Honoring Student Diversity:

Differentiated Instruction

Creating a Climate for Learning

EDUC-503 Session III -IV

Putting it all together

The syllabus:

What questions do you have?

Do you have any comments or concerns?

As we go through the semester be thinking about:

How are the general syllabus topics connected to one another, your opinions as an educator, and your

selected parallel text?

What quote did you pick?

Confirming parallel text selections.

Do I know you?

Part I: Creating a Climate for Learning

School-wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS)

What is SWPBS?According to Rob Horner (University of Oregon) and

George Sugai (University of Connecticut) SWPBS is:

A systems approach for establishingthe social culture and individualized behavioral supports needed for schools to be effective learning environments for all students.

Establishing a Social Culture

Common Vision/Values

Common Language

Common Experience

MEMBERSHIP

What is SWPBS?

Improving student academic and behavior outcomes is about ensuring all students have access to the most effective and accurately implemented instructional and behavioral practices and interventions possible. SWPBS provides an operational framework for achieving these outcomes.

More importantly, SWPBS is NOT a curriculum, intervention, or practice, but IS a decision making framework that guides selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students.

from: www.pbis.org

In looking at the definitions alone, WHY are we learning about SWPBS in this course?

Video clip from www.pbis.org

Guiding questions as you watch:

1. What are the features of SWPBS?

2. What words come to mind as the administrators, teachers, and coaches talk about SWPBS?

3. What do you feel are the most important ideas to understand about SWPBS?

Features

• Data Driven• Behaviors taught• Focus on the positives v. negatives• Proactive• Fully integrated• Need buy in

Evidence-based features of SWPBS

1. Prevention

2. Define and teach positive social expectations

3. Acknowledge positive behavior

4. Arrange consistent consequences for problem behavior

5. On-going collection and use of data for decision-making

6. Continuum of intensive, individual interventions

7. Administrative leadership – Team-based implementation (systems that support effective practices)

“What Does School-Wide PBIS Emphasize?”

In general, SWPBS emphasizes four integrated elements:

(a)data for decision making(b)measurable outcomes supported and

evaluated by data(c)practices with evidence that these

outcomes are achievable(d)systems that efficiently and effectively

support implementation of these practices.

from: www.pbis.org

Four Integrated Elements of SWPBS

from: www.pbis.org

What are your experiences with SWPBS?

• Lauren and Melissa share their experiences from Westover (magnet school for the arts) School.

• Other

From Westover

• Change in leadership• PBS is direction Stamford is moving, not

mandated yet.• PBS team meets monthly• Developed The Westover Way – Posted in every classroom– Flip book

Part II: Creating a Climate for Learning

At the Classroom Level

What are your assumptions?

Self-reflection questions:

1. What are the primary characteristics defining a successful student? Use single words or short phrases to identify up to 5 characteristics. Underline THE most important characteristic (i.e. Without ____ a student will not be successful.).

2. What steps do you/will you take to create an atmosphere where students can take intellectual risks in your classroom/class?

3. What is your “philosophy of discipline” (as it relates to students at the level you teach or intend to teach)? This is often an interview question.

4. You are engaged in direct teaching of a concept and student becomes VERY disruptive. What do you? Be precise and specific in your description.

What are the primary characteristics defining a successful student?

What steps do you/will you take to create an atmosphere where students can take intellectual risks in your classroom/class?

What is your “philosophy of discipline”

(as it relates to students at the level you teach or intend to teach)?

This is often an interview question.

You are engaged in direct teaching of a concept and student becomes VERY disruptive. What do you?

Be precise and specific in your description.

Journey Toward a Caring Classroom

From the Forward by

Chris CavertEducator and Author

WHY Community Building?

• Read pages 2-4 individually• Underline or highlight sentences that stand

out to you.• Select ONE sentence to share with the

group. Be prepared to explain WHY you chose it. (Note: If your selection is shared aloud, you will need to select another sentence to share.)

• As a class we will answer the question: WHY community building?

Jigsaw – Instructional Strategy

1. All groups read – Jigsaw description andbrief Introduction to Chapter 1-

Foundations

Expert group I: Dewey, Hahn, and Project Adventure

Expert group II: Kolb, Gardner, and KovalikExpert group III: Goleman, Glasser and KohnExpert group IV: Search Institute, Gibbs, and

Purkey & Novak

Alfie Kohn

“To help students become ethical people, as opposed to people who merely do what they are told, we cannot merely tell them what to do. We have to help them figure out--for themselves and with each other--how one ought to act.”

Creating the Conditions for Community

• Read “Learning Environments that Support Differentiated Instruction” handout (Tomlinson)

• Read Chapter of anchor text One Size Doesn’t Fit AllReflection questions:

1. Answer #1 and #’s 6-82. Select to answer #2, 3, or 43. POST your response (by February

22nd) to one 1 of the reflection questions and COMMENT on

someone’s post by March 1st.

Knowing the LearnerIn preparation for Session V (scheduled for March 1st)

1. Read Chapter 3 of anchor text, One Size Doesn’t Fit All2. Answer all “Reflection Questions” – to be submitted in class3. Post your response to one of the reflection questions by

March 1st.4. Independent Study – Using an internet resource, text, or a

periodical, learn more about multiple intelligences, learning styles, or brain-based learning. Create a one page visual illustrating the salient points. Include how the content of your learning influences your planning for students in your classroom. (Please make one copy of the resource and 20 copies of your visual.)