Differentiation Reaching Those Who Don’t Expect It.

DifferentiationDifferentiation

Reaching Those Who Don’t Reaching Those Who Don’t Expect ItExpect It

What is our goal?What is our goal?

Teacher – one who teaches or Teacher – one who teaches or instructs, esp. as a professioninstructs, esp. as a profession

Teach - to impart knowledge or skill Teach - to impart knowledge or skill to to

““If students can’t If students can’t learn the way we learn the way we teach, we must teach teach, we must teach the way they learn.”the way they learn.”

-Tomlinson-Tomlinson

Reaching Low Socio-Reaching Low Socio-Economic KidsEconomic Kids

What challenges do they face that What challenges do they face that others don’t have?others don’t have?

How does that affect their learning?How does that affect their learning?


Research shows these kids need Research shows these kids need teachers who look beyond the teachers who look beyond the circumstances and maintain high circumstances and maintain high expectationsexpectations

Don’t give up on them!!Don’t give up on them!!


Need positive role models to whom Need positive role models to whom they can relatethey can relate

Need someone who cares enough to Need someone who cares enough to take the time…take the time…

Need someone to nurture their Need someone to nurture their strengthsstrengths


Create a vision and a hopeful future image Create a vision and a hopeful future image of their livesof their lives

Remember: you can make a difference!Remember: you can make a difference!


Advantages we have here:Advantages we have here: Small school districtSmall school district Small school sizeSmall school size Supportive communitySupportive community Supportive administrationSupportive administration Adequate suppliesAdequate supplies

However…However…


We still need to reach We still need to reach those who don’t fit those who don’t fit the mold of the mold of successful students!successful students!

Give two Give two compliments to a compliments to a

person sitting person sitting next to you…next to you…Why can’t we do that for each

child?

Think of a Think of a struggling or struggling or

challenging child challenging child in your class…in your class…

Write down three Write down three positive things positive things

about that child…about that child…

and share them with someone

else.

What could you do What could you do to make this child to make this child

smile?smile?What could you do to make this

child feel successful?

Steps in DifferentiationSteps in Differentiation

First Step…First Step…

PretestingPretesting


Ways of Pretesting…Ways of Pretesting…• Group question and answer sessionGroup question and answer session• Individual question and answer Individual question and answer

sessionsession• Paper and pencil testPaper and pencil test

• Open-endedOpen-ended• ObjectiveObjective• ChartChart


Think of your upcoming Think of your upcoming lesson/unit…lesson/unit…

• What skills will be your focus?What skills will be your focus?• How can you pretest those How can you pretest those

skills?skills?• What will you look for?What will you look for?


What’s next?What’s next?


Next Step…Next Step…

Differentiate the Differentiate the LessonLesson


Two main ways of Two main ways of differentiation…differentiation…•Process Process •ContentContent


Differentiation of Differentiation of ProcessProcess• Changing HOW they learnChanging HOW they learn• Can be based on pretesting, learning Can be based on pretesting, learning

profiles, interestsprofiles, interests• What will be the best way for each What will be the best way for each

child to learn the required child to learn the required information?information?


Process Differentiation Process Differentiation ExamplesExamples• Small group or individual Small group or individual

projectsprojects• Questioning techniquesQuestioning techniques• Choice activitiesChoice activities Tic Tic TacTac

Toe Menu Toe Menu

• JigsawJigsaw


Differentiation of Differentiation of ContentContent• Changing WHAT they learnChanging WHAT they learn• Based on pretestingBased on pretesting• If they already know something, why If they already know something, why

learn it again? Also, if they don’t learn it again? Also, if they don’t know the basics, how can they move know the basics, how can they move on?on?


Differentiation of Differentiation of ContentContent• Curriculum CompactingCurriculum Compacting• Alternate assignmentAlternate assignment• Learning contractsLearning contracts


Then What?Then What?

How do I evaluate How do I evaluate all this work?all this work?


AssessmentAssessment• Pressure from administration and Pressure from administration and

parentsparents• Some students terrified at Some students terrified at

thought of anything less than an thought of anything less than an “A”“A”

• Need to motivate children to Need to motivate children to learnlearn


AssessmentAssessment• Should report card grades reflect Should report card grades reflect

their performance on grade level their performance on grade level work only?work only?

• Should enrichment activities and Should enrichment activities and independent study be graded at independent study be graded at all?all?

• What ownership should students What ownership should students have over their grades?have over their grades?


AssessmentAssessment• Learning contractsLearning contracts• Give grade for pretest score to Give grade for pretest score to

count for unitcount for unit• Weighted grading scale based Weighted grading scale based

on difficultyon difficulty• Rubrics Rubrics Example 1Example 1 Example 2Example 2

Example 3Example 3

You Can Do It!You Can Do It!

It is a matter of It is a matter of putting together putting together

the pieces…the pieces…

You Can Do It!You Can Do It!

And helping them to And helping them to fly!fly!

ReferencesReferences

Winebrenner, Susan. Winebrenner, Susan. Teaching Gifted Kids Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. in the Regular Classroom. Free Spirit, Free Spirit, 1992.1992.

““Best Practices.” Best Practices.” http://wblrd.sk.ca/~bestpractice/index.hthttp://wblrd.sk.ca/~bestpractice/index.htmlml..

Differentiation Reaching Those Who Don’t Expect It.

Documents

challenging child

child smile

parentssome students

mold of successful students

best way

grade level work

answer sessionpaper

pretest score