5 things i knew - caroltomlinson.comcaroltomlinson.com/presentations/whatiknew_evanston1202.pdf ·...

Copyright Carol Tomlinson 2010 1

Evanston, Illinois

Educator Session

December 1, 2010

Carol Tomlinson

William Clay Parrish, Jr.

Professor

<[email protected]>

5 Things I knew(and am glad I knew…)

(they made all the difference in my

teaching…and saved me from myself on

more days than I care to count!)


1

It was a privilege and a

trust to teach each

student who came my

way.


Thank you, Customer.

You, the customer, are the most important visitor on our premises. You are not dependent on us, we are dependent on you. You are not an outsider in our business—you are it. We are not doing you a favor by serving you…..you are doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.


Rewrite the Five Guys Message to fit schools/classrooms…..

What would your invitation say?or

Delineate/explain the factorsthat keep us from

posting the sign on classroom doors &what we can/should do to change that.

Differentiated instruction pushes teachers to reevaluate

the purpose of teaching and learning. Teachers have

an obligation to increase the participation of all students

in healthy and productive ways. But what is an

“obligation”?

Edward Farley wrote in his book Deep Symbols that

“obligation is being responsible to the other, and that

means that when we are seized by obligation, we are

seized by the needs, aims, vulnerabilities, sufferings,

and even autonomy—in short, the total condition—of

the other.”

Obligation is a state of being that includes the needs of

another in the formulation of an individual’s own desires.

That is, obligation no longer is something I am

doing for you, but becomes something I am doing

with you for both of us.

John Stroup

Edward Farley (1996) Deep symbols

Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International

p. 273


2

I had to connect with

each student in order

to connect each

student with each other

and with important

content.

Teachers discover that they need to develop and maintain personal relationships with the students they teach -- because for most students, meaningful interaction with a teacher is a precursor to academic learning.

Huberman, 1983 in

The New Meaning of Educational Change

(3rd Edition) by Michael Fullan

2001, New York: The Teachers College Press, p. 33


The Teacher

The Student The Content

Artful Teaching as a Love Triangle

To what degree does your experience align with these 2conclusions?

To what degree does yourexperience challenge these 2conclusions?

What questions or observationsdo you have about the 2conclusions?

What do the conclusions haveto do with differentiation?


“An average student with a teacher whose teacher-

student interactions scored 1 standard deviation

below the mean in Emotional Support would, on average,

place in the 41st

percentile in end-of-year tests.

The same student with a teacher whose interactions

scored 1 standard deviation above the mean in

emotional Support would, on average, place in the

59th

percentile in end-of-year tests.”

Allen, J., Gregory, A., Mikami, J, Hamre, B., & Pianta, R. Predicting Adolescent Achievement with the CLASS-S Observation Tool. A CASTL Research Brief. University of Virginia, Curry School of Education

Research Findings

3

I couldn’t fix things for

any kid unless I crafted

a classroom in which I

could fix them for

every kid.


Stories Have a Structure Built with Tools & a Purpose

DAY WHO WHAT

Monday The Aces Continue identifying elements of Jack London’s story in

Peer Pairs

The Jets Continue developing interview questions for your

biographical short story

The Pit Bulls Continue reading To Kill a Mockingbird

Tuesday The Aces SAME AS MONDAY

The Jets SAME AS MONDAY

The Pit Bulls SAME AS MONDAY

Wednesday Janna, Earlene,

Janeille, Bill, Jay

Quiz on elements of a short story

20 minutes of team study first

Pit Bulls Complete blueprint for Mockingbird

Jets Begin Interview

Others Brainstorming for story conflicts

Individual pre-writing activity

Thursday Jets Continue Interview

Others Class discussion on what a story is and isn’t—and what

makes a story a winner

Friday JETS Analysis of information gathered—mapping out next steps

in the interview process

Others Ebert & Roper Show: A Simulation in Triads

4

My students and I had

to be a community and

work as a team if we

were to have a chance

at making class work

for everyone.


A friend is someone

who loves you as

you are and pays

you the compliment

of expecting more.

Corita Kent

S

Student Needs

Teacher Response

Curriculum & Instruction

as the Vehicle for Response


How do I create a place that dignifies the possibilities

of in each student who shares in it?

A place where it’s good to be who you are,

A place where it’s possible to see who you can become,

A place that casts each student as a worker,

a winner, a contributor,

A place where there is always a journey

and always support for the journey

Synthesis Groups Task Card

Please work with your synthesis group during today’s class to:

1) Review and agree on what you believe is the key understanding or principle that best reveals the meaning of (makes sense of, is the punch line for) theunit on the circulatory system.

2) Find at least four ways/modes to express that key understanding or principle in relation to the contents of the unit.

3) Be sure each mode of expression:• makes clear what the key understanding or principle is,• illustrates how to make sense of what we have been studying,• accurately shows how key knowledge and skills come together to form an

understanding.

4) Be ready to present your own work in two minutes or under.

5) Be sure everyone in your group can interpret everyone else’s work effectively.

(Groups of 5 comprised of students with different expressivestrengths.)


What do you see as the keybarriers to differentiation in theway that we currently thinkabout teaching (especially to seeing teaching as a love triangleand guiding a classroom that allows flexibility in learning?

What changes would be necessaryin those ways of thinking in orderto have classroom that allowsroom for a range of learningneeds?

What questions or commentsdo you have at this point?

5

Every kid needed curriculum

that was worth getting out

of bed for.


The business of schools is to produce work that

engages students, that is so compelling that students

persist when they experience difficulties, and that is

so challenging that students have a sense of

accomplishment, of satisfaction--indeed, of delight--

when they successfully accomplish the tasks assigned.

Inventing Better Schools, Schlechty

4Things I wish I’d known(or known sooner or more

clearly…and wish I could

do over…)

(They would have made me a better

teacher and my students better learners).


1

A teacher’s mindset

as more powerful than

any other attribute he or

she brings to the teaching/

learning process.”

•Success comes from beingsmart

• Genetics, environmentdetermine what we can do

•Some kids are smart—some aren’t

•Teachers can’t override students’ profiles

•Success comes from effort•With hard work, most students

can do most things•Teachers can override students’

profiles•A key role of the teacher is to set

high goals, provide high support,ensure student focus—to findthe thing that makes schoolwork for a student


•Teacher’s belief that success

comes from effort, not from

“endowment”

•High personal expectations

•High expectations and high

support for every student to

enlist effort and accelerate

growth

Mindset

Who

Where

What

HowCoverage vs.Whatever it

Takes

Shapes Student Self-Perception

Builds or Erodes Group

Trust

I teach what I believe you can

learn


2

Curriculum, instruction, and

assessment are so much

tighter and more effective

if we “design backwards.”

Assessment Evidence

Learning Activities

Understandings Essential Questions

stage

2

stage

3

Standard(s):

stage

1

Performance Task(s): Other Evidence:

The “big ideas” of each stage of UBD

Unpack the content

standards and „content‟,

focus on big ideas.

Develop multiple sources of

evidence aligned with Stage 1.

Plan the teaching and

learning experiences to align

with Stages 1 & 2.

How will we get there?

What evidence will

indicate success?

What are the big ideas?


A Planning Guide for

Differentiating Curriculum & Instruction

(The UbD/DI Connection)

Define Summative Assessments

Based on pre-assessment data, differentiate

the unit plans for readiness, interest, and learning profile-- & continue to adjust plans

based on on-going assessment data

Pre-assess, based on K U D, for readiness—

also for interest, & learning profile

Identify what students should Know,

Understand, & Be Able to Do (KUD) at the end of the unit

Administer Summative

Assessments

Develop a unit plan to ensure student proficiency

w/ essential knowledge, understanding, and skill

Co

nn

ecti

ng

wit

h S

tud

ents

Cre

ati

ng

a P

osi

tiv

e L

earn

ing

En

vir

on

men

t

Clarity about learning goals…

We have to know where we want all students to end up before we can think intelligently about how we want them to get there!

The clearer we are about theprecise outcomes, the better we’re able to align assessmentsand instruction to those goals—and the greater student success is likely to be.


3

Concept-based instruction

helps students make sense

of curriculum and their lives

in a way that is true to the

disciplines.

FACTS

CONCEPTS

PRINCIPLES

ATTITUDES

SKILLS (S1, S2)

Levels of Learning

Hilda Taba


Politics

Economics

Esthetics

People

Social Issues


C ultural

R eligious

E conomic

E ducational

P olitical

S ocial

Concepts act like labels

on file cabinet drawers

They help us keep a great

batch of information

organized &

retrievable.

They help us make sense

of what otherwise

could be random data.

So, who needs THAT???


Physical ScienceI. OBSERVERS

A. Observe

1. What?

2. How much?

B. Classify

C. Explain

D. Verify

II. EVENTS

A. Matter

1. Physical aspects

2. Chemical aspects

B. Energy

1. Kinetic

2. Potential

III. RELATIONSHIPS

A. Changes

1. Chemical

2. Physical

B. Forces

C. Applications


Kindergarten TopicsWelcome to school Mexico Seasons Growth

Senses Geography Magnets Body Systems

Dental Classifying Seriation Art Explorations

Transportation Problem Solving Movement

Exploration

Comparison

Native Americans Literature Conversation Graphs

Holiday Self and others Family Water and ice

Drama Animals Poetry Estimation

Sharing and Caring Environment/Earth Colors Seeds

Weight and

Measurement

Pattern Science

Experiments

Matter

Farm Air Construction Light-Shadows

Pilgrim/Indians Community Weather Plants

Coins Problem Solving Earth Nutrition

Kindergarten Concepts and TopicsCooperation Communication Culture Change Exploration

Welcome to school

Self and others

Family

Basic needs/goods

and services

Pilgrims/Indians

Community

Sharing and caring

Problem solving

Literature

Listening/Speaking

Conversation-

Listening, speaking,

Writing, AV materials

Drama

Senses

Poetry-Rhyme, Rhythm

Signs/Symbols

Mexico

Native

American

Holiday

Seasons

Light/Shadows

Matter

Nature

Metamorphosis

Growth

Earth

Animals

Geography

Farms

Self

Weather

Environment

Cooking

Plants

Problem Solving

Math Their Way

Patterns

Graphs

Coins

Caring for Self

Dental, Body Systems,

Music, Careers,

Classifying

Science

Magnets, Air, Weight,

Senses

Positions

Estimation

Nutrition

Art

Movement

Comparison

Seeds

Colors

Construction


Name_________________

Poetry Contract

Creating a Rhyming Wheel

Use your spelling lists as a way to get started

Use Your Rhyming Wheel

To write a poem that sounds like Shel Silverstein might have written it

Write an Acrostic Poem

Be sure it includes alliteration

Write

A cinquain (check that you have the right pattern)

Computer Art

Use kid pix or other clip art to illustrate a simile, metaphor, or analogy on our class list, or ones you create

Write About You

Use good descriptive words in a poem that helps us know and understand something important about you

Interpret

“How to Eat a Poem”

Research a Famous Person

Take notes, Write a clerihew that uses what you learned

Illustrate a Poem

Find a poem we’ve read that you like, illustrate ii to help show its meaning.

Student choice #1

___________________

___________________

Student choice #2

___________________

___________________

Student choice #3

___________________

___________________

Name_________________

Poetry ContractCreating a Rhyming Wheel

Use your vocabulary lists

as a way to get started

Use Your Rhyming Wheel

To write a poem that includes humor that would make Shel Silverstein smile

Write an Acrostic Poem

Be sure it includes alliteration, onomatopoeia, and allusion

Write

A diamante (check that you have the right pattern)

Computer Art

Use kid pix or other clip art to illustrate a simile, metaphor, & analogy for one idea or image.

Write About You

Use good figurative language in a poem that helps us know and understand something important about you

Interpret

“Unfolding Bud”

Research a Famous

Person

Take notes, Write a bio-poem that uses what you learned

Illustrate a Poem

Find a poem we’ve read

that you like. Illustrate it to help reveal its meaning.

Student choice #1

___________________

___________________

Student choice #2

___________________

___________________

Student choice #3

___________________

___________________


From Level 1 2

Write the poems about a topic you care about to help you think about that topic more fully and to express your ideas and interest

• KNOW: haiku, cinquain, etc.

• UNDERSTAND: – Poets explore things that matter to them.

– Poetry helps us and the poet understand self and world.

• DO: – Write with expression

– Use effective mechanics

Level 2 Level 3

Concepts: evolution, exploration, expression, perspective

• As we explore ideas the ideas evolve & so do we.

• Exploration leads to understanding.

• Exploration of varied perspectives

broadens our understanding.

• Expression reveals the writer.


Concepts

Principles

Essential Questions

Lens on Life

Topics

Facts

Incidents

Dates

Vocab.

Skills

Curriculum As A Mobile In Balance

Abstract

Concrete

Meaning

Tools

Exemplars

Tomlinson ‘98

What’s your response to theseexamples:

a) as a former studentb) as a teacher

What’s the most effectivething you do in helping yourstudents organize knowledgeto remember it, apply it, andtransfer it (as opposed to justtrying to retain it)?

What questions or commentsdo you have about therelationship between quality ofcurriculum and quality ofdifferentiation?


4

The elements of knowledge

should be connected in the

work we develop for students

and in their minds.

A Good Activity is one

in which:

Students make or do something

Using essential knowledge and

essential skills

To explore or

extend an

essential

understanding.


Your job is to use at least two kinds

of graphs and two kinds of writing to

answer the question:

“How do people describe the same

thing in different ways?”

In an explanation of your work, be

sure to use the expert language to

discuss both the graphs and forms

of writing as you talk about how the

thing you describe changes in the

different forms.

We build good

ships--

At a profit if we can--

At a loss if we must—

But always good ships


The very least you can do in your life is figure out

what you hope for,

And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it

from a distance but live right in it,

under its roof.

Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver, 1997

Don’t confuse the

edge of your rut…

…with the horizon!

5 things i knew - caroltomlinson.comcaroltomlinson.com/presentations/whatiknew_evanston1202.pdf ·...

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