1. But How Do I Manage It?
Carol Ann Tomlinson

2. Some Hotspot Areas in Leading the Multi-Task Classroom
Getting into groups
Giving directions
Stray movement
Starting and stopping
“Ragged time”
On-task behavior
Finishing up & moving on
Effective group work
Early finishers
Curbing noise
Re-arranging furniture
Keeping track of work
Grading daily tasks
Turning in work
Keeping up with papers
Handouts 13, 15

3. Getting to Know and Accept Differences
Management Tricks
Getting to Know and Accept Differences

4. “I” GRAPH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I am excellent at this
I am very good at this
I am fairly good at this
I can do this if I work hard
I am not very good at this but I want to be/learn
I really don’t like this 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Color the first bar to show how good you think you are in reading.
Color the second bar to show how good you think you are in writing.
Color the third bar to show how good you think you are in math.
Color the fourth bar to show how good you think you are in science.
Color the fifth bar to show how good you think you are in history/social studies.
Color the sixth bar to show how good you think you are in acting.
Color the seventh bar to show how good you think you are in sports.
Color the eighth bar to show how good you think you are in singing.,
Color the ninth bar to show how good you think you are at being a friend.
Color the tenth bar to show how good you think you are in dancing.

5. How the kids think
Student in Marian Gilewicz’s class in Yellowknife, were skating after a week of indoor recesses due to -40 temps. On returning to the class, one student commented on the wide variety of skate sizes in class. Another student said, “That’s like our clothes sizes.” Another chimed in, “It’s like how we learn!”
Their teacher, who systematically differentiated instruction, said “I couldn’t pass that one up. So for the days’ journal assignment she asked : “What is different-sized learning?”

6. David, age 10
If everybody had to learn the same thing at the same time in the same way, it would be too easy or too hard because everybody is different, not the same.
If it were like that, I would be bored because school would be too easy or bored because it would be too hard.

7. Bryan, age 10
Different sized learning is different people having different activities because they have different learning needs.
Imagine if everybody had to do the same thing! Whoa! And well, thank goodness it’s not like that in our classroom.

8. Jeremy, age 10
What would happen if we all had to learn everything just alike?
Well, we probably wouldn’t go to school because we would ask our parents to get home-schooled.
Thanks goodness our school isn’t like that.

9. Shelby, age 10
Different sized learning is sort of the way we are in all subjects because no one is the same in a subject.
People are different in learning.

10. Rebecca, age 10
With different size learning we wouldn’t understand so much and our marks would be lower.
When we work so it’s right for us, our marks grow. Sometimes Mrs. G tells us what to do and sometimes we pick.
It helps us to work our way up.

11. Garrick, age 9
If we didn’t have different sized learning, it would be like everybody having the same job in this world.
Now don’t you think that’s boring?

12. Daniel, age 10
If we had to learn exactly alike, we’d quite being unique.
People wouldn’t develop their special qualities.

13. Sonja Lea, age 8
Different-sized learning is when you learn at the right level that is just the right amount of work for you.
Not too much and not too little…

15. Shaun, age 9
If it weren't’ for different size learning, we would have no challenge at all. Lots of people have lots of different learning abilities. Without different size learning we would be frustrated or else start anticipating everything. If you destroy the balance between student and work you plunge the school into chaos – a sort of educational dark age.

16. Forming Groups Assigning Tasks
Management Tricks
Forming Groups
Assigning Tasks

17. Flexible Grouping Patterns
Whole Group
Ability Groups
Interest
Student-Selected

18. Getting Students Into Groups
Math Stations
Station # 1 2 3 4 5

19. Assigning Groups
Clothes pins with student’s names to assign them to a particular task

20. Round the Clock Learning BuddiesMy
Appointment Clock
Make an appointment with 12 different people – one for each hour on the clock. Be sure you both record the appointment on your clocks. Only make the appointment if there is an open slot at that hour on both of your clocks.
Tape this paper inside a notebook, or to something that you will
bring to class each day.

21. RED
Danielle
Jenny
Keith
Susan
YELLOW
Joe
Jules
Julie
Matt
BLUE
Jim
Gerline
Donna
Todd
WHITE
Ellen
Andy
Carol
Carolyn

23. Management Tricks
Giving Directions

24. Giving Directions
If the whole class is doing the same activity then give the directions to the whole group.
Do not give multiple task directions to the whole class.

25. Giving Directions
For small group work, tape directions so students can listen to them repeatedly
Use task cards to give directions to small groups.
A general rule is that once the teacher has given directions the students can’t interrupt while he/she is working with a small group

26. Anchor Activities
Ongoing assignments that students can work on independently throughout a unit, a grading period or longer.
Meaningful work tied to content and instruction.
Must have clear directions and hold students accountable

27. Some Anchor Activities
Research
Long-term Class Projects
Brain Teasers
Learning Packets
Activity Box
Learning/Interest Centers
Vocabulary Work
Accelerated Reader
Practice Tests
Montgomery County, MD

28. Some Anchor Activities
Silent Reading
Related Readings Questions or Activities
Extension Activities from Text Series
Listening Stations
Commercial Kits and Materials
Journals or Learning Logs
Montgomery County, MD

29. How To: Anchor Activities1
Teach the whole class to work independently and
quietly on the anchor activity. 2
Flip-Flop
Half the class works
on anchor activity.
Other half works on
a different activity. 3
1/3 works with
teacher---direct
instruction.
1/3 works on
anchor activity.
1/3 works on a
different activity.

30. Management Tricks
Managing Time

31. Time
Must be flexible in order to address every child’s readiness level
Catch-up days
Anchoring Activities
Postcards for Writing Ideas
Independent Investigations

32. Transitions
Directions for transitions need to be given with clarity and urgency.
Time limit for transition
Address the acceptable noise level
Rehearsal

33. Handling Materials
Assign jobs to different students (materials handler, table captain)
As a teacher ask yourself, “Is this something I have to do myself, or can the students learn to do it?”
Remember that you have to teach children how to become responsible for their own things.

34. Management Tricks
Teaching Group Skills

35. Teach Group Skills! Don’t assume students know how to work in groups
Don’t assume they know the difference between effective and ineffective groups

36. Teach Group Skills!
Don’t assume all students have the same level of interpersonal skill
Don’t forget there is a whole array of group skills to work on

37. Management Tricks
Handling Materials

38. Handling Materials
Assign jobs to different students (materials handler, table captain)
As a teacher ask yourself, “Is this something I have to do myself, or can the students learn to do it?”
Remember that you have to teach children how to become responsible for their own things.

39. Management Tricks
Getting Help

40. Getting Help in Groups

41. Managing Noise & Stray Movement
Management Tricks
Managing Noise &
Stray Movement

42. V W Noise Control Quiet Signal Team Stop Signs 6-inch voices
Talking Chips
First Aid Station
STOP
STOP
Cindy

43. Management Ideas ASK ME Ask 3 Before Me Ask Me Cap
Teacher available signal
Only 2 up at a time
ASK ME

44. Working Conditions for Alternate Activities (Winebrenner, 2000)
Stay on task
Don’t bother anyone
Don’t call attention to yourself

45. Keeping Track of Progress
Management Tricks
Keeping Track of Progress

46. Routines for Handling Paperwork
Color-coded work folders
Portfolios
Baskets for each curricular area or class period
Filing Cabinet
Key to these organizational patterns is that the children have access to their own work and know how to file and/or find what they need to accomplish a task.

47. Student Accountability
I will study….
I will produce…
By this date…
With these materials…
I will evaluate my work by…
Next time, I will…

48. Daily Planning Log Student Name ____________________________________
Date __________________
Today I will work on the following tasks on my personal
agenda:
1. _______________________________________
2. _______________________________________
3. _______________________________________
I will complete the following tasks by the end of agenda time today:

49. Work Log
Date
Goal
Actual

50. Work Log Date Goal Actual MON Graphics TUES Problem of the Day WED
Tangrams
THURS
Your choice

51. Audit Cards Proof Place –Audit Card
Today ___________________ worked on problems using
Student’s Name
_____________________ and proved the method by
Name of Computation
using _______________________.
drawings, diagrams, objects
My partner was _____________________. The method we
Partner’s Name
used to check my work was _________________________.
estimation, objects, diagrams, drawings

52. How Did I Do? What I did I worked hard I did not bother anyone
I put away my materials
Next time, I will…

53. Flexible Grouping Patterns
Whole Group
Ability Groups
Interest
Student-Selected