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LOSING SIGHT OF THE SHORE

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LOSING SIGHT OF THE SHORE

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    1. LOSING SIGHT OF THE SHORE DIFFERENTIATING CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION Heartland Curriculum Network Mary Schmidt School Improvement Consultant Heartland AEA 11 mschmidt@aea11.k12.ia.us

    2. WHAT ARE YOU? Enthusiast? Explorer? Sightseer? Vacationer? Prisoner? As you reflect on your attitude about being here, which of the following are you? The enthusiast approaches every day as an adventure and is excited by the prospect of new opportunities to learn and grow professionally. The explorer is willing to go into uncharted territory; the excitement lies in confronting the unknown. The explorer is looking for a payback for his/her effort and trouble. The sightseer is invigorated by a little of this and a little of that. The more variety the better because he/she isnt willing to spend to much time in any one locale but is interested in learning a little about each landmark he/she encounters. The vacationer seeks to get away from it all! There are no expectations on this trip, nor is there any serious intellectual investment. Whether physical or mental, a vacation is the time to rest and relax. And the prisoner? Well, we all know what that entails. Throughout this discussion, I challenge each of you to raise your position on the ladder and come to a deeper understanding of the rationale and theory behind differentiation and the need for changing your thinking about teaching and learning to embrace differentiation as everyday classroom practice.As you reflect on your attitude about being here, which of the following are you? The enthusiast approaches every day as an adventure and is excited by the prospect of new opportunities to learn and grow professionally. The explorer is willing to go into uncharted territory; the excitement lies in confronting the unknown. The explorer is looking for a payback for his/her effort and trouble. The sightseer is invigorated by a little of this and a little of that. The more variety the better because he/she isnt willing to spend to much time in any one locale but is interested in learning a little about each landmark he/she encounters. The vacationer seeks to get away from it all! There are no expectations on this trip, nor is there any serious intellectual investment. Whether physical or mental, a vacation is the time to rest and relax. And the prisoner? Well, we all know what that entails. Throughout this discussion, I challenge each of you to raise your position on the ladder and come to a deeper understanding of the rationale and theory behind differentiation and the need for changing your thinking about teaching and learning to embrace differentiation as everyday classroom practice.

    3. SHARING MY PASSION I began thinking about differentiation--of course I didnt call it that--back in the late 1980s when I realized that the highest achieving children in my 9th grade English classes werent getting As because I was such a wonderful teacher. In fact, it had very little to do with me. They werent challenged, and they were earning top grades while not working very hard. My answer then was to lobby the administration to group all those brightest kids together for English and to change the curriculum so it met their learning needs. At least it was a start! In the early 1990s when I began a new job as facilitator of middle school and high school gifted and talented programming, differentiation took on a new meaning. I was able to collaborate with classroom teachers to address gifted kids learning needs through modification of regular curriculum. My understanding of differentiation broadened, and I realized that it really does require a shift in ones perspective. I had to become more creative, learn to be a better questioner, and develop a deaf ear to the word no. Above all, I had to really know my students--their needs, their interests, and their abilities. I had to reinvent my role as teacher.I began thinking about differentiation--of course I didnt call it that--back in the late 1980s when I realized that the highest achieving children in my 9th grade English classes werent getting As because I was such a wonderful teacher. In fact, it had very little to do with me. They werent challenged, and they were earning top grades while not working very hard. My answer then was to lobby the administration to group all those brightest kids together for English and to change the curriculum so it met their learning needs. At least it was a start! In the early 1990s when I began a new job as facilitator of middle school and high school gifted and talented programming, differentiation took on a new meaning. I was able to collaborate with classroom teachers to address gifted kids learning needs through modification of regular curriculum. My understanding of differentiation broadened, and I realized that it really does require a shift in ones perspective. I had to become more creative, learn to be a better questioner, and develop a deaf ear to the word no. Above all, I had to really know my students--their needs, their interests, and their abilities. I had to reinvent my role as teacher.

    4. You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.

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