1. Introduction To Differentiation
Melanie Eisen

2. Today’s Agenda Today we will: Meet and Greet and KWL chart
What are the benefits of Differentiated Instruction (DI)
What are the hallmarks of a DI classroom
What are Student Learning Profiles
The benefits of grouping
Tiering activities
Questions
Assignment

3. Differentiated Instruction Is: Differentiated Instruction is Not:
Having a vision of success for our students
Individualization. Having a different lesson every day for each student.
Realizing that students do not all learn in the same way.
Always giving all the students the same tasks.
Recognizing the variety of learning styles
Assuming that all students learn by listening.
Guiding students through their chosen. path of learning
Just providing work stations in the classroom.
Allowing students to excel in a certain content area.
Assigning more work to students who have already excelled in a certain content area.
Offering tiered lessons by ability, interest, and readiness.
Only for students who show a need to accelerate.
Qualitative
Quantitative

4. IDENTIFY OUTCOMES THINK ABOUT YOUR STUDENTS INITIATING ACTIVITIES
WHAT SHOULD THE STUDENTS KNOW, UNDERSTAND, OR BE ABLE TO DO?
THINK ABOUT YOUR STUDENTS
PRE-ASSESS READINESS, INTEREST, OR LEARNING PROFILE
INITIATING ACTIVITIES
USE AS COMMON EXPERIENCE FOR WHOLE CLASS
This graphic represents a sequence for planning a tiered activity or assignment. (Walk through graphic) There is nothing sacred about three groups---the teacher may want to use two groups or as many as four or five. Assessment, diagnosis, and prescription are integral to the use of this strategy. The strategy itself is very visible and viable and usually makes sense to students and parents.
GROUP 1
TASK
GROUP 2
TASK
GROUP 3
TASK

5. Key Principles of a DI Classroom
The teacher is clear about what matters in her subject matter; Big Ideas.
The teacher understands, appreciates and builds upon student differences; Student Profiles.
The teacher adjusts content, process and product in response to student readiness, interests and learning profile.
Assessment and instruction are inseparable.
All students participate in respectful work.
Goals of a differentiated classroom are maximum growth and individual success
Flexibility is the hallmark of a DI classroom.
Carol Ann Tomlinson

7. Student Profiles Help us reach most of our students most of the time
Empower our students
Empower our parents
Help create many possibilities in groupings
Help focus our activities
Help us foster solid relationships with our students
Help us mine for the gold in each of our students

8. How can we learn about our students?
Learning styles
Thinking styles
Where do they fit in the 4MAT (McCarthy)
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

10. Creating the Student Profiles Ideas to get you started
Preference Questions
How do you feel about
Drawing and artwork?
Musical activities?
Working with others?
Working alone?
Using numbers?
Writing? Talking?
Dancing, sports, moving while learning?
Solving problems
Reading?
Thinking about Things?
Working with technology?
Being a leader?
Gregory and Chapman, 2007
Interest/Learning style questions
If I have time, I prefer to….
I do not like_________ because _________
My favorite subject is…
I enjoy creating
I like puzzles
I prefer to work alone
I would rather be outside then inside
My top 2-3 activities are…
I am excited about this class because…

11. Flexible Grouping

12. Before you group… Practice these skills;
Moving furniture individual roles
Generic directions timing activities
Getting in and out of groups voice levels
Establish rules and procedures listing of groups

13. WHAT CAN BE TIERED? ASSIGNMENTS PROCESS CENTERS & STATIONS CONTENT
ASSESSMENTS
MATERIALS
PRODUCT
WRITING PROMPTS
HOMEWORK
With a little thought, almost any classroom activity can be tiered.
Two or three tiers is usually best for implementation. However, a teacher who is experienced and comfortable with the strategy may have more tiers if it facilitates the instruction or better meets the needs of the students.

14. Tiering
In a heterogeneous classroom, a teacher uses varied levels of activities to ensure that students explore ideas at the level that builds on their prior knowledge and prompts continued growth. Student groups use varied approaches to exploration of essential ideas.
Tomlinson

15. Conclusion Today we: You will: Next Meetings:
Learned the definition of DI
Learned 3 techniques that might be our entry points into DI
Started to think about developing learning profiles for our students
You will:
Come up with 2 ideas you learned, 2 ideas you will try and 2 questions and them to me.
You will develop a template for your student profile and it to me
Next Meetings:
Toldot- Sept :30
Lech Lecha- Sept :30
Please bring your workbook, teacher’s manual, a TaNaKH and small post it note flags to label your manuals