But How Do I Manage It? Carol Ann Tomlinson

Some Hotspot Areas in Leading the Multi-Task Classroom Getting into groups Giving directions Stray movement Starting and stopping “Ragged time” On-task behavior Finishing up & moving on Effective group work Early finishers Curbing noise Re-arranging furniture Keeping track of work Grading daily tasks Turning in work Keeping up with papers Handouts 13, 15

Getting to Know and Accept Differences Management Tricks Getting to Know and Accept Differences

“I” GRAPH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I am excellent at this I am very good at this I am fairly good at this I can do this if I work hard I am not very good at this but I want to be/learn I really don’t like this 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Color the first bar to show how good you think you are in reading. Color the second bar to show how good you think you are in writing. Color the third bar to show how good you think you are in math. Color the fourth bar to show how good you think you are in science. Color the fifth bar to show how good you think you are in history/social studies. Color the sixth bar to show how good you think you are in acting. Color the seventh bar to show how good you think you are in sports. Color the eighth bar to show how good you think you are in singing., Color the ninth bar to show how good you think you are at being a friend. Color the tenth bar to show how good you think you are in dancing.

How the kids think Student in Marian Gilewicz’s class in Yellowknife, were skating after a week of indoor recesses due to -40 temps. On returning to the class, one student commented on the wide variety of skate sizes in class. Another student said, “That’s like our clothes sizes.” Another chimed in, “It’s like how we learn!” Their teacher, who systematically differentiated instruction, said “I couldn’t pass that one up. So for the days’ journal assignment she asked : “What is different-sized learning?”

David, age 10 If everybody had to learn the same thing at the same time in the same way, it would be too easy or too hard because everybody is different, not the same. If it were like that, I would be bored because school would be too easy or bored because it would be too hard.

Bryan, age 10 Different sized learning is different people having different activities because they have different learning needs. Imagine if everybody had to do the same thing! Whoa! And well, thank goodness it’s not like that in our classroom.

Jeremy, age 10 What would happen if we all had to learn everything just alike? Well, we probably wouldn’t go to school because we would ask our parents to get home-schooled. Thanks goodness our school isn’t like that.

Shelby, age 10 Different sized learning is sort of the way we are in all subjects because no one is the same in a subject. People are different in learning.

Rebecca, age 10 With different size learning we wouldn’t understand so much and our marks would be lower. When we work so it’s right for us, our marks grow. Sometimes Mrs. G tells us what to do and sometimes we pick. It helps us to work our way up.

Garrick, age 9 If we didn’t have different sized learning, it would be like everybody having the same job in this world. Now don’t you think that’s boring?

Daniel, age 10 If we had to learn exactly alike, we’d quite being unique. People wouldn’t develop their special qualities.

Sonja Lea, age 8 Different-sized learning is when you learn at the right level that is just the right amount of work for you. Not too much and not too little…

Shaun, age 9 If it weren't’ for different size learning, we would have no challenge at all. Lots of people have lots of different learning abilities. Without different size learning we would be frustrated or else start anticipating everything. If you destroy the balance between student and work you plunge the school into chaos – a sort of educational dark age.

Forming Groups Assigning Tasks Management Tricks Forming Groups Assigning Tasks

Flexible Grouping Patterns Whole Group Ability Groups Interest Student-Selected

Getting Students Into Groups Math Stations Station # 1 2 3 4 5

Assigning Groups Clothes pins with student’s names to assign them to a particular task

Round the Clock Learning Buddies My Appointment Clock Make an appointment with 12 different people – one for each hour on the clock. Be sure you both record the appointment on your clocks. Only make the appointment if there is an open slot at that hour on both of your clocks. Tape this paper inside a notebook, or to something that you will bring to class each day.

RED Danielle Jenny Keith Susan YELLOW Joe Jules Julie Matt BLUE Jim Gerline Donna Todd WHITE Ellen Andy Carol Carolyn

Management Tricks Giving Directions

Giving Directions If the whole class is doing the same activity then give the directions to the whole group. Do not give multiple task directions to the whole class.

Giving Directions For small group work, tape directions so students can listen to them repeatedly Use task cards to give directions to small groups. A general rule is that once the teacher has given directions the students can’t interrupt while he/she is working with a small group

Anchor Activities Ongoing assignments that students can work on independently throughout a unit, a grading period or longer. Meaningful work tied to content and instruction. Must have clear directions and hold students accountable

Some Anchor Activities Research Long-term Class Projects Brain Teasers Learning Packets Activity Box Learning/Interest Centers Vocabulary Work Accelerated Reader Practice Tests Montgomery County, MD

Some Anchor Activities Silent Reading Related Readings Questions or Activities Extension Activities from Text Series Listening Stations Commercial Kits and Materials Journals or Learning Logs Montgomery County, MD

How To: Anchor Activities 1 Teach the whole class to work independently and quietly on the anchor activity. 2 Flip-Flop Half the class works on anchor activity. Other half works on a different activity. 3 1/3 works with teacher---direct instruction. 1/3 works on anchor activity. 1/3 works on a different activity.

Management Tricks Managing Time

Time Must be flexible in order to address every child’s readiness level Catch-up days Anchoring Activities Postcards for Writing Ideas Independent Investigations

Transitions Directions for transitions need to be given with clarity and urgency. Time limit for transition Address the acceptable noise level Rehearsal

Handling Materials Assign jobs to different students (materials handler, table captain) As a teacher ask yourself, “Is this something I have to do myself, or can the students learn to do it?” Remember that you have to teach children how to become responsible for their own things.

Management Tricks Teaching Group Skills

Teach Group Skills! Don’t assume students know how to work in groups Don’t assume they know the difference between effective and ineffective groups

Teach Group Skills! Don’t assume all students have the same level of interpersonal skill Don’t forget there is a whole array of group skills to work on

Management Tricks Handling Materials

Handling Materials Assign jobs to different students (materials handler, table captain) As a teacher ask yourself, “Is this something I have to do myself, or can the students learn to do it?” Remember that you have to teach children how to become responsible for their own things.

Management Tricks Getting Help

Getting Help in Groups

Managing Noise & Stray Movement Management Tricks Managing Noise & Stray Movement

V W Noise Control Quiet Signal Team Stop Signs 6-inch voices Talking Chips First Aid Station STOP STOP Cindy

Management Ideas ASK ME Ask 3 Before Me Ask Me Cap Teacher available signal Only 2 up at a time ASK ME

Working Conditions for Alternate Activities (Winebrenner, 2000) Stay on task Don’t bother anyone Don’t call attention to yourself

Keeping Track of Progress Management Tricks Keeping Track of Progress

Routines for Handling Paperwork Color-coded work folders Portfolios Baskets for each curricular area or class period Filing Cabinet Key to these organizational patterns is that the children have access to their own work and know how to file and/or find what they need to accomplish a task.

Student Accountability I will study…. I will produce… By this date… With these materials… I will evaluate my work by… Next time, I will…

Daily Planning Log Student Name ____________________________________ Date __________________ Today I will work on the following tasks on my personal agenda: 1. _______________________________________ 2. _______________________________________ 3. _______________________________________ I will complete the following tasks by the end of agenda time today:

Work Log Date Goal Actual

Work Log Date Goal Actual MON Graphics TUES Problem of the Day WED Tangrams THURS Your choice

Audit Cards Proof Place –Audit Card Today ___________________ worked on problems using Student’s Name _____________________ and proved the method by Name of Computation using _______________________. drawings, diagrams, objects My partner was _____________________. The method we Partner’s Name used to check my work was _________________________. estimation, objects, diagrams, drawings

How Did I Do? What I did I worked hard I did not bother anyone I put away my materials Next time, I will…

Flexible Grouping Patterns Whole Group Ability Groups Interest Student-Selected