ I ’ ve almost got it ” group The rest of the class Two small groups for more individualized instruction or

Ideas for Differentiating Instruction for Groups PowerPoint Lessons Students work through “ book lesson ” in small groups One group “ teaches ” other group One group writes problems for other group Groups working more quickly can take topic further enriching the learning

Curriculum Compacting and Flexible Grouping Adjusting the presentation of the curriculum to fit the learners rather than expecting students to modify themselves for the curriculum

The challenge for educators is to begin to see students in inclusive ways and to value diversity in their classrooms so that those students who have become a “ ghost ”… can become contributors. C. Dudley-Marling and S. Stires