DIFFERENTIATE INSTRUCTION TAKE AWAY TALK ERIN GIBBONS

THE BASICS ON MANAGEMENT: 1.Differentiate based on readiness, interest, and learning profile 2.Differentiate at a pace that works best for you 3.Use time differentiation to support student success 4.Focus your attention on your students 5.Use care when creating and delivering instruction 6.Find a strategy for grouping students which is not confusing 7.Have a “home-base” for students to be at the beginning and end of class 8.Put a plan in place for students who are struggling if you are busy with other students 9.Minimize excessive talking and noise

WHAT ABOUT PARENTS? Parents may be resistant to a DI classroom, because it is not the way they learned. Inform parents of the goals of a differentiated classroom and help them realize the benefits for their students Explain the roles of the student and the teacher Inform parents of the principles of DI

READINESS…WHAT ARE THEY READY TO LEARN OR HAVE ALREADY LEARNED? “Designing differentiated instruction is similar to using the equalizer buttons on a stereo or CD player. You can slide the buttons across several different continuums to get the best combination of sounds for each musical piece.” Figure 8.1 The Equalizer: A Tool for Planning Differentiated Lessons This figure is a great visual representation, using the quote above to help teachers understand DI readiness. With the use of equalizer buttons it shows on what end of the continuum each principle needs to be with explanations below.

DRAWING ON STUDENT INTEREST 1.Help students realize that there is a match between school and their own desires to learn 2.Demonstrate the connectedness between all learning 3.Use skills or ideas familiar to students as a bridge to ideas or skills less familiar 4.Enhance student motivation to learn ***Figure 9.2 has great strategies for implementing interest-based differentiation. Each strategy is explained in the chapter. Some would be great for a math class, while others I think would be more difficult to implement.

LEARNING PROFILE…DO YOU KNOW YOUR STUDENTS? Figure 10.3 is a great visual on a classroom before and after differentiated learning. This provides a framework for teachers to make the transition from a traditional classroom to a DI classroom. Figure 10.4 is a great visual for a math classroom! After exploring the visual, I cannot wait to use it to help my students and I make the transition to a more DI focused classroom. Figure 10.5 is a great survey to use to assess a student’s learning profile. This will help teachers help students learn in an environment better suited to them.

MANY BELIEVE… 1. You can only differentiate instruction through small groups: FALSE 1.Differentiation can be through groups but it can also be done many different ways 2. Differentiation is only for students with an IEP or gifted students: FALSE 1.Differentiation is for ALL students 3. DI requires different instruction, different assessments, different grading, and different assignments for different students: FALSE 1.Actually, most DI teachers use the same instructional methodologies, the same assessments, the same grading system, and many of the same assignments for all of their students. Teachers may emphasize different instructional components, but many of the tools are the same for all students. ***There are many other myths, I only shared three above.