DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION By Martha Havens Associate Director for Elementary Pacific Union Conference

OUR GOALS FOR TODAY To walk away understanding the general components of Differentiated Instruction To decide where am I, as an educator, in a continuum of Differentiated Instruction To make a choice and move myself, my students and my resources towards a Differentiated Classroom by starting at…

Differentiated Instruction is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs guided by general principles of differentiation such as respectful tasks flexible grouping ongoing assessment and adjustment GRAPHICAL DEFINITION

through a range of instructional and management strategies such as according to student’s Content Teachers can differentiate ProcessProduct ReadinessInterestsLearning Profile Multiple intelligences Taped material Anchor activities Varying organizers Varied supplementary materials Literature circles Tiered lessons Tiered centers Tiered products Learning contracts Small-group instruction Group investigation Independent study 4MAT Varied questioning strategies Interest centers Interest groups Varied homework Compacting Varied journal prompts Allan, S.D. & Tomlinson, CA (2000). Leadership for Differentiating Schools & Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

CONTENT: Curriculum Guides Standards Key Learnings Textbooks PROCESS: How the teacher plans instruction PRODUCT: How the student demonstrates mastery of the content PREPARATION

ASSESSMENT

Differentiating for Student Interest

Differentiating for Learning Profile

Managing the Differentiated Classroom

A different lesson for each student each day Giving all the students the same work or even identical assessment all the time Assuming that all students learn by listening Merely having Centers in the classroom Assigning more work to students who have demonstrated mastery in an area Only for students who demonstrate a need for acceleration Quantity but Quality Differentiated Instruction is NOT:

Differentiated Instruction is a concept that makes it possible to maximize learning for ALL students. It is a collection of instructionally intelligent strategies based on student-centered best practices that make it possible for teachers to create different pathways that respond to the needs of diverse learners. Definition & Goal of Differentiated Instruction: SDE: Las Vegas, Nevada; July 2010

IN OTHER WORDS… Differentiated Instruction is outstanding teaching. Teaching that cares for the success of each individual student as a whole person. It is Christian Education at its BEST!

What did Ellen G. White tell us about Differentiated Instruction years ago?

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN … Where can you start and/or “fine tune”: Content ? Assessment? Planning resources? What are my student’s learning profile? What are my students level of readiness? What are my student’s interests? What strategies do I use? Classroom management anyone?