Social Studies Day 5 Interventions and Differentiation

Day 5 Overview DOE Updates Cobb Updates Intervention Pyramid Differentiation in Social Studies

Updates

DOE GPS Updates 6-8 th Grade, World Geography, American Government/Civics, Economics, World History, United States History are ALL GPS Tests have been developed and aligned with GPS CRCT and EOCT are purely based on GPS material GHSGT will be dually aligned Will be converting 2 electives to GPS – Possibly Psychology, Sociology or Current Issues

Cobb County Updates Absolutely vital to follow the curriculum guide on PICASSO The textbook is NOT the curriculum Not all standards are in the book PICASSO lessons were written in order to “cover” all standards What are students “doing?” Benchmark Assessments will begin in fall 2008 which means all must follow the Cobb Curriculum Guide

Pyramid of Interventions

The Pyramid of Interventions Focuses on 3 questions: ▫Are students learning? ▫How do we know that they are learning? ▫What are we prepared to do when they do not learn? The idea is to not wait until students have large gaps in their learning that are almost too great to overcome. Pro-active vs. re-active

Tier 1: Standards Based Classroom Learning Should be happening for ALL students in ALL classrooms Basic implementation of GPS through a standards based approach using best practices For Social Studies, this means conceptual teaching, varied assessments, and measuring understanding through performance tasks.

Tier 2: Needs Based Learning Begins to answer the question: “What are we prepared to do when they do not learn?” Pro-active measures that address known trouble areas OR known “easier” areas for higher ability students. The same student may fall in both categories as the year progresses! For students having difficulty More time on trouble areas Pre-planned tutoring Pre-planned review material for students that have problems in certain areas For students “ahead of schedule” Planned enrichment activity Prepared modified curriculum Student led tutoring or student led teaching

Social Studies Example Identified trouble area: Analyzing Primary Source Documents Major Issue: Reading level, analytical thinking Trouble for: ESOL, sub-level readers, linear thinkers Easy for: High level readers, critical thinkers

Social Studies Example Tier 2 Intervention ideas Have shorter versions for lower readers focusing more on major ideas. Pair students high/low for help Have “modern day” versions prepared Have high end students work alone and have a back- up assignment for enrichment ready to go

Tier 3: Student Support Team Driven Instruction This is where students begin being referred to specialized teams (SST). More individualized instruction May have completely different assessments Different from tier 2 in terms of specificity and individualization Typically includes a system-level plan

Tier 4: Specially Designed Instruction Should be the fewest number of students If tiers 1-3 are used effectively, fewer students will require this level Gifted Ed or Special Ed self-contained classes are an example Tier 4 can take place in the general ed classroom as well. Takes tier 2 to a much larger level DOES NOT MEAN CHANGING CURRICULUM!!!! ▫All students are expected to meet standards

Differentiation Strategies

Group Activity: What is differentiation? Myth vs. Reality In your group, take a card and place it on the wall under “Myth” or “Reality”. Why did you choose the heading? Share in your small group why you placed your card under myth or reality. Share in large group why some statements are myth and why some are reality. Now, what is differentiation?

What is Differentiation? Differentiation can be defined as a way of teaching in which teachers proactively modify curriculum, teaching methods, resources, learning activities, and student products to address the needs of individual students and/or small groups of students to maximize the learning opportunity for each student in the classroom. --Facilitator’s Guide for At Work in the Differentiated Classroom, 103.

What is Differentiation? Differentiation adapts what we teach, how we teach to the ways students learn, and how students show what they have learned based on the readiness levels, interests, and preferred learning modes of students. Differentiation is classroom practice that looks eyeball to eyeball with the reality that kids differ, and the most effective teachers do whatever it takes to hook the whole range of kids on learning. --Facilitator’s Guide for At Work in the Differentiated Classroom, 103, 113.

Essential Principles of Differentiation 1.Good Curriculum Comes First 2.All Tasks Should Be Respectful of the Learner 3.When in Doubt, Teach Up 4.Use Flexible Grouping 5.Become an Assessment Junkie 6.Grade for Growth --Tomlinson & Eidson, Differentiation in Practice, Grades 5-9,

Why Do We Differentiate? The key reasons for differentiating the learning experience are: access to learning motivation to learn efficiency of learning --Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom

Access to Learning Students cannot learn that which is inaccessible because they don’t understand. --Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom

Motivation to Learn Students cannot learn when they are unmotivated by things far too difficult or things far too easy. Students learn more enthusiastically when they are motivated by those things that connect to their interests. --Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom

Efficiency of Learning Students learn more efficiently when they have a suitable background of experience. Students learn more efficiently when they can acquire information and express understanding through a preferred mode. --Tomlinson, The Differentiated Classroom

We determine what to differentiate by assessing the readiness interests learning profile of particular students or groups of students What Do We Differentiate?

DIFFERENTIATION Content Learning Environment Process Product How Do We Differentiate?

Differentiating Content Ideas, concepts, descriptive information, and facts, rules, and principles that the student needs to learn. Content can be differentiated through depth, complexity, novelty, and acceleration. DOES NOT MEAN CHANGING THE CURRICULUM!!!!!!!! Readiness testing Concept based teaching Learning Contracts Multiple and/or supplementary texts Small group Learning styles and Multiple Intelligences Interest based mini lessons Curriculum compacting Technology Varying rate of learning and complexity

Differentiating Process Presentation of content Learning activities for students Questions that are asked, Teaching methods and thinking skills that teachers and students employ to relate, acquire, and assess understanding of content Student Choice Tiered Curriculum Cubing Learning Stations Similar Readiness Grouping Mixed Readiness Grouping Learning Contracts Choice of Work Arrangement Anchor Activities Varied Journal Prompting

The Equalizer Concrete to abstract Simple to complex Basic to transformational Fewer facets to multi-facets Smaller leaps to greater leaps More structured to more open Less independence to greater independence Slower to faster Tomlinson,1995

Differentiating Products Products are the culminating projects and performances that result from instruction. They ask the student to rehearse, apply, or extend what s/he has learned in a unit. A product or performance provides the vehicle that allows students to consolidate learning and communicate ideas. Tiered products Student choice Interest-based investigations Independent study Mentors

Differentiating Learning Environment The way the classroom looks and/or feels The types of interaction that occur The roles and relationships between and among teachers and students The expectations for growth and success The sense of mutual respect, fairness, and safety present in the classroom. Class Meetings Shared Decision Making Response Journals Responsibility for Learning Established Protocols

Group Activity: Differentiation in Practice Get into groups of three and analyze the lessons provided. Look for what has been differentiated (readiness, interests, learning profile) Look for how the task/lesson has been differentiated (content, process, product, learning environment) Decide how easy or difficult it would be to differentiate this lesson. Explain why this lesson should be differentiated.

A True/False Quiz: With Higher Levels of Thinking What does differentiated Instruction look like? Mark each statement True or False for a differentiated classroom. Tell “why” the statement is TRUE or FALSE. After you have responded individually, think/pair/share to compare your answers to the others at your table. When you disagree, discuss your various points and attempt to reach consensus. Be prepared to share important points with the whole group.