DO or DI: Differentiating Instruction So All Students Can Succeed Danny Brassell, Ph.D. dannybrassell.com.

DO or DI:Differentiating Instruction So All Students Can Succeed

Danny Brassell, Ph.D.

www.lazyreaders.com

dannybrassell.com

Who are you?

Give your Lottery smile…

and introduce yourself to the folks around you.

Playwithme!

GET A PARTNER• Decide who is PARTNER A and who is

PARTNER B.

• PARTNER A stand up and for 20 seconds tell your partner everything you do well.

• PARTNER B, look up to your partner and repeat after me:

• “You’re amazing!”

• “I want to be just like you someday.”

GET A PARTNER• PARTNER A may sit down.

• PARTNER B stand up and for 20 seconds tell your partner everything you do well.

• PARTNER A, look up to your partner and repeat after me:

• “What a stud!”

• “I’m not worthy.”

GIVE YOURSELVES

A HAND!

Give yourselves a hand!

No matter what you do, you are

always a teacher and a

role model

Who am I?

Dannyteacher of many ages,

cultures, shapes & sizes

Stand and Deliver

Two janitors and an airport security

guard

“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

- Confucious

By the end of this

presentation…

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

R U Xcited?

Get pumped!

Singwithme!

The Differentiation Diddy(to the tune of “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”)

There I was just about to teach my classSingin’, “Do what I say. I’m the teacher. Yes,

indeed.”

Then my students looked at me en massAskin’, “Do what you say? Are you kiddin’? We can’t

read.”

They looked stressed (looked stressed) -They looked bored (looked bored) -They looked stressed. They looked bored…They were not a happy hoard.


I had kids of all sizes. They were different, every one.Singin’, “do you want to teach a standard or me?”

They asked, “Why is school always work, and no fun?”Sing this: “That is not the way that school has to be!”

I said, “Yes!” (said “yes”) -You’re all right (all right) -I said, “Yes!” You’re all right... Now our future’s lookin’ bright.


Our class is now happy, and we learn a lot more.‘Cuz we each are different, and we learn

differently.

When others critique us, we just shut-our-door.And we play. And we sing. And we think critically.

YEAH!

GIVE YOURSELVES

A HAND!

Give yourselves a hand!

Let’s have

FUN!

Learning Goals

By the end of this presentation, we will have:

• Determined what differentiated instruction means and why it is important;

• Discussed ways to meet standards without sacrificing student readiness, interests and learning styles;

• Examined 50 tricks teachers may keep in mind when differentiating instruction; and

• Reviewed songs, games and activities designed to stimulate student interest in school.

E-mail inquiries via my website:www.dannybrassell.com

Thank you, Carol

Tomlinson!

Thank you, Howard

Gardner!

Thank you,

Gordon Dryden

& Jeannette

Vos!

What Is Differentiated Instruction?

Differentiated instruction is a teaching philosophy based on the premise that teachers should adapt instruction to student differences. Rather than marching students through the curriculum lockstep, teachers should modify their instruction to meet students’ varying readiness levels, learning preferences, and interests. Therefore, the teacher proactively plans a variety of ways to ‘get at’ and express learning.

- Carol Ann Tomlinson

huh?

Whenever a teacher reaches out to an individual or small group to vary his or her teaching in order to

create the best learning experience possible, that teacher is differentiating

instruction.

- CAROL ANN TOMLINSON

Oh…

Raise your hand if you have a variety

of different students in your

class.

Raise your hand if you utilize a number of

different teaching strategies with your students.

Raise your hand if you have a hand.

[Repeat after me]I think therefore I am.

- Descartes

[Repeat after me] I think I will succeed;

therefore, I can. - us, just now

Look at the person to your left and the person to your right and the person behind you and the person in front of you.

[Repeat after me] We are all different.

We can all learn something from each other.

- us, just now

Wave your arms

wildly if you

choose to learn from

others!

Compliment the people

around you, and say you are happy to be here.

DO or DI?Chances are, you’re already doing it.

- me (just now)

Why Is Differentiating Instruction Important?

To learn a particular concept, some children need days; some, ten minutes, but the typical lockstep school schedule ignores this fundamental fact.

- Marilyn Hughes

Eight Principles of a Differentiated Classroom

Principle #1The teacher is clear about what matters in the content area.

Principle #2The teacher

understands, appreciates and

builds upon student

differences.

Principle #3Assessment and instruction are inseparable.

You’re wrong!You’re wrong!vs.vs.

Why did you say that?Why did you say that?

Playwithme!

Right-Brain Word Puzzles

Directions

• Each group of words shares a common trait.

• Only one answer shares that same trait.

• Figure out the common trait and select the correct answer.

Right-Brain Word Puzzle #1

• sexes

• level

• redder

a. dined

b. mom

c. start


• golden

• tallow

• clamp

a. trace

b. crawl

c. oven


• tea

• eye

• sea

a. wee

b. you

c. ate

Principle #4All students participate in respectful work.

Principle #5Students and

teachers collaborate in

learning.

Principle #6The teacher adjusts content, process, and product in response to student readiness, interests, and learning styles.

Principle #7Goals of a differentiated classroom are maximum growth and continued success.

Principle #8Flexibility is the

hallmark of a differentiated

classroom.

AIR TRAFFICNumber of decisions per hour

Environment

Dare to Differentiate: 50 Terrific Teacher Tricks

Trick #1

Create a supportive environment of respect

(teacher-students, students-to-students).


Trick #2

Develop a sense of community.

Conondrums

Visual Puzzle

Convert Diagram A to Diagram B. Do it by moving only three circles.

Visual Puzzle

ANSWER:

Math Puzzle

Which number continues this sequence?

1 3 6 10 12

3 5 3 3 ?

Math Puzzle

ANSWER:

1 3 6 10 12

3 5 3 3 6

The lower numbers indicate the number of letters in the preceding upper number.

Thinking Puzzle

• I am sitting at a table.

• Ten flies are on the table.

• With one swat - I kill three flies.

• How many flies are left on the table?

Thinking PuzzleANSWER:

• 3

• I killed three flies - so they would remain on the table. The rest would have flown away immediately.


Trick #3

Facilitate an environment where students feel safe to

take risks.


Trick #4

Promote the development of a broad range of skills and

interests, incorporating all senses.

e.g.

Great classroom libraries appeal to the…

Senses

Touch

Sight

Smell

Taste

Sound


Trick #5

Set-up physical classroom for student-centered instruction.


Trick #6

Provide purposeful materials and resources.


Trick #7

Have high expectations for ALL.

If you refuse to accept anything but the best in life, you very often get it.

- Somerset Maugham

Readiness

When a teacher tries to teach something to the entire class at the same time, chances are, one-third of the kids already know it; one-third will get it; and the remaining third won’t. So two-thirds of the children are wasting their time.

- Lilian Katz

Teachers often cope with the academic diversity in

their classrooms by teaching to the middle.

Countwithme!

How to Count to Ten in Japanese

ENGLISH JAPANESE SOUND ACTION

one ichi Itchy Scratch your

two ni knee. knee.

three san Sun, Point to sky.

four shi she Fingers thru hair

five go go Walk.

six rocko rocko. Rock ‘n’ roll.

seven shishi Chi-chi Double sneeze

eight hatchi Hat-chi Put on hat.

nine kyu Coo Coo like dove.

ten ju Jew Jewish hat.


Trick #8

Allow students to “show what they know” in a variety of

ways.


Trick #9

Provide students with plenty of time to explore, understand

and transfer learning to long-term memory.


Trick #10

Permit students time to revisit ideas and concepts in order to

connect or extend them.


Trick #11

Ensure lessons are developmentally appropriate.


Trick #12

Tier activities to provide appropriate level of challenge.


Trick #13

Compact curriculum to provide enrichment and challenge.

Interest

If a student has a spark (or better still, a fire), a curiosity about a topic, learning is more likely for that student.

- Carol Ann Tomlinson (2001)

If there is anything we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and

see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.

- Carl Jung

An informal survey of elementary aged students found they are most interested in ...

Leveraging Student Interest

a. conjugating verbs.

b. balancing a complex chemical equation.

c. the Pythagorean theorem.

d. dinosaurs and volcanoes.

Presentation

matters


Trick #14

Incorporate creativity.

Let’s try to figure out the expression.


Trick #15

Provide students real choices in what they learn, how they learn

and how they demonstrate learning (flexible and varied).


Trick #16

Offer real-world challenges that are directly connected to the

students’ lives.


Trick #17

Offer novel, unique and engaging activities to capture

and sustain students’ attention.

Up Close & Personal

The Picture Quiz

www.coolquiz.com


Trick #18

Use multi-media/technology.

computerfriend

Technological

INTERLUDE

www.mindjet.com

Cool semantic maps!

www.inspiration.com

www.eduplace.com

www.internet4classrooms.com/di

Learning Profile

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 the same subjects in the same way.

- Howard Gardner

Howard Gardner


Trick #19

Focus on students’ learning styles.

It’s not how smart you are.It’s how

you are smart.

Sternberg’s Three Intelligences

Creative Analytical

Practical

• We all have some of each of these intelligences, but are usually stronger in one or two areas than in others.

• We should strive to use all three…but also recognize where students’ strengths lie and teach through those intelligences as often as possible, particularly when introducing new ideas.


Trick #20

Emphasize brain-compatible instruction.

Drawwithme!

Artist Inside

1. Get out a piece of paper.

2. Draw a pig.

3. You have 38 seconds.

Who Are You?

• Top of paper: positive, optimistic

• Middle of paper: realist

• Bottom of paper: pessimistic & tend to behave negatively

Who Are You?

• Facing left: believe in tradition, are friendly & remember dates (e.g. birthdays)

• Facing right: innovative and active, but don’t have strong sense of family & don’t remember dates

• Facing front: you are direct, enjoy playing devil’s advocate & neither fear nor avoid discussion

Who Are You?

• Many details: analytical, cautious & distrustful

• Few details: emotional and naïve, care little for details & enjoy taking risks

Who Are You?

• Less than 4 legs: insecure or living through a period of change

• 4 legs: secure, stubborn & stick to ideals

Who Are You?

• The size of your pig’s ears indicates what kind of listener you are.

• The length of your pig’s tail indicates your job satisfaction.

Courtesy: drawapig.desktopcreatures.com


Trick #21

Recognize and honor cultural diversity.


Trick #22

Emphasize student strengths and develop ways to compensate for

weaknesses so they do not inhibit what student can do.


Trick #23

Permit positive movement.

Dancewithme!

Teachin’ Has Got You!(to the beat of “Waddlyacha”)

Teachin’ has got you.

Teachin’ has got you.

What do you do?

What do you do?

(repeat)

It’s the craziest job. There’s quite a lot to it.

I don’t know how I’m gonna get though it.

I like the job. It’s the job I like best.

I love teaching my students at school! (faster)

Content

Instruction begins where the students

are, not at the front of the curriculum guide.

- CAROL ANN TOMLINSON

to Differentiate Content

• Reading Partners / Reading Buddies *• Choral Reading/Antiphonal Reading• Flip Books• Split Journals (Double Entry – Triple Entry)• Books on Tape• Highlights on Tape• Digests/ “Cliff Notes”• Notetaking Organizers• Varied Texts• Varied Supplementary Materials• Highlighted Texts• Think-Pair-Share/Preview-Midview-Postview


Trick #24

Present the curriculum through interdisciplinary “big ideas” versus disconnected small

facts.

Remember jigsaw puzzles: they’re much easier when you can see the whole picture

first.

- GORDON DRYDEN,The Learning Revolution


Trick #25

Plan before, during and after instruction.


Trick #26

Negotiate contracts to provide appropriate learning activities

for students.

Motivation and productivity

skyrocket when students reach their

goals.- BETTIE B. YOUNGS,

The 6 Vital Ingredients of Self-Esteem: How to Develop Them in Students


Trick #27

Challenge students (i + 1).


Trick #28

Create centers.

Singwithme!

The Newspaper Song(to the tune of “The Facts of Life”)

You take the good. You take the bad. You take them both, and there you have: a newspaper. A

newspaper.

There are sections for business reports, entertainment, news and sports. A newspaper. A

newspaper.

It has everything! You can buy the car of your dreams! It has classifieds and movie times, stories

showing local crimes.

You…you…You can share it with your friends, and learn the facts of life!

FACT/opinion

Can You Find….?• A used Ford for less than

$500.00• A place to hear Irish

music• The oldest person on the

obituary page• A story about a mouse• A recipe for bouillabaisse• The price of Iams dog

food • Two places to have your

teeth whitened• What movie is playing at

7:30 at the cinema 12• A story about the

governor

• A used fiddle for sale• The score of the

football game• Why Jerry Frenz is

angry?• The interest rate on a

new Dodge pickup truck• The address of the local

library• The time of the AARP

meeting• The publisher’s name• Etc.

Wacky Headlines• Kids make nutritious snacks• Police help dog bite victim• Miners refuse to work after death• Hospital sued by 7 foot doctors• Lung cancer in women mushrooms• Eye drops off shelf• Safety experts say school bus

passengers should be belted• Panda mating fails; veterinarian takes

over

Cut to the Chase

Look at the following photos and come up with a headline

as quickly as possible. Remember, briefer headlines

sell more newspapers!

Shameless Self-Promotion

News Flash!Newspaper

Activities to Meet Language-Arts Standards & Differentiate Instruction

byDanny Brassell

Makes a great gift for that special

someone.


Trick #29

Co-develop standards with students.


Trick #30

Clearly state expectations (be specific about requirements).


Trick #31

Empower learners! Encourage students to help set and

enforce norms.

Process

Learning is most effective when it’s fun.

- PETER KLINE,The Everyday Genius

I never worked a day in my life. It was all fun.

- Thomas Edison

To learn it, do it!

- ROBERT C. SCHANK,Engines for Learning

TO DIFFERENTIATE PROCESS

• Fun & Games

• RAFTs

• Cubing, Think Dots

• Choices (Intelligences)

• Centers

• Tiered lessons

• Contracts


Trick #32

Utilize active, hands-on learning.

80 percent of learning difficulties are related to stress. Remove the

stress, and you remove the difficulties.

- GORDON STOKES,The Learning Revolution

Children learn best when they are helped

to discover the underlying principles

for themselves.

- PETER KLINE,The Everyday Genius

Standwithme!

Energizing Breaths

• The key to energizing breaths is to take large belly breaths, and exhale the air rapidly through your nostrils.

• By exhaling rapidly, students are removing stale air from their bodies, thus encouraging them to feel more relaxed and focused.

got confidence?

• Clasp your hands together.

• Which thumb is on top?

got confidence?• Left thumb on top: you rely on logic

& reason. You are the most confident when your decisions are based on real-world information.

• Right thumb on top: you trust your intuition. You are most confident when your gut says you’re doing the right thing. Facts, schmacks!

got confidence?

Do you think you have a thin thumb or a thick

thumb?

got confidence?• Thin thumb: are most confident

hanging with a few close friends. They like parties where everyone could fit on the same elevator.

• Thick thumb: are just as confident in large groups as one-on-one. They like parties where everyone can fit in the same stadium.

got confidence?

Is your thumb short or long?

got confidence?

• Short thumb: work very confidently and quickly. Always the first ones to turn in a math test.

• Long thumb: slow and careful. Yet they never lose a thumb war. Go figure!

got confidence?• Sit down.

• Relax your hands and plop them on your lap, palm side down.

• Where does your left thumb land?

got confidence?• Way out to side: super-confident and like to

be in charge. Some people call you bossy. You should have them fired.

• Not far from your palm: medium-confident. You care what people think about you, but not enough to actually change or do anything.

• Touching or curled under your palm: you might feel pretty unconfident now, like you want to hide from the world. But remember, you’re thumb-one wonderful!

Thank you,

Karen Phillips!


Trick #33

Allow students to work collaboratively and

independently (flexible grouping).


Trick #34

Make use of higher level thinking and questioning

strategies.

If the questions are simple so is

the thinking.

kids & adults think differently

Sister Roseanna &

Heavenly Hector


Trick #35

Offer students plenty of time for reflection and goal setting.


Trick #36

Vary strategies.


Trick #37

Consider integrated curriculum, problem-based

learning and service learning.


Trick #38

Balance teacher-chosen and teacher-directed activities with student-chosen and student-

directed activities.

The art of teaching is developing into the art of teaching children to

teach themselves.

- HELENA H. WALLENBERG and MICHAEL S. BOGOLEAThe Welfare Rennaissance:

The New Swedish Model

Children’s work IS their play. Children

learn from everything they

do.- CAROLYN HOOPER,

New Zealand Playcenter Movement


Trick #39

Help students understand group’s shared needs for

success, to belong, to trust, the future, etc.


Trick #40

Monitor student progress constantly.


Trick #41

Aim high; scaffold weaknesses.

Readwithme!

If I Had My Child to Raise Over Againby Diane Loomans, Full Esteem Ahead

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I’d finger paint more, and point the finger less.

I’d do less correcting, and more connecting.

I’d take my eyes off my watch,

and watch with my eyes.

I would care to know less,

and know to care more.

If I Had My Child to Raise Over Againby Diane Loomans, Full Esteem Ahead

I’d take more hikes, and fly more kites.

I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I’d run through more fields,

and gaze at more stars.

I’d do more hugging, and less tugging.

I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.

I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I’d teach less about the love of power,

And more about the power of love.

I keep six honest serving men, they taught me all I knew: Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.

- RUDYARD KIPLING,The Elephant Child


Trick #42

Teach for meaning; not rote.


Trick #43

Be flexible (with time, space, materials and groupings).


Trick #44

Teach strategies explicitly so student has “easy way out” of

tough spots.


Trick #45

Collaborate with parents, resource specialists, etc. It

takes a village!

parentsfriend

Product

If there were only one truth, you couldn’t paint a hundred canvases on the same theme.

- Pablo Picasso

All children are born geniuses, and we spend the first six years of their lives degeniusing them.

- BUCKMINSTER FULLER

to Differentiate Product

• Choices based on readiness, interest, and learning profile

• Clear expectations• Timelines• Agreements• Product Guides• Rubrics• Evaluation


Trick #46

Provide opportunities for projects, creativity, problems

and challenges.


Trick #47

Focus on student growth.


Trick #48

Initiate student-maintained portfolios and assessments

with varied and original products.

THINKING ABOUT ON-GOING ASSESSMENT

STUDENT DATA SOURCES1. Journal entry2. Short answer test3. Open response test4. Home learning5. Notebook6. Oral response7. Portfolio entry8. Exhibition9. Culminating product10. Question writing11. Problem solving

TEACHER DATA MECHANISMS

1. Anecdotal records2. Observation by checklist3. Skills checklist4. Class discussion5. Small group interaction6. Teacher – student

conference7. Assessment stations8. Exit cards9. Problem posing10.Performance tasks and

rubrics

Differentiated Report Cards

A = Excellent Growth

B = Very Good Growth

C = Some Growth

D = Little Growth

F = No Observable

Growth

1=The student is Above Grade Level

2=The student is Working At Grade Level

3=The student is Working Below Grade Level

On report cards, I need to find a way to show individual growth and relative standing to students and parents


Trick #49

Support students in creating products for real events/audience

through public displays and performances.


Trick #50

Emphasize quality of thought and expression vs. accuracy.

Lookwithme!

Whisper to your neighbor what you think the

picture looks like.

Do you see a woman?

Or do you see a saxophone

player?

Or do you see something else?

A bird, perhaps?

A ray gun, possibly?

Maybe you see a puffing dragon?

Or a funky spaceship?

What’s the correct

answer?

It depends on your

imagination.

Incidentally, it’s obviously a

futuristic telephone.

Raise your hand ifyou enjoyed this

presentation.

Raise your hand ifyou learned a thing or two.

Raise your hand ifyou have a hand.

Turn to the folks around you and thank them

for assisting your learning.

Review

In this presentation, we:

• Determined what differentiated instruction means and why it is important;

• Discussed ways to meet standards without sacrificing student readiness, interests and learning styles;

• Examined 50 tricks teachers may keep in mind when differentiating instruction; and

• Reviewed songs, games and activities designed to stimulate student interest in school.

The real art of discovery consists not in finding

new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.

- Marcel Proust

Shameless Self-Promotion

Find cool short book (adult, young adult & children’s) recommendations at:

www.lazyreaders.com

dannybrassell.com

Buy one of my books…The perfect gifts for that special someone.

Thank you for bringing me here to speak. I always appreciate

referrals. My employment makes my wife happy, which simplifies

my life immensely.Happy wife = happy life

Remember, you make a difference every day.

Enjoy the Enjoy the journey journey

ahead of ahead of you. you.

Thank Thank you foryou forjoining joining me today.me today.

dannybrassell.com

DO or DI: Differentiating Instruction So All Students Can Succeed Danny Brassell, Ph.D. dannybrassell.com.

Documents

partner b

differentiated instruction

differentiating instruction

differentiation diddyto

instruction andreviewed

student readiness

learning stylesexamined

marching students