TARGET AUDIENCE: Teachers 9-12, Special Educators
GOALS & OUTCOMES:
Once we clarify and can visualize the content and pacing variables within any mixed-level course (
the what of our curriculum) then we can select differentiation strategies and routines to help all students accomplish their learning goals by unit and by lesson (
the how of our curriculum).
To that end, participants will:
- Clarify what content is different for students working at each level in a mixed-level course and present those differences visually (see slides)
- Learn specific differentiation strategies and routines
- Plan lessons for an upcoming unit that incorporate differentiation strategies and classroom routines
DIFFERENTIATION TOPICS & MATERIALS:
We will lean heavily on Carol Ann Tomlinson's core principles of teaching in a differentiated classroom:
flexible grouping within an established community,
frequent assessment to enable targeted “just in time” help,
increased student choice, and the use of
anchor activities to prevent wasted time when students finish work at different speeds.
Participants will be provided with
readings about the purpose differentiation,
video footage of differentiation strategies/routines being used in classrooms, and
descriptions of specific differentiation strategies. Teachers will select an upcoming lesson and answer the DuFour’s core questions about it:
- What do I want my students to learn?
- How do I know if they learned it?
- What do I do if they did not learn it?
- What do I do if they did learn it?
Answering these questions will enable participants to select the differentiation strategies and routines that will work best in their classes.
Most importantly, teachers will have some work time to apply what they have learned.
One final thought, while learning about differentiation is essential for a mixed-level class it is also useful for single level classes because all classes are composed of students with a range of interests and abilities.
