1. March 3, 2009 8:30-3:00 Calhoun ISD

2.  Agenda – Day One ◦ Introduction and Overview ◦ Assessment  Agenda – Day Two ◦ Low-Preparation, High-Impact Strategies, Materials, and Activities ◦ Student Expectations and Classroom Organization  Agenda – Day Three ◦ Differentiating Content: Tiering and Curriculum Compacting ◦ Flexible Grouping

3. Outcomes: Learn what Differentiated Instruction (DI) is and what it isn’t, why it is necessary, where it came from, how to use it, and when to use it Learn the language of Differentiated Instruction

4. Outcomes: Understand why assessment is the key to a differentiated classroom Explore specific ways to assess students

5.  Introduction to Program  Differentiation – what and why  Break  Begin assessment  Lunch  Assessment  Break  Assessment application  Homework & evaluation

6. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES

7.  Red tab – Introduction  Clear tab – Assessment  Blue tab - Strategies  Orange tab - Tiering and Compacting  Yellow tab - Flexible Grouping

8.  Actively listen  Participate fully  Seek application  Honor time  Cell phones on etiquette mode  Be respectful of your colleagues  Parking Lot

9. Introduction and Overview

10. Differentiated Instruction Directions: Walk around the room and find someone who can respond to one of the questions below. After verbally replying to your question, the person initials the square. (You may make notes in the square if you want to remember something the person said!) * A person can only answer and initial one square on your card. Feel free to discuss the answer. The goals of this activity are to activate prior knowledge in the area of differentiated instruction, and to meet new people with new ideas. What is your definition of differentiated instruction? Give an example of when you have used differentiated instruction. What is something that you would like to learn about differentiated instruction? When and how do you use small group instruction? What is a question you have about DI that you hope is answered today? How do you get to know how your students learn? How do you provide choice within your classroom? What is one way that you have helped a struggling reader comprehend text? What are some quick assessments that can be used to learn more about what your students know?

11. 1. What is differentiated instruction? 2. Why is differentiated instruction important? 3. Is differentiated instruction the same as individualized instruction? 4. How does differentiated instruction help us meet the needs of all students? Differentiated Instruction: An Overview

12.  A concept that makes it possible to maximize learning for ALL students.  A collection of instructional strategies based on student-centered best practices.  Creates different pathways that respond to the needs of diverse learners.

13.  An IEP for each student  Unstructured  Another word for tracking  Giving additional busy work to accelerated students  Watering down the curriculum  A program, model, or recipe

14.  Students enter the classroom with a wide range of readiness levels, interests, and strengths.  When teachers differentiate instruction, they are able to meet the diverse learning needs of students.  Differentiated instruction is vital in core academic areas in order to help all students access essential learning targets.

15.  Differentiation does not equal individualization.  Differentiation can be accomplished by opening up our instruction to allow for different pathways to learning the content.  It is a blend of whole class, small group, and individual instruction.  Adapting materials and activities for groups of students, teaching small flexible learning groups and offering students choices are common practices in a differentiated classroom.

16. Students differ in:  How they learn best  What interests them  Readiness for the content

17. When we differentiate instruction, all students: ◦ experience appropriate levels of support and appropriate levels of challenge and ◦ are able to meet essential learning expectations.

18.  What is differentiated instruction and what are the benefits?

19. DI Differentiated Instruction UDL Universal Design for Learning Curriculum Mapping UbD Understanding by Design

20.  All three of these best practices begin with the big ideas.  All three use essential questions to help frame what students will learn.  All three expect assessments (formative and summative) to define instruction.  All three have specifically-designed learning experiences that are respectful of individual learning differences.

21. Like DI, UDL is built on the premise that there is no one kind of learning  Learning differs across tasks  Learning differs across development  Learning differs across individuals

22.  UDL is the practice of embedding flexible strategies into the curriculum during the planning process so that ALL students can access a variety of learning situations.  UDL strategies for instruction are frontloaded rather than retrofitted.

23. ◦ recognize the similarities and differences in students and proactively plan for the differences. ◦ in many cases, are already differentiating.

24. It is a road along which you travel as you develop the skills of being responsive to the different learning needs in your classroom.

25. Not Differentiated Highly Differentiated Assessment Learning Profile Tiered Activities Curriculum Compacting Learning Contracts Independent Study Flexible Grouping Anchor Activities Learning Centers/Stations Problem-Based Learning Project-Based Learning “One-Size-Fits-All” EVERYONE IS ON THE JOURNEY !!

26.  Differentiated instruction does not require that every lesson incorporate all the principles of differentiation.  It means that we opt for differentiation that makes sense for a given assignment.

28. #1 - Vicki Barrett’s fifth-grade math class #2 - Scott Marshall’s fifth-grade math class 1. Discuss how each teacher is differentiating instruction. 2. What additional steps is Scott taking that supports him in differentiating instruction with his students? 3. Identify specific differentiation strategies that Scott uses.

29. USED  NOT the students we USED to have WANT  NOT the students we WANT to have DREAMS  NOT the students of our DREAMS WE HAVE TO TEACH SO STUDENTS CAN LEARN

30. How do I do DI?

31. There is no single method to “do” DI. Instead, DI draws from many educational theories and practices.

32. Where do I start?

33.  Assessing the Learner

34. QUESTIONS (What are you confused about, need more information on, etc?) AH-HA’S (New connections, wow information, etc.) NETWORKING (Websites, ideas, books, people you need to talk with) ACCOLADES (Positive thoughts for your peers, school, significant others, etc)