Day 2

2. Day 2 “Every day in the classroom can reveal one more way to make the classroom a better match for its learners.” Carol Ann Tomlinson

4. “We all had moments in our learning experiences in which we needed To take the long road toward understanding.”

6. An EPIC Generation • E—Experiential • P—Participatory • I—Image-rich • C—Connected

7. Left Brain Schools in a Right-Brain World Education that sticks with iY students have 3 elements: • A healthy trusting relationship with the teacher. • An interactive learning community • A creative and innovative approach that stimulates the right brain Give them a point for their left brain and a picture for their right brain. It helps them retain the message.

8. Homework • Articulate the philosophy: Kids differ. Professional teachers act robustly to address the differences. • State the expectations: all of us must grow in responsiveness. That we must change / grow / differentiate is non-negotiable; the path that we each may take is negotiable. • Use vocabulary that is clear and commonly understood by all stakeholders. • Incorporate umbrella image – these are overarching goals, for everyone, and these can and do encompass other areas like literacy in technology or reading competency.

9. CONTENT Pre - Post - Ongoing ASSESSMENT for Interest – Readiness – Learning Profile by Self – Peers - Teachers PRODUCT PROCESS

10. Formative Assessment (Keeping Track & Checking -up) Summative Assessment (Making sure) Preassessment (Finding Out) On-going Assessment:A Diagnostic Continuum Feedback and Goal Setting Pre-test Graphing for Greatness Inventory KWL Checklist Observation Self-evaluation Questioning Conference Exit Card Peer evaluation Portfolio Check 3-minute pause Quiz Observation Journal Entry Talk around Self-evaluation Questioning Unit Test Performance Task Product/Exhibit Demonstration Portfolio Review

12. Venn Diagram

13. Comprehension • Recall • Modeling other levels of thinking • Checking for level Total Group Alone Paired Small Groups • Analyze • Synthesize • Adaptive reasoning • Evaluation • Analytical • Synthesize • Decision making • Evaluation • Systems thinking • Application • Decision making • Criteria establishment • Comprehension

14. Steps to Initiating DI

15. Choice Boards Provide an entry point for DI in Core Instruction • List of activities selected by the teacher • Often resemble a tic-tac-toe board • Aligned to the learning goals • Developed to meet specific needs of the learner • Allows student to show evidence of learning • Provide structured activities to : • Gain confidence with the learning target/skill • Practice the learning target/skill, • Extend the learning • Provide evidence of learning

16. Instructional Advantages • Designed to meet the needs of individuals and small groups • Teach, reinforce, practice or enhance learning • Give students choice of learning tasks • Give students choices to show what they know • Enhance the learners ownership in their learning

17. Tips for designing • Does the activity address a learning need? • Is the activity directly aligned to a learning goal? • Remove any activities that are “busy work” • Activities are for students to learn, practice or extend the learning. • Plan activities in 20-30 minute chunks. • Are all materials readily available? • Can the activity be completed with little or no adult help?

18. Diner Menu – Photosynthesis • Appetizer (Everyone Shares) • Write the chemical equation for photosynthesis. • Entrée (Select One) • Draw a picture that shows what happens during photosynthesis. • Write two paragraphs about what happens during photosynthesis. • Create a rap that explains what happens during photosynthesis. • Side Dishes (Select at Least Two) • Define respiration, in writing. • Compare photosynthesis to respiration using a Venn Diagram. • Write a journal entry from the point of view of a green plant. • With a partner, create and perform a skit that shows the differences between photosynthesis and respiration. • Dessert (Optional) • Create a test to assess the teacher’s knowledge of photosynthesis.

22. “Assessment is today’s means of understanding how to modify tomorrow’s instruction.” Carol Tomlinson

23. “Assessment should always have more to do with helping students grow than with cataloging their mistakes.” Carol Tomlinson

24. Differentiated Report Cards On report cards, I need to find a way to show individual growth and relative standing to students and parents A = Excellent Growth B = Very Good Growth C= Some Growth D = Little Growth F = No Observable Growth 1 = The student is Above Grade Level 2 = The student is Working At Grade Level 3 = The student is Working Below Grade Level (Tomlinson, 2001

25. Grades A = Excellent Growth B = Very Good Growth C = Some Growth D = Little Growth F – No observable growth 1 = Above grade level 2 = At grade level 3 = Below grade level A = Excellent B = Very Good C = Average D = Poor F – Unsatisfactory 1 = Above grade level 2 = At grade level 3 = Below grade level A-1 = Excellent performance; working above grade level A-2 = Excellent performance; working at grade level A-3 = Excellent performance; working below grade level Personal grade & Traditional grade: B = Personal grade D = Traditional grade C = Personal grade A = Traditional grade Grades are supposed to: 1. Motivate students 2. Report accurately to parents

26. THINKING ABOUT ON-GOING ASSESSMENT STUDENT DATA SOURCES • Journal entry • Short answer test • Open response test • Home learning • Notebook • Oral response • Portfolio entry • Exhibition • Culminating product • Question writing • Problem solving TEACHER DATA MECHANISMS • Anecdotal records • Observation by checklist • Skills checklist • Class discussion • Small group interaction • Teacher – student conference • Assessment stations • Exit cards • Problem posing • Performance tasks and rubrics

27. We know that students learn better IF… • Tasks are a close match for the skills and understanding of a topic (readiness) • Tasks ignite curiosity or passion in a student (interest) • The assignment encourages students to work in a preferred manner (learning profile).

28. Differentiation Strategy [1] Primary Use Description of Strategy Things to Consider Tiered Assignments and Products Readiness Assignments and products are designed to instruct and assess students on essential skills that are provided at different levels of complexity, abstractness, and open-endedness. The curricular content and objective(s) are the same, but the process and/or product are varied according to the student’s level of readiness. For example, students with moderate understanding about a topic are asked to write an article. Students with a more advanced understanding are asked to prepare a debate. • Focus task on a key concept • Use a variety of resource materials at different levels of complexity and associated with different learning modalities • Adjust task by complexity, abstractness, number of steps, concreteness, and independence to ensure challenge and not frustration Compacting Readiness • Compacting is the process of eliminating teaching or student practice due to previous mastery of learning objectives. Compacting involves a three step process: • assess the student to determine his/her level of knowledge on the material to be studied and determine what he/she still needs to master • create plans for what the student needs to know, and excuse the student from studying what he/she already knows • Thoroughly pre-assess the learner’s knowledge and document findings • Explain the process and its benefits to the student • Create written plans and timelines for study • Allow student choice in enrichment or accelerated study [1]This chart was adapted from The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners (Tomlinson, 1999).

29. Designing a Differentiated Learning Contract • A Learning Contract has the following • components • A Skills Component • Focus is on skills-based tasks • Assignments are based on pre-assessment of students’ readiness • Students work at their own level and pace • A content component • Focus is on applying, extending, or enriching key content (ideas, understandings) • Requires sense making and production • Assignment is based on readiness or interest • A Time Line • Teacher sets completion date and check-in requirements • Students select order of work (except for required meetings and homework) • 4. The Agreement • The teacher agrees to let students have freedom to plan their time • Students agree to use the time responsibly • Guidelines for working are spelled out • Consequences for ineffective use of freedom are delineated • Signatures of the teacher, student and parent (if appropriate) are placed on the agreement

30. Creating a Powerful Product Assignment • Identify the essentials of the unit/study/lesson What students must: • Know (facts) • Understand (concepts, generalizations) • Be able to do (skills) As a result of the unit/study 2. Identify one of more format or “packaging options” for the product: • Required (e.g. poetry, an experiment, graphing, charting) • Hook • Exploratory • Talent/passion driven • Determine expectations for quality in: • Content (information, ideas, concepts, research materials) • Process (planning, goal-setting, defense of viewpoint, research, editing) • Product (size, construction, durability, expert-level expectations, part

31. Creating a Powerful Product Assignment, cont’d • Decide on scaffolding you may need to build in order to promote success: • Brainstorming for ideas • Developing rubrics/criteria for success • Timelines • Planning/goal-setting • Storyboarding • Critiquing • Revising-editing • Develop a product assignment that clearly says to the student: • You should show you understand and can do these things • Proceeding through these steps/stages • In this format • At this level of quality • Differentiate or modify versions of the assignments based on: • Student readiness • Student interest • Students learning profile • Coach for success!

32. Considerations for Planning a Differentiated Lesson • Identify the student learning target/s that ALL students must reach • Decide WHAT you will differentiate: • Decide HOW you will differentiate and the assessment method you will use • Determine what assessment method/s you will use

33. Creating a Differentiated Classroom • Start Slowly…But Start • One subject or one class • Where the need is greatest • Where you feel most comfortable • Deliberately plan to differentiate Content, Product, or Process • Based on your Students’ Readiness, Interest or Learning Preference • Don’t Bother Differentiating Fluff

34. Summer Assignment • These required by August 2, 2013. • Design an age/content appropriate • interest inventory • Research and claim a learning style • inventory appropriate for your grade level. • Create a content-specific choice board. • Design a tiered lesson to implement in your classroom.

35. Our Learning CommunityWe will teach, guide, and support each other. I see in these…endeavors the concept of the school as a community of learners; a place where all participants—teachers, principals, parents, and students—engage in learning and teaching. School is not a place for big people who are learned and for little people who are learners, for important people who do not need to learn and unimportant people who do. Instead, school is a place where students discover and adults rediscover the joys, the difficulties, and the satisfaction of learning (Barth, 1990, p. 43). Barth, R. (1990). Improving schools from within. San Francisco: CA: Jossey-Bass.

36. “I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all occasions it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized.” • Hiam Ginott

38. Bibliography Campbell, Bruce. The Multiple Intelligences Handbook: Lesson Plans and More. Stanwood, WA. 1996. Daniels, Harvey and Bizar. (2005). Teaching The Best Practice Way: Methods that Matter, K-12. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers. Gregory, Gayle. Differentiated Instructional Strategies in Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA. 2003. Tomlinson, Carol Ann. The Differentiated Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. 1995. Tomlinson, C.A. (1999). The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Tomlinson, C.A. (2001). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Turville, Joni. (2007). Differntiating by Student Interest: Strategies and Lesson Plans. Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education. Wormeli, Rick. Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessment and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom, Stenhouse Publishers, 2006