1. DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
SESSION NAME
DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
BUILDING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

2. Differentiating Instruction True or False
SESSION NAME
Differentiating Instruction True or False
Differentiation is something extra teachers would have to do in the classroom
FALSE
TRUTH: Differentiation is a matter of doing one small step at a time, and then collecting that work into a file so you can share it/not do it again. C. Tomlinson tells us that differentiation is not something extra, it is just good teaching.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy 2
NBPS Professional Development Academy 2

3. Differentiating Instruction True or False
SESSION NAME
Differentiating Instruction True or False
False
Differentiation is the lowering of expectations for students.
It causes them to be dependent
TRUTH: the reality is that it builds responsibility because others are counting on you, working with you. Like an orchestra – everyone is playing their part – doing their role and without all the sounds, it does not work. By providing students with assignments that are appropriate for their level of readiness or suits their learning style, it is possible to hold them more accountable, not less.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy 3
NBPS Professional Development Academy 3

4. Differentiating Instruction True or False
SESSION NAME
Differentiating Instruction True or False
Differentiation requires the use of many different instructional strategies, a bag of tricks.
True
TRUTH: Instructional strategies are tools. Differentiation happens when we match the tools with our students.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy 4
NBPS Professional Development Academy 4

5. Differentiating Instruction True or False
SESSION NAME
Differentiating Instruction True or False
Differentiation is for kids with labels:
(LD, ADHD, BD, Gifted and Talented, ELL, etc.)
True and False
Good for all,
essential for students with disabilities …
TRUTH: The workplace is collaborative; differentiation promotes collaboration. Differentiation is for all students; the most able student in the class, the student who struggles on a regular basis and that “in the middle” kid who is just chugging along.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy 5
NBPS Professional Development Academy 5

6. Differentiated Instruction is:
SESSION NAME
Differentiated Instruction is:
balancing success and challenge for every student.
putting the students at the center of the conversation.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
Train the Trainer Differentiated Instruction
NBPS Professional Development Academy

7. FIRST, KNOW YOUR STUDENTS!
SESSION NAME
FIRST, KNOW YOUR STUDENTS!
READINESS
INTEREST
LEARNING PROFILE
AFFECT
It is very important, at the beginning of the year, to be proactive in identifying the needs of all the students. It is important to look through the cum folders/Realtime/Performance Matters and find the needs of the student; any educational history or family background. Find their strengths or weakness. Find their likes and dislikes. Capitalize on the positive aspects of their learning.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

8. THEN DIFFERENTIATE! CONTENT PROCESS PRODUCT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
SESSION NAME
THEN DIFFERENTIATE!
CONTENT
PROCESS
PRODUCT
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

9. Essential Qualities of Differentiated Instruction
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Essential Qualities of Differentiated Instruction
Teachers:
Build background knowledge and vocabulary.
Hold students accountable for their learning through ongoing assessment.
Provide appropriate choices.
Focus on student strengths (consider multiple intelligences and perceptual preferences).
Use flexible grouping.
Recognize and plan for concrete, representational and abstract thinking.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

10. Vary presentation styles. Create a positive classroom environment.
SESSION NAME
Teachers:
Vary presentation styles.
Create a positive classroom environment.
Find opportunities for small group instruction based on student need.
Tier and scaffold assignments/teacher-made assessments around key concepts and skills.
Provide appropriate practice and review using multiple strategies.
Model, model, model!
What are the three words you use when you talk about Real Estate and buying a piece of prime property? Location, location, location! The three words we need to consider when talking about Differentiated Instruction is model, model, model!
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

11. Foundational Concept: Structured Teaching
SESSION NAME
Foundational Concept: Structured Teaching
Structured teaching is a model for providing differentiated instruction within whole class and small group instruction.
The 4 basic steps are:
I do it – Focus lesson
We do it – Guided instruction
You do it together – Collaboration and Differentiation
You do it alone – Independent practice
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

12. SESSION NAME
Foundational Concept: Grouping Students can be grouped in a variety of ways to facilitate differentiated instruction activities.
Whole Group
Small groups – teacher led
Small groups – student led
Learning centers
Peer tutoring
Teacher-student/1 - 1
Independent Work
Ability level
Interest
Learning Preference
Choice
Random
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

13. NEXT STEPS Sustained Professional Development at CPT/PLT meetings
SESSION NAME
NEXT STEPS
Sustained Professional Development at CPT/PLT meetings
Word Splash
Word Splash builds background knowledge and content specific vocabulary.
Perfect Ten/Bingo
Perfect Ten allows students to choose the best way to demonstrate their understanding of a topic.
In the next few months, we will be infusing these D. I. strategies into the curriculum. We will be presenting various strategies/activities in CPT/PLT groups.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

14. SESSION NAME
District Commitment
The New Brunswick Public School District is committed to providing students learning opportunities that enable them to be prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century. The district is also committed to providing teachers with the curriculum, strategies and assessments to do so.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

15. SESSION NAME
District Commitment
To that end, the district committed to sending 13 teacher leaders to the NJ DOE’s professional development sessions on Differentiated Instruction. The district has provided that team with release time to prepare presentations based upon their training. The principals have committed to embedding this professional development into CPT and PLT meetings.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

16. SESSION NAME
Time to Reflect
We have already had PD on the Marzano’s six steps of vocabulary instruction. It’s working well and we have seen an increase in vocabulary
Allow teachers to reflect on how they will be able implement DI – 3 to 4 minutes
Discuss examples of DI already used in classroom
Reflect on importance of DI
How can DI raise the achievement of our students?
How can DI keep students engaged?
How can DI improve the behavior of our students?
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

17. SESSION NAME
Closing Thoughts
What did you hear that confirms something you know and implement about differentiated instruction?
What did you learn that extended your thinking about differentiated instruction?
What specific strategy or lesson will meet the needs of your students?
These may be things that we will be covering in the next few months. Keep your mind open and be receptive to these new ideas in your CPT and PLT groups. Teach smarter, not harder!
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy

18. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
SESSION NAME
TOGETHER
WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Now is the time we are all accountable. We need to meet the needs of ALL our students.
New Brunswick Public Schools Professional Development Academy
NBPS Professional Development Academy