Differentiated Instruction in the Classroom Leslie Biastro Joseph Brelo Kim Kosa Janel Palmatier Heather Sherry

What Differentiated Instruction IS NOT Thoughts from the skit ? ? ? ? ? ?

What Differentiated Instruction IS NOT Individualized instruction Chaotic Another way to provide homogenous grouping “One-size-fits-all” (Willis & Mann, 2000)

What Differentiated Instruction IS NOT “What we call differentiation is not a recipe for teaching. It is not an instructional strategy. It is not what a teacher does when he or she has time…” (Tomlinson,2001)

What Differentiated Instruction IS Any ideas?

What differentiated instruction IS Proactive – pre-planning Teachers responding to differences among learners in the classroom “Shaking up” what goes on in the classroom (Tomlinson, 2001) Rooted in assessment Student-centered

What Differentiated Instruction IS “A way of thinking about teaching and learning. It is a philosophy” (Tomlinson, 2001)

Components of Differentiated Instruction Learning Environment Content - curriculum Process - instruction Product - assessment “We have to know where we want to end up before we start out – and plan to get there,” (Tomlinson, 1999)

Differentiate by: Readiness/ability Interests Learning styles “Recognizing and appreciating learning styles can help you identify the natural strengths and tendencies each student possesses.” (Tobias, 1994)

How to differentiate? Some strategies include: Flexible grouping Whole group to small group/individual Tiered activities Learning centers Multiple intelligences

Why not change? Lack of time Lack of professional development resources Lack of support – administration, parents, coworkers Lack of energy – heavy workload already

How to change? Observe the experts (Carolan & Guinn, 2007) Professional development (trainings, videos, books, etc.) Baby steps Build a support system Think about management routines (Tomlinson, 2000)

“A child who is failing is like a drowning man. The system throws him a rope, but it’s too short. When he drowns we say, ‘But we threw him a rope!’ I say, unless we meet him where he is and bring him back to shore, it was all a waste.” ~ Patricia Al-Attas

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!" ~ Theodor Seuss Geisel

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.” ~ Clay P. Bedford

“Children have to be educated, but they also have to educate themselves.” ~ Abbé Dimnet

“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.” ~ Rachel Carson

“Truly wonderful the mind of a child is.” ~Yoda

"If you cannot teach me to fly, teach me to sing." ~ Sir James Matthew Barrie

“Education must provide the opportunities for self-fulfillment; it can at best provide a rich and challenging environment for the individual to explore, in his own way." ~ Noam Chomsky

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.“ ~ Albert Einstein

"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." ~ Ignacio Estrada