Leading Implementation of Differentiated Instruction: Practical Strategies to Accelerate the Change

1. Leading Implementation of Differentiated Instruction: Practical Strategies to Accelerate the Change Susan Demirsky Allan Assistant Superintendent Grosse Pointe Public School System www.differentiatedinstruction.net http://differentiatinglearning.blogspot.com/ sdallan@att.net

2. Goal • The purpose of professional development for leadership in differentiated instruction is to help school leaders support and encourage teachers to develop responsive, personalized, and classrooms that lead to optimal student growth.

3. Questions for the day • What differentiation is and isn’t • Coaching – What do you look for in the classroom? • Tools for providing effective feedback • The continuum of learners • Using assessment results • Recommendations for resources

4. “Hot Button Issues” • Grading at the secondary level • Classroom management in a differentiated classroom • Research basis • Getting to the implementation plan and follow-up

5. Hot Button Issues (con’t) • Struggling with not having a core curriculum that gets close to 80% proficiency before people start looking at interventions. So how can differentiation help build that core?

6. The fact that students differ may be inconvenient, but it is inescapable. Adapting to that diversity is the inevitable price of productivity, high standards, and fairness to kids. • Theodore Sizer, Brown University

7. The biggest mistake of past centuries in teaching has been to treat all children as if they were variants of the same individual and thus to feel justified in teaching them all in the same way. -- Howard Gardner

8. Differentiation is... ...the recognition of and commitment to plan for student differences. A differentiated classroom provides different avenues to acquire content, to process or make sense of information and ideas, and to develop products.

9. The Purpose... ... of a differentiated classroom are to maximize student growth and to promote individual student success.

10. Basic Understandings • The increasing diversity of students requires an alternative to the one-size-fits-all approach to heterogeneous classrooms. • Educating all our students requires clear commitment to gifted and special education students, as well as those students whose performance is more “typical”. • There should be no walls and no ceilings to learning.

11. Clearing Up a Common Misunderstanding Differentiation uses flexible grouping. • Teachers implement flexible grouping strategies that cluster students by achievement in a particular subject area, interest, learning style, personal choice, and/or ability. • The key is flexible. Teachers move students in and out of groups after assessing students’ instructional needs.

12. Some Basic Principles • We differentiate instruction when we use a variety of instructional techniques that enable us to meet the diverse learning needs of our students. • It is not the cumbersome technique of individualization. It can be thought of as grouped individualization.

13. Differentiation is… • Providing multiple assignments within each unit, tailored for students of different levels of readiness, interest, and/or learning style • Having high expectations for all students. Aim high and differentiate down as necessary.

14. Differentiation is… • Permitting students to opt out of material they can demonstrate they know and to progress at their own pace through new material.

15. Differentiation is… • Allowing students to choose, with the teacher’s guidance, ways to learn and to demonstrate what they have learned. (Keep in mind, it’s with the teacher’s guidance. The teacher has the final word!)

16. Differentiation is… • Providing students with opportunities to explore topics in which they have strong interest and find personal meaning. • Implementing flexible grouping strategies that cluster students by achievement in a particular subject area, interest, learning style, personal choice, and/or ability.

17. Differentiation isn’t... • Individualization. It isn’t a different lesson plan for each student each day. (This is a major misunderstanding to clear up for teachers and parents!) • Giving all students the same work most of the time, even in achievement or ability grouped classes.

18. Differentiation isn’t... • Assigning more math problems or more reading at the same level to high achieving students. • Requiring students to teach material that they have already mastered to others who have not yet obtained mastery. • Focusing on student weaknesses and ignoring student strengths.

19. Where to Start Helping teachers understand the rationale for differentiating instruction. Touch the rational and the emotional: The Animal School

20. How Would You Respond? Respond to common teacher concerns and thoughts about differentiation: • Work in pairs • Take turns playing the role of a teacher discussing differentiation with an administrator. • Switch roles with a new comment card. • Debrief using the reflection sheet.

21. What Are the Forces that Create Stumbling Blocks? • Inertia! • Myths about education • There are other demands • test scores, legal issues, safety, management of schools, NCLB • It requires too much support: many central offices have been downsized • Some teachers need basic skills: what comes first?

22. What Forces Might Support Differentiation? The biggest one: Parents Love Differentiation! What would you say if someone told you I want to respond to your child’s talents and needs and provide an education that maximizes his or her potential?

23. Best Practices that “fit” differentiation • The use of assessment to inform instruction • Pre-assessment • Teaching for understanding • Flexible grouping • Danielson’s Frameworks for Teaching • Special education and gifted education – both inclusion and support programs • Challenge and accountability • Acceleration – yes, acceleration! • Response to Intervention

24. Special note: Response to Intervention

25. The Change Process: Six Secrets of Change • Love your employees. • Connect peers with purpose. • Capacity building prevails. • Learning is the work. • Transparency rules. • Systems learn. Michael Fullan

26. Secret #2: Connect Peers with Purpose • Begin with key administrative support • Solicit grass roots support of members of a significant stakeholder group (teachers, parents) • Focus on development of a core group of subscribers who have opportunities to interact • Provide time for teacher planning and collaboration • Develop internal expertise and make use of it! • Provide access to external expertise

27. The School Board Can Join in the Purpose! Grosse Pointe Public Schools : PHILOSOPHY The Board shall attempt to balance its educational program to provide for the varied needs and interests of the students in its schools. The Board accepts the premise that the student is the center of the school curriculum and that a program of differentiated instruction should be tailored to fit a child-centered program of education. Approved: August 14 1995

28. Secret #3: Capacity Building Prevails “Capacity building concerns the knowledge, skills and dispositions of people individually but especially collectively.” M. Fullan

29. Hiring the Right Teachers for the Future • Are some teachers predisposed to differentiate instruction? • Is it possible – using Gallup and Strengthfinder type materials – to screen applicants for those characteristics?

30. Hiring the Right Teachers Key Characteristic: Student Centeredness Differentiates effectively, considering and responding to the needs and abilities of each student individually and supporting students in becoming confident and competent independent learners. This research was conducted in partnership with Polaris Assessment systems (Dr. John Arnold) and Mr. Larry Lobert

31. Student Centeredness • Characteristic rated “very important” by high school students (N=206 m= 3.91) and successful teachers (N=74 m= 3.99) on a 5 point scale from 1 = helpful to 5 = critical. • There were some differences among teachers by level but not statistically significant. • Elementary = 4.13 • Middle School = 4.06 • High School = 3.61

32. Additional Related Traits Liking Kids Enjoys working with they types of kids taught. Appreciates the developmental level they are at, and is willing to tolerate and take pleasure in the ways they are different from adults. • Ranked No. 2 by students (m=4.33) and No. 2 by teachers (m=4.41) • Rated as “Critical” by elementary teachers (m=4.59)

33. Additional Related Traits Fairness and Trustworthiness Recognizes the value of fairness and that treating others “fairly” does not always mean “equally” (individual circumstances need to be taken into account). Ensures that fairness is central to all interactions. Acts with integrity and keeps own word. • Rated very important by both teachers (m=4.07) and students (m=4.20)

34. Additional Related Traits Perseverance Unwilling to give up when students have difficult time learning. Tenacious in trying different methods and approaches over time to ensure learning objectives are met. • Rated very important by students m = 4.29 but less important by teachers m = 3.85 • Difference is statistically significant p <.01 • Rated as more important by elementary teachers, less by high school teachers • Best indicator: Past performance

35. Staff Development • Differentiate for teachers’ levels of readiness (information, comprehension, skills, commitment), interest, and preferred learning styles • Have varied foci – grade levels, subject areas • Mandate introductory level -- if not at first, at least after an early buy-in group has been established

36. Staff Development (con’t) • Make additional levels optional but accompanied by clear expectations as a part of the teacher evaluation system • Include incentives where possible such as step increase, release time, recognition • Include building administrators who will work with teachers and increase their own expertise in order to be able to support and evaluate teachers’ growth

37. Effects of Educational Investments: Size of Increase in Student Achievement for Every $500 Spent on Four Teacher Variables Type of Educational Investment Achievement Gains * (Standard Deviation Units) Achievement gains were calculated as standard deviation units on a range of achievement tests in the 60 studies reviewed. Source: Greewald, R, Hedges, L.V. & Laine, R.D.(1996). The effects of school resources on student achievement. Review of Educational Research, 66(3), 361-393.

38. Influence of Teacher Qualifications on Student Achievement Influence of Teacher Qualifications on Student Achievement Proportion of Explained Variance in Math Test Score Gains (from Grades 3 to 5) due to: Developed from the data presented in Ronald F. Ferguson, Paying for Public Education: New Evidence on How and Why Money Matters, Harvard Journal on Legislation, 28 (Summer 1991): pp. 465-98.

39. Differentiated Mini-Grant Application Name of Teacher: School and grade level/subject: The learning needs of the students in my classroom that I want to address: The project I’d like to do: How I plan to differentiate the instruction: What I’ll need and a proposed budget:

40. Secret #4: Learning is the Work • People behave themselves into belief. • Use data to inform instruction. • Inform and educate parents to provide support for teachers and to raise the level of parent expectations • Align district goals and systems so that staff development, curriculum, instructional supports, textbooks, hiring etc. incorporate differentiation

41. Secret #6: Systems Learn • “Some people I’ve encountered seem more certain about everything than I am about anything.” Rubin 2003 • “Wisdom is using your knowledge while doubting what you know.” Pfeffer & Sutton, 2006 • “Hell, Ed, I don’t know. I’m making it up as I go along.” Allan, 1995

42. Teacher evaluation • Importance of inclusion of differentiation in evaluations • Some factors that appear to matter: • Grade level • Use of an example or expanded discussion • Use of the term

43. Video – Assessing the Teacher • As you watch Rick Wormeli, put yourself in the position of being his principal or a peer evaluator. • Use Differentiated English/ Language Arts Classrooms: What Do They Look Like? or the general chart for providing evaluation feedback to reflect with Rick about his teaching performance.

44. Video – Assessing the Teacher Share with others: • Which differentiation components were evident in Rick’s lesson? • Your reactions and thoughts about Rick’s teaching performance • The suitability of your district evaluation plan to reflect on classroom differentiated instruction

45. Assessment and Accountability: The Power of Data • Data is sometimes used as a classroom instruction and/or accountability check. • If used to evaluate, “learning gains” approach is crucial. • Data systems can provide rich information regarding individual students’ areas of need and areas of mastery.

46. Assessment and Accountability: The Power of Data • Important caveat: Not everything that matters can be measured. • Data is sometimes used as a classroom instruction and/or accountability check • Some data systems can provide rich information regarding individual students’ areas of need and areas of mastery. • Not all data is equal • Quality and relevance is key

47. Using a Data System to Analyze Classroom Needs • Data systems can democratize information – the information can be delivered to each teacher and administrator’s desktop. • Systems can provide teachers with the data that is most relevant – about their own students. • The professional development and use of data systems can encourage teachers to be introspective about their own practice.

48. Going Where the Data Leads Us • Targeted and judicious use of data can cause us to reexamine our assumptions and develop new solutions. • Example: The failure of Math Essentials and the search for a solution

49. Grading • Fair isn’t always equal. • The more standards based the reporting system, the better the fit with differentiated instruction. • Grading systems can acknowledge that there is more than one path to learning. • Avoid group grades.

50. Grading: Secondary • Differentiating by learning styles and interests. • Earning an honors designation. • Support classes for struggling learners while maintaining inclusion in regular classes. • Choices on exams and assessments.