Achievement for All Implementing Differentiation through the MOSAICS Program Dr. Denise Pupillo

Parkway Goal: Achievement for All “Implement strategies and programs that challenge or improve the performance of students who are achieving below their potential:” n High Ability Students n Every student

The fact that students differ may be inconvenient, but it is inescapable. Adapting to that diversity is the inevitable price of productivity, high standards, and fairness to kids. ---Theodore Sizer, Brown University

Gifted Education Department Strategies for the Parkway MOSAICS Program n Gifted Specialists involved in work on differentiation, training to become building leaders and a resource person through Level 1, 2, and 3 MOSAICS components n “MOSAICS Level 1 Training Team” 2 full workshops for 3-5 grade teachers and 6-8 grade teachers (Fall and Spring 07-08) n Create and develop MOSAICS Academy for Exceptionally Gifted students (Grades 1-14) n High School Gifted Specialist to work with gifted freshmen and sophomores and support classroom teachers and counselors in meeting the students needs n Sharing the essential components of the MOSAICS Program in with principals n District Level Parent Support and Curriculum Advisory Committee n District Level Summer Academies Committee n Curriculum Coordinators sharing their expertise and best practices with the cadre (specifically Language Arts/ Reading Instruction)

Differentiation is…. Beliefs and values about education and children. A philosophy that all kids can succeed. Engaging ALL students in activities that better respond to their learning needs, strengths, and preferences. Good decision making about students so that all are challenged at an appropriate level. Clear measurable objectives within each and every lesson and/or unit. A variety of assessments being utilized.

The “Individualized Instruction” of the 1970’s Just another way to provide homogeneous grouping Chaotic Just “tailoring the same suit of clothing” One traditional assessment for all students Differentiation is NOT...

Principles of Differentiation n Content, activities and products developed in response to varying learner needs n Based on diagnosis of student readiness, interest, and learning profile n ALL students doing engaging and challenging work n Continual progression for each and every learner n Flexible use of time and space n Use of a variety of instructional strategies—tiered assignments, learning centers, contracts, compacting, independent study, classroom discourse and learning buddies n Flexible grouping including learning in pairs, triads, quads, student-selected groups, teacher-selected groups, and as a whole class n Adaptation of materials and resources

Instructional and Management Strategies for a Differentiated Classroom n Curriculum Compacting n Independent Projects n Interest Centers or Learning Centers n Tiered Assignments/Scaffolding n Flexible Skills Grouping n High-Level Questioning n Learning Contracts

Curriculum Compacting n Assessing what the student knows about the material to be studied and what the student still needs to master n Plans for learning what is not known and excusing the students from what is known n Plans for freed-up time to be spent in enriched or accelerated study n In discovery learning and inquiry based instruction, curriculum compacting may not be appropriate

Independent Study n Process through which student(s) and teacher identify problems or topics of interest to the student n Student(s) and teacher plan a method of investigating the problem or topic and identifying the type of product the student will develop n The product should demonstrate the students’ ability to apply skills and knowledge to the problem or topic n Discourse and collaboration should be embedded in the study

Learning Centers n Can be “stations” or collections of materials learners can use to explore topics or practice skills n Can be to provide study in greater breadth and depth on interesting and important topics n Can have learning-center tasks that require transformation and application n Should provide a balance between student and teacher choice about centers to be completed

Tiered Assignments/Scaffolding n Prescribing particular assignments based on particular needs of groups of students n Can be tiered by challenge level (starting with application based on Bloom’s taxonomy), complexity, resources, outcome, process or product n Tiering means creating different work, not simply more or less work and assignments should be equally active, interesting, and engaging

Flexible Skills Grouping n Students are matched to skills work by virtue of readiness, not with the assumption that all need the same task, drill, writing assignment, etc. n Movement among groups is common, based on the readiness on a given skill and growth in that skill n Students are exempted from basic skills work in areas where they demonstrate a high level of performance

High-Level Questioning n Questions should draw on advanced levels of thinking/information n Questions should require leaps of understanding n Questions should challenge thinking n Students should be asked to defend answers and teachers should be asking open-ended questions n Develops metacognition, logic, and integrity in substantiating answers and opinions with reason and evidence n Questions should encourage reflection and extend thinking

Learning Contracts n An agreement between student and teacher n Teacher grants certain freedoms and choices about how a student will complete tasks n The student agrees to use the freedoms appropriately in designing and completing work according to specifications n Contracts should focus on themes, concepts, or problems and integrate skills into the required product or project n Should be in writing and have clear and rigorous standards for success

Differentiation should respond to learner needs through…. n Content – what a student learns n Activities – opportunities through which the students process, or make sense of, understandings and skills; and n Products – how students demonstrate and extend what they have learned

1. Teachers and whole class begin exploration of a topic or concept. Expectations and final rubric are shared. 2. Students engage in further study using varied materials based on readiness and learning style. 3. Students and teacher come together to share information and pose questions. 4. Students work on varied assigned tasks designed to help them make sense of key ideas at varied levels of complexity and pacing. 5. The whole class reviews key ideas and extends their study through sharing. 6. In small groups selected by students, they apply key principles to solve teacher- generated problems related to their study. 7. The whole class is introduced to a skill needed later to make a presentation. 8. Students self- select interest areas through which they will apply and extend their understandings. 9. The whole class listens to individual study plans and the assessment rubric is completed. An Example of the Flow of Instruction in a Differentiated Classroom

Outcomes for Achievement for All Goal n Teachers become equipped with instructional and management strategies and are incorporating those into their teaching each day n Increased student achievement for all, specifically in Communication Arts/Reading n ALL students are being challenged at their appropriate level n Activities are engaging and tied directly to the curriculum objectives and the learner’s needs n Promote consistency and coherency across grade levels and within curricular areas