Dare to Be a Leader for Differentiation Deborah Espitia Coordinator of World Languages & ESOL Leslie Grahn World Language Resource Teacher Howard County.

Dare to Be a Leader for Differentiation

Deborah Espitia

Coordinator of World Languages & ESOL

Leslie Grahn

World Language Resource Teacher

Howard County Public Schools, Maryland

[email protected]

[email protected]

Workshop Choice Board

Session Outcomes Participants will:

Revisit background knowledge of research and application of differentiation strategies.

Examine examples of differentiation strategies.

Explore leadership for differentiation, professional development, teacher support, and implementation.

Plan for next steps for implementing differentiation.

Let’s do a fuel gauge check

Think about your experience level with differentiation in terms of a fuel gauge.

1/4 tank: in need of more “fuel”

1/2 tank: enough to take short trips

3/4 tank: ready for a long journey

full tank: enough fuel to share with others

Let’s do a fuel gauge check

Form a small group of 4 with a variety of fuel levels.

1/4 tank: in need of more “fuel”

1/2 tank: enough to take short trips

3/4 tank: ready for a long journey

full tank: enough fuel to share with others

Warm-up: Mixed readiness groups

• Cut and paste activity: In your groups, cut apart and collaboratively develop categories for the ideas on the strips of paper. Glue them to the large colored paper and label with the agreed upon categories.

Your category ideas• Content• What• Process• Considerations• Interests• Learning Environ• Product• Learning Styles

• Students• Strategies• Why?• How• Who?

DIFFERENTIATION:What is it?

Differentiation based on research and writings of:

Carol Ann TomlinsonProfessor of Educational Leadership

University of Virginia

Differentiation Non-Negotiables

• Supportive learning environment

• Continuous assessment

• High-quality curriculum

• Respectful tasks

• Flexible grouping

Differentiationis a teacher’s response to learners’ needs

guided by general principles of differentiation, such as

respectful

tasks

ongoingassessme

ntflexiblegrouping

Teachers can differentiate

according to students’

through a range of instructional and management strategies

ProcessContent Product

Interests Learning Profile

Readiness

Why Differentiate?

Why Use Differentiated Instruction?

• Enables teachers to provide learning opportunities for all students by offering varied learning experiences.

• Allows teachers to put research-based best practices into a meaningful context for learning.

Why Use Differentiated Instruction?

• Helps teachers to understand and use assessment as a critical tool to drive instruction.

• Encourages teachers to plan proactively for student-centered learning.

Why Use Differentiated Instruction? (Continued)

• Adds new instructional strategies to teachers’ “toolboxes”- introducing or reinforcing techniques to help teachers focus on essentials of curriculum.

• Gives administrators, teachers, and students an instructional management system to more efficiently meet the demands of high stakes testing.

• Meets curriculum requirements in a meaningful way for achieving students’ success.

How do I know how to DIFFERENTIATE?

Differentiation Concepts

Student characteristics

Readiness Interest Learning Profile

Differentiation concepts

Classroom elements

Content Process Products Learning Environment/ Affect Assessment

•Content•Process•Product•Environment•Assessment

Differentiation

Curriculum

Presentation

Pacing

Materials

•Content•Process•Product•Environment•Assessment

Differentiation

Grouping

Complexity

Choice

Student-created

•Content•Process•Product•Environment•Assessment

Differentiation

Modes ofexpression

Materials

Formats

•Content•Process•Product•Environment•Assessment

Differentiation

Seating

Grouping

Movement

Atmosphere

•Content•Process•Product•Environment•Assessment

Differentiation

Rubrics

Grading

Format

Modes ofexpression

What does differentiation look like in the classroom?

A differentiated classroom will have a combination of teacher

directed, teacher selected activities, and learner centered, learner selected activities; whole class instruction, small

group instruction, and individual instruction.

Differentiation Look Fors

Examples of Differentiation Strategies

Learning Centers R.A.F.T.

Assignments Choice Boards Tiered

Assignments Pre-assessment

WebQuestsFlexible GroupingAdjusting questionsCompactingIndependent study

Learning Centers:“DI-nalysis”

RAFT Assignments

Tiered Assignments

Choice Boards

Learning Centers

Classroom Scenarios=

At each center…

1. Analyze the artifact(s).

2. Respond to the discussion question(s).

Time for a break!

SUGAR RUSH!!!- Corners activity

What’s your favorite dessert?

Stand under the sign of the best category name for your favorite dessert.

Break that group into groups of 4-5 and sit together at a table.

Expert Advice on Implementation of DI

10 Steps for Leaders to Consider When Moving Toward Differentiated Instruction

1. Establish a need and articulate a vision.

2. Establish common definitions and terms.

3. Build understanding and support among stakeholders.

4. Link differentiation and best practice.

5. Focus district initiatives.

10 Steps for Leaders to Consider When Moving Toward Differentiated Instruction

6. Attend to competing mandates.

7. Plan for leadership and support.

8. Allocate financial resources.

9. Look ahead to assessing progress.

10. Plan for the long haul.

Differentiation Foldable

What we’ve done so far with DI

Challenges to implementing differentiation

Where I would like my district to go next with DI

Our World Language Program’s DI Journey

Howard County Public Schools, Maryland

Our district’s profile72 Schools- Total enrollment: 48,571

• 39 - Elementary schools• 01 - Pre-k to Grade 8 school• 18 - Middle schools• 12 - High schools• 02 - Special schools

Our program’s profile

MS: French, Spanish, grades 7-8

HS: French, Spanish 1-5 AP

Chinese, German, Latin, Italian 1- 4/4 AP

ASL, Russian

Overall WL enrollment: 11,000

WHY DI for HCPSS?• Shift in how MS students were placed in

WL

• Need to differentiate between regular and honors courses

• Emphasis on knowing our learners

HCPSS Vision

+

Differentiation

Differentiation through the Lens of

Cultural Proficiency

Assess culture

Value diversity

Manage the dynamics of difference

Adapt to diversity

Institutionalize cultural knowledge

Differentiation +Culturally Responsive Teaching

• Understand how learners construct knowledge

• Learn about students’ lives

• Be socio-culturally conscious

• Hold affirming views about diversity

• Use appropriate instructional strategies

• Advocate for all students

Plan-Do-Study-Act

Our WL Program’s Journey with Differentiation

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

2003• Team did in-depth research over

summer to create Guide for Differentiation of Honors Level Courses

• PD Sessions on Classroom Elements

• Differentiated Assessment Challenge

• ITLs: Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms book study

• ITL Vision statements for Differentiation

2004• Focus on Knowing the

Learner- Multiple Intelligences, Learning Preferences

• Environment/Affect

• Brainstormed Strategies

2005• Developed draft of tiered activities by

communication modes • Introduced tiered assignments• Teachers created tiered assignments in

teams• Middle School teachers given “Instruction

for All Students” book• MS Presentation by Special Education

and Gifted Education specialists• MS PD on WebQuests

2006

• “Dare to Differentiate”- background info, learning centers, RAFT assignments, choice boards, flexible grouping, tiered assignments

• MS teachers given How To Differentiate Instruction in Mixed Ability Classrooms books

• Uploaded teacher-created products onto Document Repository

• Presentations by Special Education and Gifted Education specialists

• SHOUT: SHowing off OUr Talents- sharing of implemented DI strategies (MS)

• Differentiation of Assessment- Photo Album Approach

2007

• Get It Write!- incorporated differentiation strategies

• Thematic Thursday- Differentiated project ideas

• MS PD- Multiple Intelligences and Language Learning

Happy Surprise!

• HS WL department did portfolio review on implementing DI strategies over 2 years

Intentional Decisions

• Provide collaborative opportunities• Provide access to professional articles

and research on DI • Help teachers to see DI as powerful tool

and not as an add-on

Intentional Decisions• Approach DI as a shift in philosophy,

not as a one-shot deal• Emphasize going slow to start• Pair DI with Reflective Practice• Celebrate and validate what we are

already doing with DI

2008 Challenges• Bringing new staff up to

speed

• Moving to application stage

• Provide time to create DI lessons and activities

• How to incorporate DI into district curriculum

Plans for This School Year

• November 24 PD for High School WL teachers “Differentiation and Beyond”

• February follow-up

• April Countywide PD for all WL teachers: Washington, DC

Helping our teachers begin

the journey

Progression of Support for HCPSS WL teachers with DI

1. Explore research/strategies

2. Analyze examples

3. Create own products/lessons tailored to curriculum and students

4. Encourage reflective practice- how? why? so what? based on what?

Progression of Support for HCPSS WL teachers with DI

5. Share products on WL DR

6. Provide access to resources through DR, wiki, CLC conference

7. Create collaborative support system

Support for teachers with DI

Differentiation buddies

Support for teachers with DIResources on the DR

Support for teachers with DIWL Intranet Pages

Support for teachers with DIDare to Differentiate Wiki

Support for leaders with DIDare to Differentiate Wiki

Support for leaders with DIDare to Differentiate Wiki

Dare to Differentiate Wiki

daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com

What will your timeline for DI look like?

Sharing Groups (random grouping)

A

B

C

D

E

What differentiation strategies have you experienced today?

Pre-assessment

Flexible grouping

Learning centers

Choice boards

Let’s do a final fuel gauge check!

1/4 tank: in need of more “fuel”

1/2 tank: enough to take short trips

3/4 tank: ready for a long journey

full tank: enough fuel to share with others

We appreciate your feedback!

Dare to DIFFERENTIATE

Take the dare.

Dare to DIFFERENTIATE

[email protected]

[email protected]