The Journey of Differentiated Instruction Meeting the needs of ALL students Based on the Work of Carol Tomlinson, University of Virginia

The Journey of Differentiated Instruction

Meeting the needs of ALL studentsBased on the Work of Carol Tomlinson, University of

Virginia

DI Cadre

• Welcome and Introductions• Housekeeping• Materials and Agenda• Syllabus and Credit Option• Expectations- The Cadre and Today

KUDTeachers will Understand THAT:

• Differentiation is a way of thinking about teaching and learning that requires adherence to a system of guiding principles.

• The differentiated classroom is a place where the teacher leads the students in developing the attitudes, beliefs, and practices that characterize a supportive learning environment.

• Differentiation begins with defensible, clearly articulated curriculum and instruction that is continuously assessed.

• Working toward unit goals through challenging and engaging tasks leads to higher levels of student achievement, motivation and efficiency of learning for all students.

Teachers will Know: Teachers will Be Able to Do:• 5 non-negotiables• Key vocabulary of differentiation• How to utilize and teach to a KUD• Ways/When to differentiate for

readiness, learning profile, and interest

• Create and maintain a supportive learning environment

• Write and teach to solid KUDs• Develop assessments that aid in

planning instruction for student variance

• Plan and carry out respectful tasks

4 Corners Activity

• Favorite Reading Genre• Favorite Food• Years of Teaching• Leisure Activity

Differentiation Is a teacher’s response to learner’s

needsShaped by mindset & guided by general principles

of differentiation

Respectful tasks

Flexible grouping

On-going assessment

Teachers can differentiate through

Content Process Product Affect/Environment

According to students’

Readiness

Through a variety of instructional strategies such as:

RAFTS…Graphic Organizers…Scaffolding Reading…Cubing…Think-Tac-Toe…Learning Contracts…Tiering… Learning/Interest Centers… Independent Studies….Intelligence Preferences…Orbitals…

Complex Instruction…4MAT…Web Quests & Web Inquiry…ETC.

Quality Curriculum

Supportive LearningEnvironment

Interest Learning Profile

Characteristics of Effective Instruction

• Teaching for UnderstandingQuality Curriculum- this is the place from which DI begins

• Teaching for Learner DifferencesReadiness, Interest and Learning profile. Through content, process and product

• Student-Centered ClassroomsFlexible grouping. Respectful tasks. Supportive Learning Environment

• Assessment for LearningAssessing to Inform Instruction

• Rigorous & Relevant CurriculumHigh Quality Curriculum, Respectful Tasks, Interest

All done in a Supportive Learning Environment

What are Mindsets?

• Assumptions• Expectations• Beliefs

That guide our behavior and our interactions with others

A Case in Point

Carlos and LizaPage 18

Students’ Beliefs about Their Intelligence

Fixed Mindset:•Avoid learning situations if they might make mistakes.•Try to hide, rather the fix mistakes or deficiencies.•Decrease effort when confronted with challenge.

Growth Mindset:•Work to correct mistakes and deficiencies.•View effort as positive; increase effort when challenged.

Teacher Praise Influences Mindsets

Fixed: Praise refers to intelligence.Growth: Praise refers to effort, engagement, perseverance.

Learning Environment Implications

• See chart on page 28 of book.

Think Dot

Part 1• Roll the dice- answer the question of the number

you rolled.• After answering the question, other group

members respond to the question/answer.• Hand off dice to next person and repeat.Part 2• Choose the prompt that speaks to you and briefly

journal in response.

A Better Scenario

Carlos and LizaPage 35

Learning Environment Implications

• Refer back to chart of page 28.

Pulse Check

• Journal on your Idea Sheet possible changes to consider with regard to teacher and student mindsets.

• Write questions you still have about this component and place them on the parking lot.

KUD ConnectionsTeachers will Understand THAT:











Regroup! Seating Arrangement B

Content/Grade Level Group1. Math 2. Science 3. E/LA 4. E/LA 5. Social

StudiesEric Olson Cody LaKose

Jim EberleAnn Martin

Kris McGuireStaci MercadoKathy Cline

Molly GieseJeff MeyersSara RussellJoe Youngbauer

1. Identify Your KUD 2. List Unit PREREQUISITIES

3. Consider your STUDENTS & RESOURCES

Use this Information

to

4. Design your ASSESSMENTS

Use the results to

5. Plan RESPECTFUL TASKS and FLEXIBLE grouping arrangements

That are differentiated

through

Prod

uct

Unit Planning Guide

Adapted from Cindy Strickland ASCD

Proc

ess

Cont

ent

KUD and Iowa Core ConnectionYour KUD should encompass Iowa Core Standards or Essential Concepts & Skills. One KUD will address multiple Iowa Core Standards or Essential Concepts & Skills.

KUDs allow for the teacher to not only plan for differentiated lessons, but they set the stage for teachers to teach for understanding, both conceptual and procedural.

KUD RemindersUnderstand THAT Do (Skills)

“Big” Ideas

Essential Understandings

Theories

The “Point” of the topic

Transferable

What they do after

instruction, not

during class

Final OutcomesSkills of the

discipline

Know•Facts•Dates•Definitions•Rules•People•Places•Vocabulary•Information

2009 ASCD

Vocabulary: species, population, community, ecosystem, food chain

Photosynthesis is a process that involves transfer of energy

Every organism has a role to play in its ecosystem

Vocabulary: genetics, traits

Factors in an ecosystem that effect population size: (list out)

Basic genetic mechanisms that determine traits

Vocabulary: biotic, abiotic, adaptation, natural selection, variation

Ecosystem indicators involving biotic and abiotic factors

Students will understand that all living organisms are interdependent on one another for survival.

Students will understand that life cycles ensure the continuation of a species.

Students will understand that organisms adapt to changing environments in order to survive.

Demonstrate interdependence of organisms

Design and construct an ecosystem

Compare and contrast two ecosystems

KUD-Ecosystems & Populations

Group Evaluations

• Task- Evaluate various KUDs throughout the room using the rubric

• Directions-– Reflect silently about the section for which you

are responsible– Share out with group things that were noticed

about each section of the rubric and record– Decide as a group, a score for each section– Repeat at each poster

KUD Reminders• Purpose of a KUD

– A “roadmap” for planning instruction– First step in the unit planning cycle– Allows for a focus in not only knowledge and skill

pieces, but also essential understandings– Allows students to see the goals for the end of

instruction– As a way to engage students in conversations about

bigger, more conceptual ideas (i.e. Teaching for Understanding from the Iowa Core)

• KUDs are intended to be used FOR and WITH your students!!!

Tips for writing KUDs

• When defining “unit” think of “big rocks” of the discipline

• KUDs should stand apart from the text book or manual you use

• If working with a spiraling curriculum-your KUD is on the focus piece (this is your “big rock”), it will NOT include every piece within the “unit”

How to Connect Enacted to Intended

Your Turn

• Create a KUD you will teach from between our November and January sessions

• When you are looking at the rubric, your goal is to write a SOLID KUD that addresses the Iowa Core Content

• You may choose to work on your own or with a group

KUD ConnectionsTeachers will Understand THAT:














to


Use the results to



through

Prod

uct

Unit Planning Guide


Proc

ess

Cont

ent

Think About

Write about a time when the task you were asked to do was too hard or too easy…– How did you feel?– How did you act?

Addressing Readiness through Content, Process and Product

Defining Readiness:An individual’s current proximity to, or proficiency with, a specific set of knowledge, understanding, and skills designated as essential to a particular segment of study.

Differentiation and the Brain, Tomlinson and Sousa (2011)

Readiness VS. Ability

• Readiness seen as more malliable

• Readiness changes from topic to topic, skill to skill

• Focusing on readiness comes from a growth mindset

• Ability seems static-difficult to change

• Ability seen as permanent leads to fixed mindset if we believe ability = academic success

Why Address Student Readiness

It’s only when teachers… that students are really ready to learn

–Match tasks to a students’ current points of readiness

–Provide support for learning–Ensure appropriate practice for

mastery–Introduce new content

ZPDZone of Proximal Development

Too Easy On Target Too Hard

•I get it right away•I already know how•This is a cinch•I’m coasting•I’m bored•No effort necessary

•I know some things•I have to think•I have to work•I have to persist•I hit some walls•I’m on my toes•Effort leads to success

•I don’t know where to start•I can’t figure it out•I’m spinning my wheels•I’m missing key skills•Effort does not pay off

CAUTION

• Many students may struggle with fundamental skills, however, they understand content accurately and are keen thinkers.

• These students need scaffolding for reading, writing, following directions, etc, but are able to work with complex ideas as long as scaffolding is available

• Don’t allow one indicator to skew your understanding of a student’s capacity to make sense or, apply or transfer knowledge.

Collecting Student Readiness

• Preassessments (Informal and/or formal)• Formative Assessments (Informal and/or

formal)

Pulse Check

• On your Idea Sheet, what have you already seen this year in your students with regard to readiness?

• Write questions you still have about this component and place them on the parking lot.

What’s your passion?

Quick Write:Something you are passionate about

Why? What you do in the midst?

•Go back through your writing and highlight key words or phrases that are verbs (things that you are ‘doing’ in the midst of your passion)•Share with your table mates your passion and the words/phrases you had highlighted•Discuss similarities

Addressing Interest through Content, Process and Product

Defining Interest-A feeling or emotion that causes an individual to focus on or attend to something because it matters to that individual

Why Address Student Interest?

Attaching important content to student interests builds bridges and helps make connections between

TheStudent

Critical KnowledgeUnderstandingSkills

Student Interest

Attending to Student Interest

Does Suggest Does NOT Suggest• Interest recruits the brain’s attention

systems and stimulates cognitive involvement.

• Any group of students at a given time is likely to have both common and varied interests.

• When teachers know and address their students’ interests in the context of curriculum and instruction, students are more likely to engage with the content.

• Attention to student interests should focus on essential knowledge, understanding, and skills, not divert students from them.

• That a teacher should develop lessons that attend to all students’ interests all of the time.

• That a student’s interests are static.• That all lessons should be interest

focused.• That essential content take a back seat

to student interests.


2 ways to think about student interest

Teachers care about their students as individuals and try to identify student interests they bring to class.

Dynamic teachers try to create new interest in their students. Teacher’s passions may spark new interests in learners.

Collecting Student Interests

Student surveys/Interviews•Given at the beginning of a learning time •Possibly beginning a unit (for more topical interest) System of recording•Notes in student files•Notecards•ExcelPlease see pgs. 122-123 in Differentiation and the Brain

Pulse Check

• On your Idea Sheet, what have you already seen this year in your students with regard to interest?

• Write questions you still have about this component and place them on the parking lot

On the Line

Addressing Learning Profile through Content, Process and ProductDefining Learning Profile-An umbrella term that encompasses four aspects of how individuals learn, how they process what they need to learn, or how they think about, remember, and prefer to use what they learn” (Tomlinson, 1999, 2001)

In other words… how people “come at” learning

Why Address Student Learning Profile?

A match between how a student learns best in a particular context and how the teacher expects

the student to learn can make learning more efficient for the student.

Adapted from Differentiation and the Brain, Tomlinson, 2011

Learning Profile Components

Learning StylesCultureGender

Learner Intelligences

Learning Styles

• Lighter vs darker• Quiet vs noise

• Cooler vs warmer• Alone vs group

• Structured vs open-ended• Whole to part vs Part to whole

• Visual• Listening• Touching

Learning Styles

The belief that people learn differently and will learn more

efficiently when circumstances of learning match their particular

approaches to learning.

Culture

Western, middle-class teacher

Non-Western, non-Caucasion students

•Individual achievement•Independence•Praise•Cognitive skills •Expression of Feelings•Personal property•Parents take active roles

•Group achievement•Collaboration•Criticism•Social Skills•Silence as respect•Sharing•Parents don’t interfere

Culture

The belief that attitudes, values, norms, traditions and goals that

characterize a particular group affect how individuals “do school.”

Gender

SoundListeningMotionColors

FeelingsPhysical Risks

Teacher Affiliations

ConversationsStressTasks

ReadingSkill Sets

Differentiation and the Brain, 2011

Gender

The belief that there are some learning patterns that are

associated with males vs females.

Learner Intelligence

• Two major theorists- – Howard Gardner’s 8 Intelligences– Robert Sternberg’s 3 Intelligences

• Gardner’s Goal: Help educator’s understand both the presence and value of proposed intelligences

• Sternberg’s Goal: help students capitalize on their strength intelligence, but also get them to see that successful people draw on all

Intelligence Preferences

The belief that people work and grow through individual learning

intelligences at people have strengths in some areas.

Attending to Learning ProfileDoes Suggest Does NOT Suggest

• A one-size-fits-all approach to how people learn isn’t satisfactory.

• People seem to benefit from a range of approaches to teaching and learning.

• Teachers should strive to develop a repertoire of approaches to learning.

• Teachers should show students ways in which to evaluate things that do and do not work for them and their learning.

• Students should be tagged or labeled as a specific kind of learner.

• Teachers should give students choice in all aspects of learning profile all of the time.

* See chart on page 149


Collecting Learning Profile

Observations/Video taping•What preferences do you observe in your students? In yourself?Survey•Sternberg Survey (formal)•Gardner Survey (formal)•Create one about learning preferences

Please see pgs. 148-152 in Differentiation and the Brain

Pulse Check

• On your Idea Sheet, what have you already seen this year in your students with regard to learning profile?

• Write questions you still have about this component and place them on the parking lot

Processing Student Readiness, Interest, and Learning Profile

• Write the first word that comes to mind when you think about readiness, interest and learning profile (one word for each trait)

Choose one of the following:– As a group create a paragraph using all of the words to

explain the significance of addressing student variance through readiness, interest and learning profile.

– As a group, turn the top 5 key words into images and show their connection to the significance of addressing student variance through readiness, interest and learning profile.

– Which words have the most impact in your classrooms today for both teachers and students with regard to addressing student variance through readiness, interest and learning profile.

KUD Connections



As you are listening to the other groups share, make connections to their ideas and how they support the understandings above.

Learner Profile Card

Three of your passions in life.

Draw or describe a symbol that

represents you.

List your Sternberg

Intelligence.

How do you like to process information?Whole group, small group, individually?

List 2 additional pieces of Learner Profile

information that you’ve realized about yourself.




to


Use the results to



through

Prod

uct

Unit Planning Guide


Proc

ess

Cont

ent

“Assessment should always have

more to do with helping students

grow than with cataloging theirmistakes.”

Carol Tomlinson

Assessment in a Differentiated Classroom

• Assessment drives instruction. (Assessment information helps the teacher map next steps for varied learners and the class as a whole.)

• Assessment occurs consistently as the unit begins, throughout the unit and as the unit ends. (Pre-assessment, formative and summative assessment are regular parts of the teaching/learning cycle.)

• Teachers assess student readiness, interest and learning profile.

On-going Assessment:A Diagnostic Continuum

Preassessment(Finding Out)

Formative Assessment(Keeping Track & Checking -up)

Summative Assessment(Making sure)

Feedback and Goal Setting

Should not be graded and should be done weeks ahead of time

May or may not be graded and is done throughout the unit

Usually Graded and done after instruction

WHAT CAN BE ASSESSED?

Skills

Concepts

READINESS INTEREST LEARNINGPROFILE

ContentKnowledge

• Interest Surveys• Interest Centers• Self-Selection

• Areas of Strength and Weakness• Work Preferences• Self Awareness

KUD for Tree UnitVocabulary: seed, bud, blossom, flower, fruit, growth ring, canopy

Vocabulary: pollution, environment, shelter

Vocabulary: trunk, branches, leaves, roots, twig, needle, point, edge

Leaves have many different shapes

Vocabulary: habitat, season

Students will understand that all living things go through a change process which depends on having their basic needs met.

Students will understand that plants and animals are dependent on each other.

Students will understand that parts make up a whole.

Students will understand that weather affects habitats.

Identify basic needs for all living things

Sequence the life cycle of a tree

Describe ways to take care of trees and explain why it is important

Identify cause/effect relationship of trees and people/animals

Identify parts of a tree and describe the function of each part.

Sort leaves based on observable characteristics

Recognize similarities/ differences in leaves.

Sort trees and its parts by season

Pre-assessment for Tree UnitKindergarten

1. 2.

3. 4.

Answer the 4 questions, by sorting the picture notecards into the numbered pile using the

placemat provided.

1.Please put all the cards that show a part of a tree in pile number one.2.Which cards show what a tree needs in order to grow?3.Which cards show what can grow from a tree?4.Which cards show what a tree might look like in the winter, fall, spring, and summer in our town?

KUD for Telling Time UnitStudents will Understand THAT:

• We use time to help us determine when to do things and when things occur

• Time is measured in various ways

Students will Know: Students will Be Able to Do:• Increments of time• Different hands of a clock• Key vocabulary• How to read a clock• Tools to measure time

• Read a clock and identify the time that is indicated

• Explain the reasons why we use clocks

• Describe different ways in which we determine time

KUD for Civil Rights Unit Students will Understand THAT:

• When beliefs clash, conflict often occurs.• Individuals or events can create key turning points in history.

Students will Know: Students will Be Able to Do:• Brown vs. board of education• Bill of Rights • Amendments to the Constitution• Current Topics in Civil Rights• Leaders in Movements for Civil Rights• Reasons for Civil Rights

• Describe how amendments were adopted

• Defend your stance on current civil issues

• Explain the need for the Bill of Rights

Directions: Complete the chart to show what you know about Civil Rights.

Write as much as you can.

Definition Information

Examples Non-ExamplesCivil Rights

Pre-assessment for Civil Rights Unit-High School Level

KUD for Ecosystems & Populations

Vocabulary and Characteristics of: species, population, community, ecosystem, food chains, food webs, producer, consumer, decomposer, photosynthesis

Vocabulary: limiting factor, abiotic, biotic

Factors in an ecosystem that contribute to population size: (abiotic)-space, climate changes; (biotic)-disease, age, injury, lack of food

Different types and characteristics of ecosystems

Vocabulary: adaptation, feature, genetics, traits, variation, heredity, genes,punnett square, chromosomes, genotype, phenotype, dominant, recessive, natural selection

Process for determining genetic make-up of a species

Students will understand that all living organisms are interdependent on one another for survival.

Students will understand that ecosystems consist of species that evolved in response to a changing environment.

Demonstrate energy flow in an ecosystem

Describe the relationships between all factors within an ecosystem

Predict continuation of a species based on evidence

Pre-assessment for Ecosystems & Populations-8th grade

1. Define ecosystem2. What factors can cause an ecosystem to change and what effect does a changing ecosystem have on species that live within that ecosystem?3. Describe how individual organisms are dependent and/or independent on each other? Feel free to write and/or draw to help explain your thinking.

Your Turn

• Based on your KUD, create a preassessment that would allow you to determine if/where various levels of readiness occur

• Optional: Include questions to gain information about student interest and learning profile

* If you choose not to include interest/learning profile questions, plan another way to gather that data

KUD Connections

What are the implications for students AND teachers if preassessment is not included?

–Text 390556 and your message to 37607 OR

–Submit 390556 and your message to http://pollev.com

November 17th Expectations

• Finish KUD and Pre-Assessment for a unit that will be started shortly after November 17

• Administer Pre-Assessment and score • Gather student interest and learning profile

data and compile• Meet with your DI Cadre coach at your school

twice. Your coach will be looking for:– Supportive Learning Environment– Explicit student/teacher interaction with the KUD

Documents

The Journey of Differentiated Instruction Meeting the needs of ALL students Based on the Work of Carol Tomlinson, University of Virginia