joel
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Post by joel on Dec 3, 2015 22:23:27 GMT
Mark, I like your observation that teachers are constantly pressed for time. I agree that differentiation can provide a teacher more time in the classroom to focus on individual learning needs if students are actively engaged in learning. One of the things I find troubling about differentiated instruction is knowing when to pull the plug on it with small groups and bring the class back together as a whole. I think no matter how you plan it there will be some lag time between groups while they finish various tasks. In addition to this is the fact that while a teacher may have more time in the classroom they have probably invested more time into preparing for differentiated instruction so that everything runs smoothly. In that sense, there is no real time freed up and teachers are just as busy as ever.
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Post by paulette on Dec 4, 2015 0:45:32 GMT
1. I guess what I do for most of my students is in a way differentiating. I have students at all ability levels and so many needy areas. I like what the author said about start small and grow slowly, but grow. It takes a lot of time to make this work and when prep time is very limited, it is stressful. Everyone has come up with some great ideas, but I like the comment the author made about students' work as indicators of student need not marks in a grade book. Envision how an activity will look, how to begin, how it progresses, and how it should end. Organization and time are probably the two biggest factors on how successful you will be. Quality not quantity is what's important. Teaching students to work for quality is sometimes difficult. They always want to be the first ones done. And we definitely need a support system to make all this work by calling on colleagues, making principals partners, bringing parents aboard, and involving the community.
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Post by paulette on Dec 4, 2015 0:53:55 GMT
You have some great ideas, Brenda!
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Post by paulette on Dec 4, 2015 1:02:55 GMT
Differentiation. What an all inclusive educational term, and how do teachers make it all work? What I have learned so far, and made much more aware of is that differentiation certainly has its place in education and teachers that make an effort throughout the years "to reach" their students have used various forms of the process without even knowing they have been employing such a strategy. Strategies, various approaches, adaptations, etc, whatever it takes to make everything more meaningful and having a purpose is all related to differentiation. So far, what I have also found out is that most of the time teachers for far too long have been doing the "lions's share" of the work, and really activities should and must include more student driven processes. On that note though, I feel somewhat apprehensive on where we are going with all of this. Teachers still need to be the chief facilitators in the classroom. No doubt, lots of positives that I have been made more aware of, but practicality wise "Good Luck" in implementing all of it in a school where an instructor is responsible for 5-6 even 7 different classes daily. Throw in a couple of extra curricular duties with those classes, and time is the biggest factor to contend with. Finding time to plan and organize a whole lot of differentiation will be a major practical challenge to contend with involving multiple class preps. A school will also need a very understanding and open-minded administration to support consistent differentiation in the classroom to support all of the various educational strategies being employed. Not saying it doesn't have its place, because it certainly does. Especially in situations where an instructor may teach 4 sections of Earth Science for example Are the small schools all in accordance to make that leap of faith? Mark, I like the comment about teachers that make an effort throughout the years to reach their students have used various forms of strategies, approaches, and adaptations etc. is all related to differentiation. |
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tammy
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Post by tammy on Dec 4, 2015 21:51:56 GMT
One challenge I see to implementing differentiation is having the time to come up with different activities and getting things set up in different areas of the classroom. Letting go of some of the responsibility of decision making might be hard, too. As educators, we're so used to making the decisions for what is being taught and how. I think I would need support or reassurance in knowing that what I was doing was right and that my students were learning. Some support in coming up with ideas is probably also going to be needed. I think we actually have a lot of resources and experts in our school that we don't use because we're either afraid to ask others for help or feel like we would be bothering them. Most of us are willing to help others (it's why we chose this profession), we just need to be asked. I think collaboration is the key.
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tammy
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Post by tammy on Dec 4, 2015 22:03:19 GMT
I agree with you, Brenda. It's hard to know for sure which students are going to struggle until you start an activity/lesson. I don't like to make assumptions about students either. Sometimes the one that you think will struggle can handle it and the one you think will breeze through an assignment is the one who has a harder time.
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tammy
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Post by tammy on Dec 4, 2015 22:07:18 GMT
1. I guess what I do for most of my students is in a way differentiating. I have students at all ability levels and so many needy areas. I like what the author said about start small and grow slowly, but grow. It takes a lot of time to make this work and when prep time is very limited, it is stressful. Everyone has come up with some great ideas, but I like the comment the author made about students' work as indicators of student need not marks in a grade book. Envision how an activity will look, how to begin, how it progresses, and how it should end. Organization and time are probably the two biggest factors on how successful you will be. Quality not quantity is what's important. Teaching students to work for quality is sometimes difficult. They always want to be the first ones done. And we definitely need a support system to make all this work by calling on colleagues, making principals partners, bringing parents aboard, and involving the community. Start small and grow slowly - how true! I think sometimes we think we have to do it all at once and then become stressed out because there isn't the time to do it all well. |
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Post by cyarndt on Dec 5, 2015 3:35:57 GMT
Answer the following questions and respond to two colleagues. 1. Reflect on what you've learned about differentiation so far. What practical challenges do you see to implementing differentiated approaches? What supports might you need and where do might you find resources? I have learned more practical applications for differentiation and more about what to differentiate and how depending on what the teacher's expected outcome is and where the students' understandings are. As I work with small groups of students for short periods of time or on an individual basis in scripted interventions, I wonder how differentiated instruction would look in those settings. I would love to do projects with the general education teachers in developing lessons for their target skill and then decide how to differentiate for my level of students. There are so many quality resources available online! When working with Loren, we got names of websites for using research based interventions or finding the validity of various programs or strategies in classroom instruction. I have found resources for differentiation that I would love to try! I think I would also like more time to implement some of these strategies! |
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Post by cyarndt on Dec 5, 2015 3:39:49 GMT
Answer the following questions and respond to two colleagues. 1. Reflect on what you've learned about differentiation so far. What practical challenges do you see to implementing differentiated approaches? What supports might you need and where do might you find resources? Chapter 9 1. What I have learned about differentiation has been great! Both the quality and quantity has been great! It can seem a bit overwhelming thinking I need to be differentiating all of the time. Well, two things from Chapter 2 have stuck with me. They are on p. 21: "It makes sense to modify a curricular element only when (1) there is a student need for doing so and (2) you have reason to believe the modification increases the likelihood that learners will understand important ideas and use important sills more thoroughly." There are certain tasks that I have students do that I know some will have major problems with even before we start. Those are the tasks with which I should logically differentiate. However, how does a teacher know who is going to struggle? That is probably my biggest "hangup" with differentiation. I know that is where a lot of time is needed to assess readiness and interest, and to also look at the student learning profiles. Once a teacher identifies the need for differentiation, she must then decide how to differentiate for each individual student. It takes a lot of time, effort, and organization to do it well! I also think the many strategies presented are great, but they, also, seem very time consuming. In one of my answers to a previous question I stated that I was going to try to differentiate with a particular task I have the students to with the novel Shiloh. I spent some time deciding what I would ask each students to do based on their reading levels. I, also, spent some time redoing the task sheets for the students. I felt good about it going into the task, but when the task was completed I did not have quite the same feeling. I did not feel right about assuming that certain students would have difficulties with the task. I gave them an easier task. As I am trying to implement differentiated approaches into my classroom I see myself "getting into it" surely but slowly. Each year I would like to find more and more opportunities to differentiate. The book was really clear in explaining all of the different strategies and in presenting examples. I really think my biggest challenge is finding time to plan and organize for differentiation. I think identifying the need for differentiation is much easier. Just like I stated earlier. There are always those tasks that I know students will have problems with. Each time one of those tasks comes up I need to think about a differentiation strategy that would be appropriate to use. Even if the differentiation is not a perfect process like many of the examples from the book, I would at least like to do something to differentiate with the task. I can always continue to make it better with each successive year. I do not feel I need any specific supports at this time. However, as I begin the process of trying to implement differentiation into my classroom that might change. My greatest resource right now is the book I have been reading. I have also been looking online. I needed to get some other opinions and ideas about differentiation. There are many out there! I think differentiation will be like anything else. The more I try it, the easier it will be, and the more I will know just exactly when to use it. Brenda, I love your thoughts and ideas about differentiation! I agree that every lesson does not need to be differentiated. We only need to differentiated when there is a student need. I agree that there are many resources online! This is the 2nd book I have read on differentiation. The ideas are essentially the same, but the other author focused my on learner profiles. |
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Post by cyarndt on Dec 5, 2015 3:47:17 GMT
What I have learned about differential teaching is to use many different methods of teaching to meet the needs of all the different learning styles so more students can experience success. The practical challenges of implementing differentiated teaching would be the Chaotic and noisey atmosphere of the class as well as being pulled in so many directions at once. I feel that differentiated teaching is not a everyday 200 day/year teaching strategy but to be incorporated into different units of study. ie) Grammar. better being taught by the teacher. Some supports i may need would be help from the Resourse Teachers with students that have limited abilities and what is the best learning methods for them in my Classroom. Penny, when we are so used to having a quiet classroom, moving to a more group oriented center-based approach can definitely feel overwhelming! Reaching out to one another, resource room teachers, Title teachers, and other colleagues are a great source of help! I think we really feel isolated at times when we need time to connect with one another and collaborate on ideas. |
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Post by mtoepke on Dec 8, 2015 2:30:06 GMT
Some things that I have learned about differentiating are the following:
1. It's not easy and it is going to take some extra time and work. But if you can help even just one more student than your original lesson planned would have it will be worth it.
2. You don't always have to differentiate every single lesson individually. You may find a technique that the students like and incorporate that into more than one lesson.
3. Put the students first and try your best and meeting each individuals needs.
Some challenges I face are the following:
1. Differentiate enough so the ones that struggle can understand but not bore the ones that highly excel.
2. How to differentiate some lessons differently. Finding different techniques.
3. Getting some students to care more. And that may take me figuring out to show them more that I care more.
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Post by mtoepke on Dec 8, 2015 2:31:48 GMT
Science education has been moving towards an inquisitive approach to education for some time such as STEM programs and flipped classrooms. It's not that the old lecture method has no place because I believe it does, but I've always included labs where students conduct an experiment and then use that experiment to learn more about the science subject they are studying. Just recently, I flipped the order of instruction; instead of doing the lab after all the front loading I had the lab first and then used the lecture to emphasize what was going on. When people see a fireworks display, how many wonder how the pyrotechnic technicians get such pretty colors? In chemistry I had my students examine this through the flame test lab and then referred to the lab while teaching electron configuration. Honestly, I'm not sure how smooth everything went, but I'll try it again. That what i always remember about science classes, the Labs /hands on work. I enjoyed science the most when it involved the activity. So much easier to learn than just book info. I really like doing discovery based lessons and then reference to those why things worked the way they did when it comes to the actual lesson. |
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Post by mtoepke on Dec 8, 2015 2:32:36 GMT
l like what Don said at the end of the class evaluate yourself "Did I teach them or did I guide the them." We need to evaluate ourselves and did we do what we wanted to accomplish. I agree with this statement as well. I think sometimes teachers forget to reflect and I think that is one of the most important parts! |
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Post by marissao on Dec 13, 2015 21:05:41 GMT
I have learned that each student has their own learning style, which means teachers need to provide lessons that variety to meet each of those learning styles. One challenge I see when trying to implement differentiate approaches is having materials to meet each of my students' needs. Some supports I may need are from title for my low readers and I can find materials online to use for my low and high students.
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Post by marissao on Dec 13, 2015 21:07:00 GMT
What I have learned about differential teaching is to use many different methods of teaching to meet the needs of all the different learning styles so more students can experience success. The practical challenges of implementing differentiated teaching would be the Chaotic and noisey atmosphere of the class as well as being pulled in so many directions at once. I feel that differentiated teaching is not a everyday 200 day/year teaching strategy but to be incorporated into different units of study. ie) Grammar. better being taught by the teacher. Some supports i may need would be help from the Resourse Teachers with students that have limited abilities and what is the best learning methods for them in my Classroom. I agree that the chaotic and noisy atmosphere of the classroom can be a challenge when implementing differentiated teaching. |
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