Welcome to Differentiating Instruction An Overview Here’s To The Kids Who Are Different!

Lillie Stone Director of Special Education Instruction Linda Blankenhorn Coordinator, SETRC present “Here’s To The Kids Who Are Different!”

Lillie Stone 29 years of experience K-12 Lead Teacher SETRC Training Specialist

Linda Blankenhorn  25 years teaching experience  Administrator, Buffalo  Special Education Cadre, RCSD  SETRC Professional Dev. Specialist

Where are you now? RED Place the RED dot from your folder on the graph so that it bests represents where your knowledge of differentiation is right now.

That’s Me!!! How many of you are first year teachers? are new to Rochester City School District? are special educators? are support staff? are secondary teachers? are nervous about the your first day of school? are tired right now? are hungry? have worked in an inclusive setting?

That’s Me!!! How many of you learn best by reading? prefer to take notes as you listen to a lecture? like to read mystery novels? read the newspaper from front to back? read only certain parts of the newspaper? participate in organized sports? like to garden? like to paint or draw in their free time? went to the PGA last week?

“Stop asking me if we’re almost there! We’re nomads, for crying out loud!”

What kinds of things do you do to maximize student learning?

Do you... practice ongoing assessment? use assessment data to form flexible groups? use assessment data to develop respectful activities for all students? provide options for student learning? provide feedback that helps students set learning goals? use assessment data to determine student readiness, interests, and learning profile? reflect on your own teaching practices?

ACTIVITY # 1 DOCTOR, DOCTOR At your table Pass out the slips of paper from the envelope, alternating the green and white slips. One person with a green slip starts by reading the scenario on the paper. The person to his/her right responds by reading the response on the white slip of paper. Continue around the table until everyone has read what is on his/her slip of paper.

The absurdity of one-size fits all education is that…. It doesn’t work!!

VIDEO VIEWING What do you think Differentiating instruction involves? What are some of your concerns? How does differentiated instruction fit with your beliefs about students and learning?

We Know That…. Students of the same age, in the same grade differ in their readiness to learn, their interests, their styles of learning and their life circumstances.

The differences in students make a major impact on what students need to learn, the pace at which they need to learn it and the support they need from teachers and others to learn it.

Students learn best when they are challenged slightly beyond where they can work without assistance. Zone of Proximal Development – Vygotsky Students learn best when they can make a connection between their interests and life experiences. Concept Based Instruction – Erikson Teaching for Understanding by Design – Wiggins & McTighe

Students learn best when learning opportunities are natural, meaningful, and context-laden. Concept-Based Instruction Lynn Erikson

Students learn best when classrooms and schools create a sense of community in which students feel significant and respected.

Students learn best when classrooms and schools create a sense of community in which students feel significant and respected. The most important job schools have is to maximize the capacity of each student.

Cooking an Indian Meal

You must learn how to cook this delicious Indian Meal, for 4 people

Think about the ways you would and would not like to learn to do this

Take about 3 minutes to talk with a partner and compare your answers.

Why Differentiate? “One size fits all” instruction does not address the needs of many students. Kids come in different shapes and sizes as well as interests, learning profiles, and readiness levels.

Providing A “Rack of Learning Options” We need to do more than “tailor the same suit of clothes.” Differentiation requires thoughtful planning and proactive approaches.

Average Retention Rates Lecture Practice by doing Reading Audio-visual Discussion Teacher demonstration Based on the work of William Glasser Adapted from research by the National Training Laboratories, Methel, ME 5% 10% 20% 30% 50% 75% 90%

Average Retention Rates Lecture Practice by doing Reading Audio-visual Discussion Teacher demonstration Based on the work of William Glasser Adapted from research by the National Training Laboratories, Methel, ME 5% 10% 20% 30% 50% 75% 90% Practice by doing/teach others Lecture Reading Audio-visual Teacher Demonstration Discussion Practice by doing

When a teacher tries to teach something to the entire class at the same time, chances are one-third of the kids already know it; one- third will get it; and the remaining third won’t. So two-thirds of the children are wasting their time. Lillian Katz

VIDEO VIEWING Using one of the graphic organizers, please be certain to note: What does differentiated instruction involve? How does the differentiated classroom differ from the traditional classroom? Questions, concerns, observations

Differentiated Instruction Is Not... A new idea or an instructional strategy Is... A way of thinking about and organizing teaching and learning.

Differentiated Instruction Is Not... Individualized instruction Is … All students are exposed to key concepts, but at differing levels of complexity and depth.

Differentiated Instruction Is Not... Tests at the end of the chapter to see “who got it”. Teacher as primary provider of information. Is... On-going assessment and adjustment of instruction. Teacher guiding the exploration of a subject; teacher as coordinator of time, space and materials.

Differentiated Instruction Is Not… Fragmented teaching of unrelated skills. One size fits all instruction. Is... Learning organized around key concepts, themes, common elements. Multiple approaches to content, process and product designed to encourage maximal growth in all students

Differentiated Instruction Is Not... Giving some students “watered” down tasks and others more of the same work to do. A way to track students or make homogeneous groups. Is... All students engaged in challenging and respectful tasks. Flexible grouping including working alone, in pairs, student-selected groups, whole class, cooperative groups.

Differentiated Instruction Is Not... Every student completing the same work at the same time in the same way. Is... Designing learning experiences based on student readiness, interest and learning profile.

“In differentiated classrooms, teachers begin where students are, not the front of a curriculum guide.” Teachers in differentiated classrooms are students of their students. Carol Tomlinson

Differentiation of Instruction is a teacher’s response to learners’ needs guided by general principles of differentiation such as: respectful tasksflexible groupingongoing assessment and adjustment teachers can differentiate Content Process Product according to students’ Readiness Interests Learning Profile through a range of instructional and management strategies such as:

Strategies That Support Differentiation Maxi-StrategiesMini-Strategies Assessment & Diagnosis Flexible Grouping Tiered Activities Anchor Activities Differentiated Learning Centers Curriculum Compacting Learning Contracts Adjusting Questions Independent Study Reading & Study Buddies Student or Adult Mentors Exit Cards Task Cards Student Expert Desks Three Before Me The Dr. Is In Mini-Lessons Multiple Texts Interest Surveys

“Creating a differentiated classroom is not a yes/no proposition but rather a continuum along which teachers move as they develop skills of responsive teaching.” Carol Ann Tomlinson

Assessment & Diagnosis Flexible Grouping Tiered Activities Anchor Activities Differentiated Centers Curriculum Compacting Learning Contracts Adjusting Questions Independent Study Not Differentiated Fully Differentiated Reactive Fixed Closed Proactive Fluid Open “One size fits all.”

VIDEO VIEWING Using one of the graphic organizers, please be certain to note: How does the differentiated classroom differ from the traditional classroom? What are some key elements of the differentiated classroom? How was instruction differentiated? (content, process, product) How were students grouped? (by readiness, interests, learning styles) Questions, concerns, observations

Key Principles of a Differentiated Classroom The teacher is clear about what matters in the content area. The teacher understands, appreciates, and builds upon student differences. Assessment & instruction are inseparable. All students participate in respectful work. Students and teachers are collaborators in learning.

Key Principles of a Differentiated Classroom The teacher adjusts content, process, & product in response to student readiness, interests, and learning profile. Goals are maximum growth and continued success. Flexibility is the hallmark of a differentiated classroom.

For more information: Gardner, H. (1991). The unschooled mind. How children think and how school should teach. New York:Basic Books. Gardner, H (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory in practice. New York:Basic Books. Tomlinson,C. (1995). Deciding to differentiate instruction in the middle school: One school’s journey. Gifted Child Quarterly, 39, Tomlinson, C. (1995). How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms. Alexandria, VA:ASCD. Tomlinson, C. (1996). Differentiating Instruction for mixed-ability classrooms. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Tomlinson, C. (1997). Differentiating Instruction: Facilitator’s guide. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA:ASCD

Late Bloomers Beethoven: music teacher noted that, “as a composer, he is hopeless”. Issac Newton: elementary work described as “rather poor”. Albert Einstein: couldn’t speak until age 4; couldn’t read until age 7 Thomas Edison: 4 th grade teacher said that he was unable to learn.

Late Bloomers F.W. Woolworth: employer refused to allow him to help customers, because he “didn’t have enough sense”. Louisa May Alcott: told by an editor that her writing would never appeal to the public.

Here’s To the Kids Who Are Different…. Here’s to the kids who are different The kids who don’t always get A’s The kids who have ears Not at all like their peers, Or make noise to go on for days. Here’s to the kids who are different, The kids who are just out of step, The kids they all tease Who have cuts on their knees, And whose sneakers are constantly wet. Here’s to the kids who are different, The kids with a mischievious streak For when they are grown As history has shown, It’s their difference that makes them unique. Author Unknown

In Closing…. Students will learn in spite of what we do. Students will learn because of what we do. Make every child a cause.

Where are you now? Place the Green dot from your folder on the graph so that it bests represents where your knowledge of differentiation is right now.

Be the change you wish to see in others.

#1 Reason People hire a private detective is to find a former teacher.

What color is this piece of paper?

What do cows drink?