Erie 1 BOCES. Animal School What does a classroom look like when it is centered around instructional practices that increase student achievement?

Erie 1 BOCES

Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated Instruction Video

Animal School

What does a classroom look like when it is centered around instructional practices that increase student achievement?

Question to Ponder…

Cooperative student groupsIndependent workFlowTalking on taskLearning styles are honoredDifferentiated instructional practiceHigh expectationsTeacher-facilitated small group instructionStructure/RoutinesConsistencySafe environmentExpectationsOrganization

Some Ideas…

Proactive vs. Reactive• Teachers who are successful do not

only respond properly when problems occur, but prevent the problem before it arises. These teachers are proactive instead of reactive.

What we know about children…No two children are alike.  No two children learn in the identical way.  An enriched environment for one student is not necessarily enriched for

another.  In the classroom we should teach children to

think for themselves.You need to diagnoses the difference in

readiness, interests and learning style of all students in the class, using a variety of performance indicators.

4 Ways to Differentiate Instruction

Content Process

Product Environment

Ways to differentiate an area:

• Content-materials used (the level of difficulty)

• Process-How (individual, partner, group, leveled-pairing)

• Product-What (your expectation for each student)

• Environment-lighting, sound, location

Effective Classroom Management – Five C’s

•Coordinate•Communicate•Check•Coach•Consistency

• Before learners enter the classroom, organization plans are well in place. 

• Prior to the first day of school, the teacher has determined the necessary procedures, scheduling, materials, routines, and developed transitional activities.

• Procedures/Routines/Scheduling“A sense of order and predictability in daily school life is important. It enables children to relax, to focus their energy on learning, and to feel competent.” – The First Six Weeks of School

• Why do you set up classroom procedures, routines, and schedules prior to the beginning of the school year?

• Jigsaw – Why have a plan?, What is effective classroom management?, What do we need to know about students?

• Share

In the Beginning…“Behaviors are modeled and practiced,

modeled and practiced, over and over in each new situation.” – The First Six Weeks of School

“I do, we do, we do, we do, you do.” Don’t be too eager to jump into the

curriculum - procedures, routines, and schedules must be in place in order to ensure effective instructional practices can continually occur throughout the school year.

PD 360 Video

Example Rules for a Reading Center

• Materials- Center Areas- Academic Choice- Center folders- Differentiated bins- Rotation System- Must do / May do

• Transitional Activities- Music- Alphabet- Sight Words- Countdown- Clean-up and Move

Teachers must be both effective speakers and writers as well as listeners. 

It is important for the classroom teacher to communicate high expectations, procedures, and routines in order for centers to run smoothly.

How do you communicate with your students during center time?

IdeasShare

Labeled center areas

Rotation system / management boardRulesMust do / May doWhat do I do when I don’t Know???

Monitor learners in all school settings.  Proximity control is the key to classroom

control.  Evaluate the situation that both you and

the student create in the classroom. How do you know centers are running smoothly within your classroom?Share

Vary instructional techniques and praise learners whenever possible. 

Explore the learners educational strengths and weaknesses. 

Create an atmosphere that reaps success instead of failures. 

Provide an opportunity for learners to be actively involved in the learning process.

The model of differentiated instruction requires teachers to be flexible in their approach to teaching.

Teachers must adjust the curriculum and presentation of information to learners rather than expect students to modify themselves for the curriculum.

What do teachers need to recognize in their students in order to differentiate instruction?

Share

Provide learners the security of consistency. 

Make actions and consequences clear.  Display and require consistency in

behavior.  Get to know your own classroom

management style so that you can explore your strengths and improve your weaknesses.

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/c/consistency.asp

Small Group Preparation“Your Reading Prescription”Small Group Preparation“Your Reading Prescription”

1. Form Flexible Groups Based on Assessment

2. Identify Appropriate Center Activities Based on Assessment

3. Design Center Management System4. Implement A Behavior Management

System5. Give Explicit Center Directions6. Organize the Classroom7. Manage Transitions8. Establish Accountability

What Should the Classroom Look Like During Area time?You may need

multiple independent student centers depending on the number of students in your

room.

The teacher should be able to view the whole

class while meeting in their

small group.

Centers should reflect previously

taught materials and should be modeled thoroughly for the

students.

Classroom policies and procedures

during center time should be

established, consistent, and

modeled.

References• http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac_diffinstruc.html#links

• http://jcschools.net/tutorials/classroom/management.htm

• http://www.internet4classrooms.com/classroom_organization.htm

• http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/differentiating.html

• http://www.teach-nology.com

• ASCD (Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development)• The First Six Weeks of School by Paula Denton and Roxanne Kriete