What is Differentiated Instruction

What is Differentiated Instruction? : 

What is Differentiated Instruction? The answer is very simple, and complex, but in a simple approach.?!

Slide 2: 

Differentiated Instruction is an instructional concept that maximizes learning for ALL students—regardless of skill level or background. It's based on the fact that in a typical classroom, students vary in their academic abilities, learning styles, personalities, interests, background knowledge and experiences, and levels of motivation for learning. When a teacher differentiates instruction, he or she uses the best teaching practices and strategies to create different pathways that respond to the needs of diverse learners.

All that to say……. : 

It is meeting kids where they are at. Looking at what works for kids. Get outside of your box and then kick it off a cliff and blow it into a million pieces. DI is about making your classroom a place that meets the needs of each student. It goes beyond Special Education to make Education Special. (I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s true) All that to say…….

The Mindset for DI : 

The Mindset for DI What we teach is irrelevant. It's what students carry forward after their time with us that matters. Rick Wormeli NBCT (He also said what is fair is not always equal)

Downsides….. : 

Downsides….. DI is hard work! Takes more work on your part. Require you to bring more technology into your curriculum. Your curriculum needs to become fluid. Be ready for anything. BUT…..

Slide 6: 

If you commit to implementing some of the DI strategies, your classroom will become a more constructive environment in which your students will work to create their own education. DI places the focus for education on the student.

DI Strategies : 

DI Strategies Encourage the use of erasable-ink pens for students who tend to "camp out" at the pencil sharpener. (but understand sometimes the trip to the sharpener is a necessary break) Minimize or eliminate board/chart copying and textbooks transferring for discouraged learners and those with visual problems. Provide challenging goals and effective feedback.

Classroom Environment Tips : 

Classroom Environment Tips Play brain-friendly background music to calm and quiet students. Manage the music with a remote control. Use music to calmly transition students from one subject area/activity to another. Use a chime, soft bell, clicker, train whistle, kazoo, etc. to summon your students attention.

Slide 9: 

An expression is worth a thousand words! Use gestures, actions, facial expressions, etc, to reinforce your words. Daily meet and greet students upon their arrival in the classroom as well as at their departure in the PM.

Podcasting : 

Podcasting Here is a very simple explanation. Podcasting in Plain English Multiple uses within the classroom. Provide the opportunity for students to access directions again or lessons they have missed ITunes U- Recorded lectures and videos provided by top universities. (Bring experts into your classroom) Accessing Podcasts

Blogging : 

Blogging Many uses both academic and personal. Classroom information dissemination. http://www.kcmsredtigers.blogspot.com

Wiki / PBworks : 

Wiki / PBworks Operates like a web page. Can be opened to many different users. Here’s how I roll…

Teaching Boys : 

Teaching Boys Picture a student. How many of you pictured a boy? Let’s look at the data.

Teaching Boys : 

Teaching Boys What does the data tell us? For every 100 girls enrolled in Kindergarten 116 boys are enrolled For every 100 girls graduating from gr.12 96 boys graduate For every 100 girls diagnosed with a learning disability 276 boys diagnosed. Provided by: Rick Berry How to Teach Boys So They Learn

Teaching Boys : 

Teaching Boys For every 100 women enrolled in college 77 men (Scary Data) 100 girls (15-19) who commit suicide 549 boys 100 women (20 -24) who commit suicide 624 men 100 women in correctional facilities (15 -17) 837 boys behind bars Provided by: Rick Berry How to Teach Boys So They Learn

Teaching Boys : 

Teaching Boys Male brains are more centralized or compartmentalized. A centralized or compartmentalized brain performs better when presented with one activity at a time. What implications does this have for the classroom. Provided by: Rick Berry How to Teach Boys So They Learn

Teaching Boys : 

Teaching Boys Girls hearing 2 to 4 times better. Boys hear better out of 1 ear while girls hear equally well from both ears and males listen and process language with only the left hemisphere of the brain. What implications does this have in your classrooms? Provided by: Rick Berry How to Teach Boys So They Learn

Slide 18: 

Boys’ brains go into rest state many times a day. The male brain renews and reorients itself by zoning out. (70% shut down, girls 10%) What implications does this have on your classrooms? Boys need down time and you need to hook them at the beginning Provided by: Rick Berry How to Teach Boys So They Learn

Slide 19: 

Boys frequently use movement to stimulate their brain stem to stay attending to a task. Movement to kick start the corpus callosum What implications does this have on your classroom. Taking away recess! Provide movement activity breaks Provided by: Rick Berry How to Teach Boys So They Learn

Where are we going wrong? : 

Where are we going wrong? Not letting boys be boys Asking boys to behave in ways they are not prepared developmentally to do (sit still, be quiet, look at me, use fine motor skills to learn to write) Expecting boys to learn by listening and watching. Teachers need to talk less with boys. Mistaking high energy or the need to move as ADHD Not allowing enough processing time Our classrooms are a better fit for the verbal-emotive, sit-still, take-notes, multitasking person A girl! Rather than the impulsive, single-task focused, aggressive, spatial-kinesthetic learner – a boy! Provided by: Rick Berry How to Teach Boys So They Learn

Teaching Boys : 

Teaching Boys Take a second and think of ways you might have been “wronging” your boys. How might you fix this? Can we do this in mixed gender classrooms? Exercise balls. Standing Other ideas? Provided by: Rick Berry How to Teach Boys So They Learn

Summing it up : 

Summing it up Giving the students the benefit of the doubt. Decide what we really want to assess. Are we being fair or equal?