Honoring Student Diversity: Differentiated Instruction

Honoring Student Diversity: Differentiated Instruction Creating a Climate for Learning EDUC-503 Session II INDEPENDENT STUDY May 15, 2012

Part I: Creating a Climate for LearningAt the Classroom Level

What are your assumptions? BEFORELEARNING, answer the following self-reflection questions (in writing and to be submitted May 22nd): • What are the primary characteristics defining a successful student? Use single words or short phrases to identify up to 5 characteristics. UnderlineTHE most important characteristic (i.e. Without ____ a student will not be successful.). • What steps do you/will you take to create an atmosphere where students can take intellectual risks in your classroom/class? • What is your “philosophy of discipline” (as it relates to students at the level you teach or intend to teach)? This is often an interview question. • You are engaged in direct teaching of a concept and student becomes VERY disruptive. What do you? Be precise and specific in your description.

Let the learning begin! Read Chapter 2 “Creating a Climate for Learning” of required text One Size Doesn’t Fit All Reflection questions (pp. 20-21): 1. Answer #1 and #’s 6-8 2. Select to answer #2, 3, or 4

Part II: Creating a Climate for LearningSchool-wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS)

What is SWPBS? According to Rob Horner (University of Oregon) and George Sugai (University of Connecticut) SWPBS is: A systems approach for establishing the social culture and individualized behavioral supports needed for schools to be effective learning environments for all students.

Establishing a Social Culture Common Language MEMBERSHIP Common Experience Common Vision/Values

What is SWPBS? Improving student academic and behavior outcomes is about ensuring all students have access to the most effective and accurately implemented instructional and behavioral practices and interventions possible. SWPBS provides an operational framework for achieving these outcomes. More importantly, SWPBS is NOT a curriculum, intervention, or practice, but IS a decision making framework that guides selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students. from: www.pbis.org

Be prepared to talk about… In looking at the definitions alone, WHY are we learning about SWPBS in this course?

Video clip and resourcesfrom www.pbis.org • Go to www.pbis.org • As it appears in top left, click on “PBIS for Beginners” – it is a rotating option • Scroll down to bottom and select “videos” tab and view 2nd topic – “Discovering School-Wide PBIS: Moving Towards a Positive Future”

Guiding questions as you watch and navigate www.pbis.org(answer in writing for submission May 22nd): • What are the features of SWPBS? • What words come to mind as the administrators, teachers, and coaches talk about SWPBS? • What do you feel are the most important ideas to understand about SWPBS?

Evidence-based features of SWPBS • Prevention • Define and teach positive social expectations • Acknowledge positive behavior • Arrange consistent consequences for problem behavior • On-going collection and use of data for decision-making • Continuum of intensive, individual interventions • Administrative leadership – Team-based implementation (systems that support effective practices)

“What Does School-Wide PBIS Emphasize?” In general, SWPBS emphasizes four integrated elements: • data for decision making • measurable outcomes supported and evaluated by data • practices with evidence that these outcomes are achievable • systems that efficiently and effectively support implementation of these practices. from: www.pbis.org

Four Integrated Elements of SWPBS from: www.pbis.org

While spending time in schools, be on the lookout… What are your experiences with SWPBS?

Have your ideas changed? What are the primary characteristics defining a successful student? What steps do you/will you take to create an atmosphere where students can take intellectual risks in your classroom/class?

Journey Toward a Caring Classroom From the Forward by Chris Cavert Educator and Author

WHY Community Building? • Read pages 2-4 • Underline or highlight sentences that stand out to you. • Select ONE sentence to share with the group. Be prepared to explain WHY you chose it. (Note: If your selection is shared aloud, you will need to select another sentence to share.) • As a class we will answer the question: WHY community building?

Creating the Conditions for Community • Read and highlight pages 2-25 of Journey Toward a Caring Classroom • Read and highlight “Learning Environments that Support Differentiated Instruction” handout (Tomlinson) • What are your biggest “take-aways” from the reading and learning today? What made you say, “Oh!” or “I never thought of that.”? What ‘spoke to you’ as you were learning? What could you connect with as it relates to your experiences? This is a personal response to your learning throughout the independent study. POST your “take-aways” by Sunday, May 20th and COMMENT on someone else’s post by class on Tuesday, May 22nd.

Alfie Kohn “To help students become ethical people, as opposed to people who merely do what they are told, we cannot merely tell them what to do. We have to help them figure out--for themselves and with each other--how one ought to act.”

Honoring Student Diversity: Differentiated Instruction