Differentiated Instruction: Knowing our students to teach our students The Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School-January 30, 2009

Academic and Social Goals To deepen our understanding of effective instruction To develop a plan to get to know our learners’ strengths, needs and interests to be able to intentionally instruct effectively To invest in our own learning and the learning of others

Making Connections PICK ONE OPTION: A.Think of a student who was struggling that you were able to help because you followed his/her IEP, or found another way to reach him/her. B.Think of a situation in your life when people in a group were reached in different ways. THINK/PAIR/SHARE

Seeing the strengths Artistic Ambitious Adaptable Active Athletic Analytical Articulate Avid Agile Accurate Balanced Benevolent Bubbly Careful Considerate Cheerful Coordinated Caring Clever Creative Compassionate Committed Capable Courageous Consistent Cooperative Daring Disciplined Dedicated Dependable Determined Diligent Deliberate Exact Empathetic Energetic Encouraging Efficient Expressive Eager Ethical Friendly Fair-minded Flexible Fun-loving Focused Goal-directed Graceful Honourable Humorous Humble Imaginative Industrious Influential Inquiring Intellectual Joyful Judicious

Big Idea – Non Negotiable Differentiation is responsive teaching rather than one size fits all teaching.

Big Idea Knowing your learner in order to teach them well

Big Idea – Non Negotiable Quality differentiation depends on having clear curriculum targets Differentiation must be an extension of, not a replacement for, high quality curriculum. »Tomlinson, 2000

Big Idea Using varied instructional strategies for responding to readiness, interest, and learning profiles

Big Idea – Non Negotiable Flexible grouping that varies depending on readiness, interests and learning profile.

Big Idea – Non Negotiable On-going assessment and adjustment is essential

Ongoing assessment and adjustment Teachers Can Differentiate Through: Content ProcessProduct according to students’ Readiness – Start where they are! Interests - Make it meaningful! Learning Profile - Build on their strengths! Differentiating Instruction is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs guided by: Environment Based on The Differentiated Classroom - Carol Ann Tomlinson Start Here!

Understanding the Learner “Students taught in their preferred learning styles demonstrated higher levels of achievement, showed more interest in the subject matter, approved of instructional methods, and wanted other subjects to be taught similarly.” Bell, L. (1986).

Learner Profile Cards Auditory, Visual, Kinesthetic Modality Multiple Intelligence Preference Gardner Analytical, Creative, Practical Sternberg Student’s Interests Favorite subject Gender Stripe Nanci Smith,Scottsdale,AZ

Why do we need learning profiles? Learning profile refers to how an individual learns best - most efficiently and effectively. Teachers and their students may differ in learning profile preferences. Janet Rex ASCD 2009

Creating the Learner Profile Interactive Tools V.A.K. s/stylest.html M.I. tom/resources_ftp/client _ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/q uestions/questions.cfm Student Interests/Strengths (Matchmaker & My Skills) Paper Tools ds/Learning_Profiles_Re typed.doc Karen Hume’s Start Where They Are CD-ROM (permission to copy, share, modify)

A New Semester: Continued Learning What supports do my students need to self-assess? How will this data about students inform my practice? How will I know I am on the right track?

Ongoing assessment and adjustment Teachers Can Differentiate Through: Content ProcessProduct according to students’ Readiness – Start where they are! Interests - Make it meaningful! Learning Profile - Build on their strengths! Differentiating Instruction is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs guided by: Environment Based on The Differentiated Classroom - Carol Ann Tomlinson Start Here!

Tools for going deeper… Materials available at fileupload.asp Karen Hume’s Start Where They Are

One Tool: Choice Board VisualAuditoryKinesthetic Create an acronym Tell a partner Get in a small group and play summary ball Design a test question Create a 15-second radio commercial Make a tableau Design a bumper sticker Compose new lyrics for a song and sing it Play charades From Karen Hume, Start Where They Are

One Tool: Learning Stations Station A: Computer simulation Students use the website to view an animated 3D model of the atom they are drawing. The website allows students to view the atom from a nuclear view or an electron view. Station B: Atomic structure demonstration kit Students use a kit to model atomic structure before drawing the diagram. Students are given bingo chips that represent protons (red), electrons (blue), and neutrons (green), and a template of an atom. They then place the bingo chips on the template to create a Bohr-Rutherford model of the atom they are drawing. Station C: Arts and crafts Students will be given pipe cleaners, beads, and paper to build models of the atom they are drawing. Station D: Textbook Students will be provided with several textbooks that explain how to draw BR diagrams. Students will use the resources to draw a BR diagram. From Karen Hume, Start Where They Are

There are a lot of Stevens out there From Karen Hume, Start Where They Are

“Know who I am.” “Accept that we all learn differently.” “Value me for who I am.” “I may need to learn in a different way than you.” “Stop teaching me. Help me learn.” “We need to challenge each other to work together toward change.” Students’ Voices From Student Panel, Quest 2008

Exit Card What I like about explicitly getting to know my students is: One question I am asking myself right now about DI is: One strategy I would use in my classroom to reach my students is: One strategy I would like to learn more about is: