Now What??? What happens when one size doesn’t fit all?

1. Now What??? What happens when one sizedoesn’t fit all? Project Aspire Indiana Academy Developed by Sara Delano Moore

2. Does this story sound familiar? • At the end of class, you realize that your students fall into three clusters. One group knows the lesson well; one group is getting there, but needs some practice; and the third group just doesn’t have the necessary prerequisite skills for success. • Now what???

3. What about this one? • Your class is working on a small group assignment. You’ve arranged the students in mixed-ability groups and observe that one or two students in each group are doing most of the work. • Now what???

4. Another possibility… • As you write your test on a unit, you realize that some students are prepared to answer any question you select while others know some of the material, but the way you ask the questions will really matter in their showing you their learning. • Now what???

5. One last story... • Your students are working in groups, assigned by similar skill and knowledge level, on your assignment for the day. One group is finished before you have fully explained the directions, while another group will need an extra day or two to complete the task successfully. • Now what???

6. Now what??? • Each of these scenarios describes a situation many teachers face regularly. This booklet describes various strategies for working with these situations to improve the learning outcomes for all students.

7. It’s Your Turn • Take five minutes at your site and give faces to these scenarios. What do they look like in your classroom?

8. Things to remember... • This work is about using teacher time more effectively; not about having teachers do more work. • This work is about providing students with options that maximize their opportunities to show you what they know. • This work is NOT not an IEP or 504 plan for every child.

9. What information is here? • This series presents four sets of information for your consideration and exploration. • Strategies to help respond to the scenarios presented earlier (and others like them) • February 2004 • Potential framework for small group work and classroom management. • March 2004

10. What information is here? • Suggestions for assessment and grading. • April 2004 • Suggestions for using pretesting in your classroom. • May 2004

11. Session One February 2004

12. Beginning strategies • Homework help • How can homework better match student need for practice? • “Last Five Problem Rule” • End-of-class quick checks

13. Homework help • Last five problem rule • In textbooks with sequential problems • In textbooks without sequential problems • End of class quick quizzes • Homework assignments A & B

14. Last Five Problem Rule • Situation: Some students do not need as much practice as others. • Solution: Allow students to choose to do the last five problems (or the five most challenging problems in the assignment) for full credit on the assignment.

15. Last Five Problem Rule • This is simple in math classes where problems at the end of a section are typically in increasing order of difficulty. • If problems are not in increasing order of difficulty, as may be the case in a science text the teacher must identify the five most comprehensive or most challenging problems/questions for this assignment. • An assignment under this rule should include 3 - 5 problems.

16. Last Five Problem Rule - Grading • Grading: Students must score 100% on the five problems they attempt. With a small sample, there is no room for careless errors. • The score of 100% is entered for the full assignment. • If a student does not score 100%, he/she must complete the full assignment the next night in addition to any new assignment.

17. Last Five Problem Rule - Getting Started • The first few weeks of allowing this option are not fun. Too many students try to do only the last five problems and become frustrated with the additional work they have created for themselves. • Take time to discuss making good choices about using this option every few days during the first weeks of allowing this choice. • It does get better!

18. It’s Your Turn • Discuss with your facilitator ways in which you can use these strategies in your own classroom. • Each site will be asked to share at least one potential application.

19. End of Class Quick Checks • As with the last five problem rule, this strategy works best with specific skills. • At the end of class, take about 5 minutes to give the students a quick, one or two item check. Students complete the check on the paper they’ll use for homework. • Have the students grade their answers (correctness only, not step by step) and use that information to select a homework assignment.

20. End of Class Quick Checks • Students who get the correct answers at the end of class can be given a homework assignment that is about 1/3 practice and 2/3 application and extension. • Students who have incorrect answers at the end of class get a homework assignment that is about 2/3 practice and 1/3 application and extension.

21. End of Class Quick Checks • Note that both groups get practice and application/extension, simply in different proportions. • Having students work their check problems on the homework paper allows you to see that they are doing the correct assignment. • The two assignments should be similar in time length; they may include different numbers of problems.

22. Quick Checks & the Last Five Problem Rule • If students are still having difficulty with the Last Five Problem Rule after a number of attempts and class discussions, consider using the quick quiz strategy as the deciding factor in whether to do the last five problems.

23. It’s Your Turn • Discuss with your facilitator ways in which you can use these strategies in your own classroom. • Each site will be asked to share at least one potential application.

24. Input for March • Given the discussion we’ve had today, what questions do you have about how you will manage your classroom while using these instructional and assessment strategies? • Each facilitator should collect questions from their team and email them to Sara for possible inclusion in the March session.

25. Assignment for March • Select one of the strategies shared in this session to apply in your own classroom. Be prepared to share work samples and your reflections at our next meeting.