An Examination of Differentiated Instruction with an Emphasis on the Teachers’ Roles and Characteristics Vincent Sherpinsky Council Rock High School North The idea behind differentiated instruction is adjusting instruction to fit the skills and experience level of each student in a classroom. DI specialist Carol Ann Tomlinson used example of 1 Room School House Mixed ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Teachers had standards for achievement in the various subject areas, they had to apply these standards individually. December 10, 2007

Teachers’ Roles & Characteristics Differentiation is NOT new to education One Room School House Mixed abilities, ages, backgrounds Standards applied individually The idea behind differentiated instruction is adjusting instruction to fit the skills and experience level of each student in a classroom. DI specialist Carol Ann Tomlinson used example of 1 Room School House Mixed ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Teachers had standards for achievement in the various subject areas, they had to apply these standards individually. Differentiated instruction is a way of thinking about teaching and learning.

Teachers’ Roles & Characteristics Modern education doesn’t have the differences in ages. But they do face significant differences in learning styles, skill, ability, and cultural backgrounds. Differences make the “one-size-fits-all” principle inoperative. Increasingly the broad spectrum of student needs requires teachers to reevaluate their approach to instruction. We know more than our predecessors about why some students struggle and others learn easily. We understand the influence of socioeconomic and family factors on children’s school performance; and about the role of gender and cultural background in learning preferences. We know the importance of a student’s readiness, learning style, motivation, interests, and confidence. All these factors broaden the range of student needs in the classroom.

Teachers’ Roles What does differentiated instruction mean for the teacher in actual practice? Teachers who differentiate instruction become both a facilitator and a collaborator. So, what does differentiated instruction mean for the teacher in actual practice? In actual practice, teachers who differentiate instruction become both a facilitator and a collaborator.

Teachers’ Roles As a facilitator, there are (3) key responsibilities: Developing & directing differentiated learning opportunities. Organizing students for learning. Maximizing time utilization. Three key responsibilities: Developing and directing differentiated learning opportunities requires a focus on the student teachers must first know and understand their students’ interests, readiness, and learning preferences teachers differentiate instruction by matching specific activities with specific students, based on their learning needs. Organizing students for learning requires teachers to vary the ways they organize and group students. Teachers must determine the most effective way to organize students for specific tasks, based on the overall objectives of the lesson and the individual students’ learning needs. Students can also be grouped according to learning preferences or interests. (Example: Teachers could offer students the opportunity to choose their own groups based on their interest in particular subjects or projects.) (Example: Sometimes there will be students working at the basic level and others will work at the advanced level.) (Example: Sometimes the teacher will group students who need more time on a skill and then form a second group for those who show mastery of the skill and are ready to apply what they learned.) Determining the most appropriate ways to organize students for learning is a key task in differentiating instruction Maximizing time utilization In a differentiated classroom, teachers use time in different ways with different students. (Example: some students need more explanation, review, or practice the teacher can extend instructional time.) (Example: If the student has mastered the concepts or skills, then teachers can move forward with more advanced learning.) (Example: When students need less time to master new material, teachers may also choose to accelerate learning. In the differentiated classroom, time is flexible and its best use meets students’ learning needs.

Teachers’ Roles Being a collaborator requires more time and effort. Forming partnerships with other teachers. Share materials, insights, and resources. Combining classes for activities. Form a Differentiation Team. Share lessons within the same department. Divide the tasks, sharing results, communicate regularly with other specialties. A best practice cited in many periodicals and articles about differentiated instruction is forming partnerships with other teachers Sharing materials, insights, and resources. Some examples of collaboration could be: combining classes for an activity One teacher can teach the activity while the other teacher works on planning differentiated activities for use by both classes. Teachers could form a differentiation team. Teachers working within the same department might exchange lessons. Divide the tasks Sharing the results. Communicate regularly with other specialties Such as those who work with special education students, ESL students, and gifted education students. These specialty teachers use differentiation everyday and more than likely will have good ideas on how to reach and teach students with special needs. Families are teachers natural allies in helping more students be successful learners. It is worthwhile to explain what you are doing and ask for their help and support.

Teachers’ Characteristics There are some common traits of successful teachers using differentiated instruction. These traits can help any teacher understand the skills necessary for effective differentiated instruction. Not every teacher will have the same characteristic balance. Characteristics There are some common traits of successful teachers using differentiated instruction. Note: Not every good teacher will share these attributes any more than every student learns the same way. But the following traits seem almost required to be an effective differentiated instruction teacher. These traits can help any teacher understand the skills necessary for effective differentiated instruction.

Teachers’ Characteristics Heavy Users of Technology. Risk Takers. Empathetic. Organized. Flexible and Resourceful. Effective differentiated instructors use integrate technology. Maximize all available resources, looks to save time and energy, and use it to enhance the classroom experience. Effective differentiated instruction teachers are risk takers. Taking instructional and professional risks doesn’t mean placing our students, ourselves, or our learning objectives in jeopardy just to make our classrooms exciting. What it means is we shouldn’t be afraid to innovate, experiment, or reach out to others in an attempt to improve our practice. Effective differentiated instruction teachers are empathetic. Such teachers remember and understand what it is like to be a student. They listen closely to students’ concerns and they respond to what they hear and understand. They try to experience the lessons from the student point of view. Effective differentiated instruction teachers are organized . Teachers who are organized spend a great deal of time thinking and planning before their students walk through the door. They use numerous classroom management techniques to maximize effectiveness. Things like: Rotating assignment deadlines for multiple classes to avoid being overrun with classroom duties like grading. They control traffic patterns in their classrooms. They plan for transitions between topics and activities to minimize delays. They have planned for disruptions and changes in the pace of learning. Effective differentiated instruction teachers are flexible and resourceful. Teachers who understand being flexible know when something isn’t working, drop it and do something else. Effective teachers respond to opportunities rather than being glued to the lesson. They seize every opportunity to create and communicate vivid expressions of what they are trying to teach. Effective teachers have an ever-growing portfolio of instructional strategies. They are always on the lookout for new ideas and methods.

Teachers’ Roles & Characteristics Learning to differentiate your instruction is not the work of the moment. It demands clear priorities and learning goals. Requires an ever-growing collection of strategies. Technology is one of the best tools to use to differentiate instruction. Learning to differentiate and integrate technology is not the work of the moment, but of extended periods of application and practice. It demands clear priorities and learning goals for each subject. Growing collection of strategies that gives teachers the flexibility to adjust curriculum in a variety of ways.

Teachers’ Roles & Characteristics Questions? Learning to differentiate and integrate technology is not the work of the moment, but of extended periods of application and practice. It demands clear priorities and learning goals for each subject. Growing collection of strategies that gives teachers the flexibility to adjust curriculum in a variety of ways.