“I CAN” Differentiate…

(Like a Boss)

Practical Differentiation Strategies to Try Tomorrow! (Or maybe the next day…)

Hey Girl I don’t understand why you keep having to have Professional Development.

YOU LOOK PERFECTLY

DEVELOPED TO ME.

“I Can” explain how differentiation should look in an elementary classroom. {Comprehension}

“I Can” use my MAP data to determine what topics should be differentiated. {Application}

“I Can” examine practical organization methods for timing of small groups to determine how it will drive instruction in my classroom. {Analysis}

“I Can” create FIVE quick differentiation methods to use in my classroom immediately. {Synthesis}

Today’s Objectives

Self Assessment

Differentiation – WHAT is it?

A teaching concept in which the classroom teacher plans for the diverse

needs of students.

•learning styles, skill levels, and rates•language proficiency•background experiences and knowledge•motivation•ability to attend•social and emotional development•levels of abstraction•physical needs

What it’s NOT:

• Individualized instruction• In-Class Tracking• The opposite of whole class

teaching• Trying to be all things to all

students• The flavor of the month. • Going Away.

Curriculum, Common Core and Your Classroom

Common Core

Curriculum MAPs – a measurement of how the student meets the skills

determined by the Common Core.

The Plan…Expected

Grade Level Skills

A clear set of shared goals and expectations for the knowledge and skills students need in English language arts and mathematics at each grade level to ultimately be prepared to graduate college and career ready.

Hooray for Common Language!!!

MoralLessonBig IdeaMain IdeaGoalLife Lesson

Theme

“Gezzinta Numbers”

The Common Core establishes a common academic language that all teachers should be using. MAPs also measure their ability to recognize and use this academic language. Do NOT water it down! Use it often!!

Differentiation – WHEN should I do this?

• When you want to maximize student learning• When it is important that EVERY student learn

the skills or knowledge being taught.

Easiest Place to Start: Math and ELA

Hardest to Gain, Easiest to Lose

Okay, I’m Ready. How Do I Differentiate?

Taking into Consideration: • Student Readiness• Student Interest• Using Learning Styles

Differentiate the: • Task (what they’re doing)

• Support (how much you help)

• Outcome (the product)

You can and should use all three types!

Step One: Have a Game Plan!(What in the world am I teaching today??)

Whole Group

Instruction

Use this time to

Introduce a New Skill or

Concept

Small Group

Instruction

Create small flexible groups

to address skills or

reinforce concepts covered.

Ideas: • Have centers or student

activities designed for specific skills that are generic and can be applied to any “theme”.

• Create small manipulatives that students can use at their desk while they are waiting for the teacher – but make them tied to an area that they need to practice.

• For ELA focus on foundation skills for centers.

Step Two: Establish Procedure: (But I can’t. It’s just too chaotic.)

Establish routines. (Access that procedural memory!!!)

Make sure students know where to: • Find the activity• Find their materials.• Go when they’re done.

Materials located HERE!

Classroom Organization Helps

• Don’t waste time looking for materials – have them all available at your teacher stations.

• Move to the students, it saves time.

• Have specific areas for group work and independent work.

• Have determined areas for materials and activities for quick finishers.

Step Three: Know Your Students

( “How do I know who belongs in which group??”)

1. Plan Purposefully – Know which skill you want to address with each lesson, make sure it relates to the Common Core.

2. Keep a record of student MAP scores (try a checklist!).

3. Identify where their RIT score falls in relation to the skill you are covering.

Here’s an idea….

• Look at student MAP print out – focus on middle column.

• Develop activities and instruction based on this column.

• Make it easy on yourself – focus on skills that many students have in common. Let’s Take a Look…

Possible Ideas for this student (and others with similar RIT scores):Use a picture book of choice or one provided by the teacher: • read and make a list of 10 words that have the long a sound• Make a chart of words you find that have one, two, three and four syllables.• Choose ten words from the story, divide the word into syllables and write in

“chunks”.• Choose five words from the story that you don’t know, find them in the

dictionary. Write the definition.

Make Generic Task Cards with a Corresponding RIT Score.

Choose books based on that week’s Theme.

Now You Try…Using the MIDDLE column from your sample student:

Brainstorm THREE simple activities you could have the student do where they can independently practice a skill from that column.

Step Four: Determine the Groups

Should be flexible and based on that day’s skill or lesson.

Use your MAP checklist to determine where each student is.

Ideas for “Pre Made”

Groups

Step Five: Timing is Everything(But, I never seem to fit in all the kids!)

Time 15 Minutes 10 Minutes 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Teacher Activity

Introduce the new concept.    

Work with Group One. Reinforce concepts taught and check for understanding. Explain the activity carefully.

Spend time with Group Three.

Spend Time With Group Two.

Learner Activity

The whole class will listen, attend and contribute to the discussion.

Group One

 

Work with the Teacher in a Small Group

Small Group Activity OR Individual/Independent Practice based on new Concept

    Group Two

 

Small Group Activity OR Individual/Independent Practice based on new Concept  

Work with Teacher in a Small Group

    Group Three

 

Complete a short task based on concept taught OR Individual/Independent Practice based on new Concept

Work with the Teacher Complete a task based on the new information and practice with the teacher.

Step Six: Some Ideas to Try(I totally get this, now I need to make it my own…)

Follow me on Pinterest: Michelle Tucci (meadowfire76)

Organize activities based on theme.

Have generic activities that are Common Core based that can be applied to all themes.

SHARE!!!

Or by month…

More Ideas…

Don’t forget that you can also modify the outcome – let the task be open ended and everyone can respond to their own level…

More Ideas!

In bins

In folders

Use student MAP information to provide activities for specific

skills, put in folders or bins as a student’s “go

to” activities!

More Ideas…

Have a folder with each standard, put games,

activities and notes into each.

More Ideas!

Flexible Groups for Math based on that day’s skill.

Color coded student Names.

Corresponding dot to show where each group should be.

Can be used with any subject – easy to recognize and follow.

More Ideas!

Try with student names on popsicle sticks or index cards. Can help determine small groups for working the following day.

Consider Red/Yellow/Green for younger grades

Post AssessmentCheck for

Understanding

More Ideas…

Make Goals Visible!

Color Code questions or

tasks according to difficulty

Some helpful websites:

http://www.differentiatedkindergarten.com/

http://aplusfirsties.blogspot.com/

http://www.graphite.org/

Words of Wisdom

• Successful differentiation doesn’t happen overnight.

• Be confident in your knowledge of the skills required for your grade level and trust your instincts.

• NOT ALL subjects and activities need to be differentiated. BABY STEPS!

• Trust the children. Allow them time to commit the new system to their procedural memory.