How Student Readiness Impacts the Learning Environment in a Differentiated Classroom Tony Esposito, Randi Malamphy, Dan Notari, Kathleen Stanton, Shanise.

How Student Readiness Impacts the Learning Environment in a Differentiated Classroom

Tony Esposito, Randi Malamphy, Dan Notari, Kathleen Stanton, Shanise Clark and Tyler Hurd

Exemplary Differentiated Instruction: Meeting the Needs of All Learners

HCPSS Countywide Professional Development Day

April 23, 2009

Session OutcomesThis session will address:• Various techniques that can be used to assess

student readiness for learning in math • Review methods to determine how to design

instruction that provides the skills students need to be successful.

• Methods for designing flexible groups based on student readiness will be reviewed.

• Processes for differentiation based on student readiness, available resources and staffing.

Mapping a Route Toward Differentiated Instruction

Even though students may learn in many ways, the essential skills and content they learn can remain steady. Students can take different roads to the same destination.

-Carol Ann Tomlinson

In a differentiated classroom, the teacher proactively plans and carries out varied approaches to content, process, and product in anticipation of and response to student differences in readiness, interest, and learning needs.

-Carol Ann Tomlinson

The Paradigm of Differentiation

Differentiation of Instruction

Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs

Guided by general principles of differentiation, such as

Respectful tasks Flexible

grouping

Ongoing assessment &

adjustmentSource: The Differentiated Classroom, Tomlinson 1999

Teachers can differentiate through a range of instructional and management strategies…

ContentContent ProcessProcess ProductProduct

ReadinessReadiness InterestsInterests Learning Profile

Learning Profile

according to student’s

Source: The Differentiated Classroom, Tomlinson 1999

Know The Learner(Does This Sound Familiar?)

Think-Pair-Share the different ways in which we as HCPSS math teachers currently assess and understand…– Student Readiness– Individual Student Interests– Student’s Individual Learning Profiles

Student Readiness

• A Few Routes to Readiness Differentiation– Varied Texts by Reading Level– Varied Supplementary Materials by Reading Level– Varied Scaffolding– Tiered Tasks– Tiered Products– Flexible Use of Time– Small Group Instruction– Homework Options– Tiered or Scaffolded Assessment– Compacting– Mentorships– Negotiated Criteria for Quality– Varied Graphic Organizers– Learning Contracts

Readiness Jigsaw

• The jigsaw is a cooperative learning technique which increases positive educational outcomes.

• Just as in a jigsaw puzzle, each piece (each student's part) is essential for the completion and full understanding of the final product.

• If each student's part is essential, then each student is essential; and that is precisely what makes this strategy so effective.

• Now it’s your turn– Please visit http://lfes.wikispaces.com/math– Scroll to Differentiation Presentation

Drawing on Existing Student Interest

• Goals of Interest-based Instruction– Helping students realize that there is a match

between school and their own desires to learn– Demonstrating the connectedness between all

learning– Using students’ familiar skills or ideas to act as

a bridge to less familiar skills or ideas– Enhancing student motivation to learn

Focus on Interest

Interest Areas• Fine Arts• Literature• Technology• Athletics• Music• Travel• People• Sports• Crafts• Media• World Wide Web

Mode of Expression•Oral

•Speech•Drama •Seminar•Symposium

•Written•Creative•Expository

•Designed/Built•Display•Model

•Artistic•Photographs•Painting•Illustration

•Abstract•Community Service

Learning ProfilesGroup Orientation

• Independent• Group/peer• Adult • Combination

Cognitive Style• Creative• Concrete/abstract• Oral/visual/kinesthetic• People-oriented/task-oriented• Group/personal achievement

Learning Environment•Quiet/noisy•Still/mobile•Flexible/fixed

Intelligence Preference•Analytic•Practical•Creative•Verbal/linguistic•Spatial/visual•Bodily/kinesthetic•Musical/rhythmic•Interpersonal/intrapersonal

Flexible Grouping Defined• Students move frequently between groups as learning

objectives change, as their needs evolve, and as they gain proficiency

• Students sometimes work in groups defined by interests and/or learning styles

• Teachers sometimes move between groups to provide instruction

Benefits of Flexible Grouping• Teacher becomes more of a “facilitator” of knowledge and

skills

• Removes the negatives and stigma of “static” groups, i.e. “Once a buzzard, always a buzzard” syndrome

• Students see that they can and will progress as they learn. Growth becomes a visible and expected part of the classroom culture

Co-Teaching Approaches• One Teaching, One

Supporting– Easiest Approach– One teacher has

primary responsibility– Second teacher

supports the lead teacher

– Good model for teachers that are new to co-teaching

• Station Teaching– Clear division of labor

– Divide instructional content

– Plan and teach your part

– Students rotate stations

Co-Teaching Cont’d…• Two Groups

– Two teachers teach the same content

– Two heterogeneous groups

– Each teacher works with one group

– Provides smaller groups

– Groups pull together to summarize

• Alternative Teaching– Pre-Teaching/Re-

Teaching Group– Choose when one group

ca afford to miss part of the curriculum

– Change group composition to avoid stigmatizing members of a group

– Teacher rotate teaching the groups

Co-Teaching Cont’d…• Multiple Groups

– Two teachers monitor/teach

– Content varies

– Centers or cooperative learning groups

– Teachers may monitor progress,provide mini-lessons, work with one group

• Team Teaching– Both teachers are

responsible for planning– Instruction is shared– One models while other

speaks– Role play/debate– Requires greatest level

of trust & commitment– Meshing of teaching

styles

Below/On Grade Level Math Class : Grade 3

• Teachers:

– Tony Esposito; General Education

– Dan Notari; Math Focus Teacher

– Tyler Hurd; Third Grade Paraeducator

• Class make-up:

– Mix of below and on-grade level students

– 25 students

– Several Eagle Club students

A Typical Day…• Warm-Up:15 minutes• Whole Group Mini-lesson: 15 minutes• First group rotation: 20 minutes

– Champions start with Tony– Ravens start with Dan– Eagles start with Tyler

• Second group rotation: 20 minutes– Ravens and Eagles rotate to Tony– Half of the Champions rotate to Dan– Half of the Champions rotate to Tyler

• Closure and homework: 5 minutes

OGL Math Class: Grade 3• Teachers:

– Katie Stanton; General Education

– Randi Malamphy; Special Education

– Shanise Clark; Special Ed. Paraeducator

• Class make-up:

– Inclusion class

– Twenty students

– Two IEPs• 1 BGL, 1 Strong OGL

Typical Day

• Journal question; 5-10 minutes• Whole group to explain seatwork; 5 minutes• First group rotation; 25 minutes

– The first group starts with me while the other is working on differentiated seatwork and centers.

• Second group rotation; 25 minutes– The second group is with me while the other switches

to complete their seatwork and centers.

• Closure and homework; 5-10 minutes

???QUESTIONS???

Walkaway thought…“In the end, all learners need your energy, your heart, and your mind. They have that in common because they are young humans. How they need you, however, differs. Unless we understand and respond to those differences, we fail many learners.”

- Carol Ann Tomlinson

We hope you enjoyed the presentation and learned something

you can take back to your students!

Thanks for your time and attention!