What to Look For in a What to Look For in a Classroom for High Ability Classroom for High Ability

LearnersLearners

Erik MickelsonErik MickelsonPalm Springs Unified School DistrictPalm Springs Unified School District

emickelson@psusd.usemickelson@psusd.us(760) 221-1942(760) 221-1942

Focus AreasFocus Areas

GroupingGrouping Room EnvironmentRoom Environment Curriculum DifferentiationCurriculum Differentiation Social/Emotional IssuesSocial/Emotional Issues Teacher QualitiesTeacher Qualities

Grouping OptionsGrouping Options

Self- Contained ClassesSelf- Contained Classes Cluster ClassesCluster Classes Pull-Out ClassesPull-Out Classes Like-Ability GroupsLike-Ability Groups Mixed Ability GroupsMixed Ability Groups

Room EnvironmentRoom Environment

Print-RichPrint-Rich Opportunities for Opportunities for

DiscussionDiscussion Student Created Student Created

DisplaysDisplays Rigorous ActivitiesRigorous Activities Options, options, Options, options,

options…options…

Four Components of Advanced Four Components of Advanced Curriculum DifferentiationCurriculum Differentiation

Acceleration andAcceleration and

Pacing:Pacing: How rapidly theHow rapidly the

instruction is given andinstruction is given and

how much is covered. how much is covered.

Novelty:Novelty: Students takingStudents taking

what is learned andwhat is learned and

Creating somethingCreating something

new.new.

Depth:Depth: Exhausting aExhausting a

topic- delving sotopic- delving so

deeply one becomes andeeply one becomes an

expert.expert.

Complexity:Complexity: MakingMaking

cross-curricularcross-curricular

connections. Inter-relatingconnections. Inter-relating

topics and ideastopics and ideas

QuestioningQuestioning

Depth and Complexity are most Depth and Complexity are most significantly enhanced by the way we ask significantly enhanced by the way we ask students questions. students questions.

High Ability students in particular need High Ability students in particular need opportunities to think about abstract opportunities to think about abstract concepts.concepts.

The Icons of Depth and Complexity as well The Icons of Depth and Complexity as well as other strategies promote higher level as other strategies promote higher level thinking.thinking.

California History ExampleCalifornia History Example

Basic: Basic: “Name the different types of gold “Name the different types of gold mining.”mining.”

Differentiated: Differentiated: “Give the Details of how “Give the Details of how California miners got gold” California miners got gold”

Advanced: Advanced: “From the Perspective of an “From the Perspective of an environmentalist, evaluate the Details of environmentalist, evaluate the Details of gold mining methods and their effects on gold mining methods and their effects on erosion.”erosion.”

Rigor, Relevance, and Risk-TakingRigor, Relevance, and Risk-Taking

Thinking like a ScholarThinking like a Scholar Task AppropriatenessTask Appropriateness Cross-curricular Universal Cross-curricular Universal

ThemesThemes ResearchResearch CitationsCitations PresentationsPresentations

Social/Emotional IssuesSocial/Emotional Issues

Asynchronous Asynchronous DevelopmentDevelopment

BoredomBoredom AdolescenceAdolescence Existential DepressionExistential Depression Under-AchievementUnder-Achievement IsolationIsolation

Teacher QualitiesTeacher Qualities

EnergyEnergy FlexibilityFlexibility Sense of HumorSense of Humor IntelligenceIntelligence Good Parent RelationsGood Parent Relations Facilitator more than Facilitator more than

LecturerLecturer Not Afraid to be VagueNot Afraid to be Vague