All Apples are Not Created Equal!

An Overview

Managing a Differentiated Classroom

Strategies That Work in a DI Classroom

All Apples are Not Created Equal!

An Overview

Differentiated Instruction Is . .

A process that enables teachers to improve student learning by matching students' individual learning characteristics to a quality curriculum.

Differentiated Instruction is NOT . . .

Individualized Instruction or an Individualized Educational Plan for each student!

Another way of homogeneously grouping students.

A curriculum or a program.

Why Differentiate?

Differentiation encourages inclusion of all students

Differentiation addresses different learning styles

Differentiation allows teacher to reach all of the students some of the time

Differentiation allows for diversity among students

Differentiation fosters social relations and self-worth

Differentiation meets social, emotional and academic needs

DI in Simple Terms

Differentiation is making sure that the right students get the right learning tasks at the right time.

Differentiation is no longer an option; it is an obvious response for learning and teaching.

Four Corners

Differentiation . . .

. . .is a teacher’s response to the needs of each learner

Guided by the general principles of differentiation such as . . .

. . .Respectful tasks for all students

. . .Flexible Grouping

Whole group

Student Selected

Individual Students

Interests

. . .Ongoing assessment and adjustment of the instruction based on assessment.

Teachers can differentiate . . .

Product

Content

Process

What the student learns

How the student learns

How they demonstrate

what they learn

Teachers can differentiate according to the student’s . . .

. . .Readiness

. . .Interests

. . .Learning Profile

ASSESSMENT

A trip to the doctor

On-going Assessment: A Diagnostic Continuum

PRE-ASSESSMENT

(Finding Out)

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT(Keeping Track &

Checking Up)

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

(Making Sure)

On-going Assessment: A Diagnostic Continuum

PRE-ASSESSMENT

(Finding Out)

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

(Keeping Track & Checking Up)

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

(Making Sure)

•Pre-test

•Knowledge inventory

•KWL

•Checklist

•Observation

•Self-evaluation

•Questioning

•Concept map

•Conference

•Peer Evaluation

•Observation

•Questioning

•Exit Card

•Portfolio Check

•Quiz

•Journal Entry

•Self Evaluation

•Unit Test

•Performance Task

•Product/Exhibit

•Demonstration

•Portfolio Review

Windshield Check

I can see clearly now!

It is not quite clear! I’ve still got some questions.

I’ve got mud on my windshield! I need some more help!

Hand Gestures

(Thumbs up)

I’ve got it

(Thumbs Down)

I know very little about this

(Wiggling the hand)

I know some things, but I still need help

Give Me Five

How well do I know this?

I know it so well I could explain it to anyone.

I can do it alone.

I need some help.

I could use more practice.

I’m only beginning.

The Basic

What I saw

or heard.

What I think.

Primary Examples

Making Sense Content

Primary Examples

Making Sense Content

Did You Get It?

I AM CLEAR ON I AM FOGGY ON

What and How

What I learned. How I learned it.

Intermediate Assessment

What happened? What could happen because of this?

Intermediate Assessment

What happened?

How do I feel about it?

What did I learn?

Reflection on the Week What I learned this week:

How I can use it:

Areas in which I am making progress:

I need to improve in:

My goal for next week:

What I enjoyed most this week:

Parent’s signature and comments:

Measure What You Mean to Measure

If you want to determine a student’s ability to demonstrate the relationship between density and buoyancy, results shouldn’t be clouded by:

A lack of proficiency in writing English

A missing name on a paper

Difficulty following directions

Rewards for unused bathroom passes

Theory into PracticeA recipe for success!

All Apples are Not Created Equal!

Managing a

Differentiated Classroom

Parts of the Learning PuzzlePARTS OF THE LEARNING PUZZLE

Interest

Culture

Gender

Learning Style

MI

Readiness

Readiness

Int erest

Cult ure

Gender

Learning St yle

MI

What Zone am I in?

TOO EASY ON TARGET TOO HARD

I GOT IT RIGHT AWAY

I ALREADY KNOW HOW

THIS IS A CINCH

I’M SURE TO GET AN “A”

I’M COASTING

I FEEL RELAXED

I’M BORED

NO BIG EFFORT NEEDED

I KNOW SOME THINGS

I HAVE TO THINK

I HAVE TO WORK

I HAVE TO PERSIST

I HIT SOME WALLS

I’M ON MY TOES

I HAVE TO RE-GROUP

I FEEL CHALLENGED

I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START

I CAN’T FIGURE IT OUT

I’M SPINNING MY WHEELS

I’M MISSING MY KEY SKILLS

I FEEL FRUSTRATED

I FEEL ANGRY

THIS MAKES NO SENSE

MY EFFORTS DON’T PAY OFF

This is the place to be!This is the achievement

zone (ZPD)

The Key

The key to a successful management in a differentiated classroom is establishing routines and clarifying expectations!

Some children are “academically tall” others “academically short”

It is our job to design a curriculum that fits!

Each will grow at his or her own pace.

Giving Directions

If the whole class is doing the same activity, then give the directions to the whole class.

Do not give multiple task directions to the whole class.

For small group work, consider taping directions so that the student can listen to them again if necessary.

Use task cards to give directions to small groups.

A general rule of thumb is that once the teacher has given directions the students can’t interrupt while he/she is working with a small group.

Transitions

Directions for transitions need to be given with clarity and urgency.

Time limit for transition

Address the acceptable noise level

Rehearse

Be a floater during transitions

Routines for Handling Paperwork

Color coded work folders

Baskets for each curricular area

Filing Cabinet

The key to these organizational strategies is that the children have access to their own work and know how to file and or find what they need to accomplish.

Time

Time must be flexible in order to address every child’s readiness level.

Catch-up days built into your plans

Anchor activities for children who finish first

Independent Investigations

Flexible deadlines

Extended time on assessments

HELP!!!

Cup strategy

Ask 3 before me

Expert Yellow Pages

The Great Motivator“CHOICE”

Choice requires children to be aware of their own readiness, interests, and learning profiles.

Students have Choices provided by the teacher. (You are still in charge of crafting challenging opportunities for all kids)

Use Choice across the curriculum: writing topics, content writing prompts, self-selected reading, contract menus, math problems, spelling words, product and assessment options, seating, group arrangements, etc.

CHOICE GUARANTEES BUY IN AND ENTHUSIASM FOR LEARNING!

Examples of Spelling Choice Assignments

All Apples are Not Created Equal!

Strategies That Work in a

DI Classroom

Think-Pair-Share

Think about your answer. Write it in this box.

Select a partner

Listen to or explain your answer

Switch Roles

State your answer in class discussion, written assignment, or speech

ANCHOR ACTIVITIES

RAPID ROBIN

The “Dreaded Early Finisher”

One premise in a differentiated classroom:

“ In this class we are never finished---

Learning is a process that never ends.”

What Is an Anchor Activity?

It is curriculum-based.

It has instructional clarity.

It is differentiated to meet the needs and interest of the students.

It is engaging.

Anchor activities are ongoing.

Assignments that students can work on independently throughout a unit, a grading period or longer.

Using Anchor Activities toCreate Groups

Teach the whole class to work independently and quietly on the anchor activity.

Half the class works

on anchor activity

Other half works on

a different activity

1/3 works on

Anchor activity. 1/3 works on a

different activity

1/3 works

with

teachers –

Direct

instruction

1. Create a grocery list or menu for the main

character of a story you have read recently.

Look for coupons that match items on your

grocery list. Add up the savings and glue

coupons to the list.

2. Write a letter to or from a character in the

story. Be sure to include date, greeting, body (3 paragraphs),

closing, and signature. Use graphic organizer

as a guide.

3. Design a new book

cover illustration for a book or story you have

read.

4. Write a letter to a friend about your favorite part of

this week. Be sure to include at least 3 reasons why it was your favorite, including the date, greeting, body and

closing. Use graphic organizer as a guide to list and support

your reasons.

5. Design a new mode of transportation. Be sure to include details, such as: 1. What materials do you need to build it? 2. How will it be used? 3. How much will it cost? 4.

What does it look like? 5. Where can I buy it?

5. Write a letter recommending a book to Ms. Seewaldt. Be sure to

include date, greeting, body (3 paragraphs),

closing, and signature. Use a graphic organizer as a guide for what you want

to include in the letter.

6. Design a

bookmark for a book or story you

have read.

7. Draw a cartoon strip about a "bullying situation" and how it

was resolved. Must be at least 6 panels.

Include illustrations and speech bubbles.

8.Design your own country. Being sure to include at least

5 different landforms (for example :mountains, island,

river, lake, bays, oceans, deserts, forest, resources,

etc.) Explain the reason you chose these landforms and what they will be used for.

How do I organize this?

RAFTS

RoleAudienceFormatTopic

RAFTS

Rafts offer teachers great flexibility to plan based upon student readiness, interest, and learning profile.

Advantages in Using RAFTS

• Students are forced to process information rather than merely write out answers to questions. (Application rather than rote memorization)

• Students are given a clear structure for their expression of ideas. They know what point of view to assume and they are provided with an organizational scheme.

• Students are more motivated to undertake the assignment because it attempts to involve them and allows for more creative responses to learning the material.

• Rafts can be used in all content areas with all grade levels.

Role

Who are you?

Audience

To whom are you communicating?

Format

What form will the communication assume?

Topic

What are you addressing in your communication?

Kindergarten Rafting Example

ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC

Little Red Hen Animals Speech Work together

The Three Pigs Big Bad Wolf Drama Never talk to Strangers

Gingerbread Man

Other Small Children

Song Following Directions

Rafting Example

ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC

The earth Aliens who might want to live on earth

A written set of rules with reasons

What you need to know and do if you want to

live here

An endangered animal

Humans A poster with an exhibit card to

explain it

Why I need you and how you can

help save me

A natural resource

Our Class A speech What people need to know

about using this well and why that matters

RUBRICS

Rubrics

Rubrics are a set of scoring guidelines that can be used to provide consistency in evaluating student work as well as mastery of skills.

Rubrics are used from the initiation to the completion of a student project.

They provide a specific measurement system for specific tasks and are tailored for each project.

Rubrics help students understand what is expected from them. They demystify grades by clearly stating, in age-appropriate vocabulary, the expectations for a project or task. They also give students the opportunity to do self-assessment -- to reflect on the learning process.

They provide a way for the student and the teacher to measure the quality of a body of work.

Rubrics help a teacher monitor the student's learning process.

Not Yet Emerging Developing Effective Strong

Ideas

Organization

Voice

Word Choice

Sentence Fluency

Conventions

Presentation

Get Kids to Use the WordRUBRIC

Let them complete assignments that they will use a “Rubric” to score an activity.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Scoring Guide

Bathroom Rubric

Partner Reading Rubric

Mrs. Laskin, will we

be getting a RUBRIC

to follow for this

assignment?

Sample Generic RubricGreat for Anchor Activities

4 Exceeds requirements of the assignment.

Displays more creativity.

Understands the concept on a higher level.

3 Meets all requirements of the assignment.

Displays creativity.

Understands the concept.

2 Most of the assignment meets the requirements.

Some creativity displayed.

Has partial understanding of the concept.

1 Assignment does not meet most of the requirements.

Little or no creativity displayed.

Little or no understanding of the concept.

Feedback: Total/Grade:

5Demonstrates High Proficiency

-Well organized: ideas presented clearly and logically

-Few grammatical or spelling errors

-Wide variety of grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structures

-Few word-order errors

-Writing is appropriate to current level

-Thorough response to question/prompt

4Clearly Demonstrates Proficiency

-Loosely organized, but main ideas present

--Some grammatical or spelling errors

-Some variety of grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structures

-Some word-order errors

-Most of the writing is appropriate to current level

-Generally thorough response to question/prompt

3Demonstrates Progress Toward Proficiency

-Some attempts at organization, but with confused sequencing

-Many word-order errors

-Writing is below current level

-Partial response to the question/prompt

2Demonstrates Strong Need for Intervention

-Lack of organization

-Significant and serious grammatical and spelling errors

-Lack of variety of grammatical, vocabulary, and sentence structure

-excessive word-order errors

-Writing is well below current level

-Insufficient response to the question/prompt

1Unacceptable

-Response falls below the above descriptions or is inappropriate

Websites to help you create RUBRICS

http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html

http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics/

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

http://www.powayusd.com/projects/EdTechCentralnew/Tools.htm

CHOICE BOARDS

Examples of Choice Boards

ANALYTICAL TASK

PRACTICAL TASK

CREATIVE TASK

Draw a picture

depicting the

same scene

throughout the 4

seasons. Make a

song to Row, Row,

Row, Your Boat

that tells what

people do in each

season and why.

Make a shopping

list for three people

in your family that

tells what they need

to buy to get ready

for each season. Be

ready to tell why

you put those things

on your list.

Study the pictures

in the folder and

try to identify the

seasons in which

each was taken.

What clues did you

look for? Explain

why you guessed

what you did.

FLEXIBLE GROUPING

Flexible Grouping

Should be purposeful: May be based on student interest, learning profile,

and or readiness May be based on needs observed during learning

times Geared to accomplish learning/curricular goals

Implementation: Purposefully plan using information collected –

interest surveys, learning profile inventories, exit cards, quick writes, observations, journaling

List groups on an overhead projector Practice moving into group situations and

assuming roles within the group

Cautions: Avoid turning groups into tracking situations Provide opportunities for students to work within

a variety of groups

Managing Flexible Groups

Color code the tasks by using different folders, tags, etc.

Begin with a few groups and slowly increase the number of groups

PRACTICE!!! Insert written directions and do not go

over each task with the whole group Provide strategies for getting help Create “off limits” times when students

cannot interrupt the teacher Design respectful tasks Provide rubrics and checklists to convey

clear expectations about quality of student work

Develop designated drop-off areas for completed work

Readiness Groups in Pre-K

E A A B

B=Beginning

A=Average

E= Expert

TARGETED

GROUPING

3:00 – Someone with the same eye color

6:00 – Someone with the same hobby as you

9:00 – Someone whose first name or last name starts with the same letter as yours

12:00 – Someone born in another country

Clock Buddies

Clock Buddies

3:00 Groups – Student Selected Groups

6:00 Groups – Interest Based Groups

9:00 Groups – Ability Groups

12:00 Groups – Mixed Readiness

THIS IS

JUST

RIGHT!

THIS IS

TOO

HARD!

THIS IS

TOO

EASY!

Remember . . .one size does not fit all!

EXIT CARD FOR DI TRAINING