Differentiated Instruction

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Math RAFT
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Readiness Writing RAFT

• Students are assigned a set of choices based on
  preassessed skill levels in sequencing and
  writing. Ggrade level or Aadvanced level
• Within a skill level, students still have some
  learning style or interest based choices through
  format options. Levels would NOT be seen by the
  students.
• Know sequence, pace
• Understand Seeing events in a logical order
• Do Place items in order of occurrence
• write with accuracy
  completeness

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Possible Ideas for a RAFTChoose ideas that
advance the learning goals.
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Possible RAFT Formats to Differentiate by
Learning Modality
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Differentiating a RAFT by Readiness(Teacher
assigns RAFT or choices of RAFTs based on
students reading, writing or performance levels)

• Roles/Audience
• Well-known people or charters to lesser known
• Basic essential items (vocabulary, inventions,
  elements, etc.) to more esoteric items
• Easier to understand point-of-view to more
  intangible perspective
• Formats (while offering choices to students)
• Shorter to longer (in prep, process or
  presentation)
• More familiar to more unfamiliar formats
• Single step to multiple steps

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Differentiating a RAFT by Readiness(continued)

• Topics
• Easier to interpret to more sophisticated
• Concrete literal to more abstract response
• More structured to more open-ended
• Small leap in insight application to larger
  leap

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Analyzing a RAFT Lesson

• What are the learning goals for this lesson and
  are they built into every choice?
• How is this RAFT being differentiated?
• Does it appeal to different learning styles?
• Is there a range of difficulty in the
• Roles?
• Formats?
• Readiness levels?
• Do the roles, formats or topics appeal to a
  variety of interests?

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Learning
Contract
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• Learning Contract
• Agreement between teacher and student(s)
• Certain freedoms granted in return for production
  of specific work
• Largely teacher-directed teacher sets completion
  date and check-in requirements
• Assignments are based on pre-assessment of
  students readiness or interest

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• Contract Agreement
• Teacher agrees to let students have freedom to
  plan their time
• Students agree to use the time responsibly
• Guidelines for working are spelled out
• Consequences for ineffective use of freedom are
  delineated
• Signatures of the teacher and student are placed
  on the agreement

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Benefits of Learning Contracts

• Gives students control over work
• Gives students choice about presentation options
• Can be tiered so that challenge levels of the
  problems, texts, or skills practiced are suitable
  for each student

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Learning Contract Considerations

• Motivational tool for students
• Should be offered to many, not just one person
• Can work with gifted or special needs students
• Must establish clear expectations

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Learning Contract Considerations

• Assumes it is the teachers responsibility to
  specify important learnings and make sure
  students acquire them
• Assumes students can take on some responsibility
  for learning themselves
• Delineates skills that need to be practiced and
  mastered
• Ensures that student will apply or use those
  skills in context

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Learning Contract Considerations

• Specifies working conditions to which students
  must adhere during the contract time
• Student behavior
• Time constraints
• Homework and class work expectations
• Establishes criteria for successful completion
  and quality of work

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Learning Contract Considerations

• Sets positive consequences when student adheres
  to working conditions, e.g. continued freedoms,
  privileges, grades
• Sets negative consequences if student does not
  adhere to working conditions, e.g. teacher sets
  working parameters and makes assignments
  

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Grading Contract Guidelines

• Offer students differentiated criteria for
  obtaining an A, B, C, or D. Possible Options for
  Contract Choices
• Successfully completes one of four options. (unit
  test, independent project, differentiated
  activities, etc.)
• Successfully completes two of the four options.
• Successfully completes three of the four options.
• Successfully completes all four of the options.

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I WANT TO KNOW
Name_________________ My question or topic
is_______________________ To find out about it,
I will
I will listen to_____
I will read ___
I will draw _____
I will need _____
I will look at_____
I will write ____
How I will share what I learned
is_________ __________________
I will finish by_____________
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Friendships Shape Up!

• Choose an activity from each shape group. Cut
  out your three choices and glue them below. You
  are responsible for finishing these activities
  by____________. Have fun!

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Make a poster adver- tising yourself as a
good friend. Use words and pictures to help
make people want to be your friend. Make sure
your name is an important part of the poster.
Make a 2-sided circle- rama. Use it to tell
people what makes you a good friend. Use
pictures and words. Make sure your name is an
important part of the display.
Make a mobile that shows what makes you a good
friend. Use pictures and words to hang on your
mobile. Write your name on the top of the mobile
in beautiful letters.
Meet with me and tell me about a problem and
solution from the Story. Then tell me a problem
You had and how you solved it.
Get with a friend and make a puppet show about
a problem and the solution in your book.
Get with a friend and act out a problem and
solution from your book.
Draw a picture of a problem in the story. Then
use words to tell about the problem and how
the characters solved the problem.
Write a letter to one Of the characters in your
book. Tell them about a problem you have. Then
have them write back with a solution to your
problem.
Think about another problem one of the
characters in your book might have. Write a new
story for the book about the problem and tell how
It was solved.
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Cubing
ubing
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• Cubing is a great way to differentiate
  instruction based on student interest and
  readiness. A cube includes six faces with a
  different activity on each. The student rolls
  the cube and the face that points up becomes a
  task for the student to complete.

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Creating Cubing Exercises

• Start by deciding which part of your unit lends
  itself to optional activities.
• What concepts can you create a cube for?
• Can you make cubes for different interests,
  levels or topics?

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Step 1 Cubing

• Write 6 questions that ask for
• information in a selected unit
• Design different levels of questions
• using Bloom, intelligence levels, etc.
• that probe the unit
• Keep one question opinion based, no
• right or wrong

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Step 2, Cubing

• Design the first cube as your average
• Design two more one higher and one
• lower
• All cubes need to cover the same type
• of questions
• Label the cubes so you know the
• levels
• Ask a colleague if they can tell which is
• high, medium or low. If not, adjust.

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Step 3 Cubing

• Remember to have one easy and one hard side for
  each cube
• Color code the cubes for easy identification
• Decide the rules in advance.
• Do the students have to do all six sides?
• Will they role and select four sides?
• Do any 2 questions on three cubes?

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Cubing

• Describe it Look at the subject closely,
  perhaps with your senses as well as your mind
• Compare it What is it similar to? What is it
  different from?
• Associate it What does it make you think of?
• Analyze it Tel how it is made. What are its
  traits and attributes?
• Apply it How can it be used?
• Argue for or against it Take a stand. Use
  reasoning to explain

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Ideas for Cubing in Math

• Describe how you would solve
• Analyze how this problem helps us use
  mathematical thinking and problem solving
• Compare and contrast this problem to one on page
• Demonstrate how this problem could be useful in
  work or real life
• Create an interesting and challenging word
  problem from the number problem
• Diagram or illustrate the solution to the
  problem. Interpret the visual so we understand
  it.

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Grading in a Differentiated Classroom

• Clearly communicate standards that are being used
• Clearly delineate separate grades
• For growth (changes in learning)
• For achievement relative to standards of
  performance
• For habits of mind and work
• Student voices are needed
• Grades are never used to punish

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3 Ps of Grading and Reporting
Achievement based on criteria and
performance standards
Work habits Effort Attitude
Process
Performance
Progress
Improvement
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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Have a strong rationale for differentiating
  instruction based on student readiness, interest
  and learning profile
• Underlying assumption Teacher knows each student

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Begin differentiating at a pace that is
  comfortable for you.
• Underlying assumption You will start!

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Time differentiated activities to support student
  success
• Tasks should be shorter than the attention span
  of the students who work on the task
• Advanced learners may need more time
• Goal Over time students will be able to sustain
  group and independent tasks longer

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Use an anchor activity to free you up to focus
  your attention on your students.
• Productive use of students and teachers time
• Students must be taught to work quietly and
  independently
• Assumption Teacher has planned anchor
  activities in advance

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Create and deliver instructions carefully
• Prepare task cards or assignment sheets
• Give clear expectations for movement etc.
• Give directions to a few responsible students,
  who share them with others
• Specify a time limit for movement and activities
• Anticipate problems
• Assumption Teacher and student preparation
• is required

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Assign students into groups or seating areas
  smoothly
• Dont waste time calling names
• List names by color on an overhead, wall chart,
  peg-boards etc.

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Have a home base for students.
• Beginning and ending a class with a set place for
  students helps with organization and materials
• In high school, it allows for taking attendance
  without a roll call.

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Be sure students have a plan for getting help
  when youre busy with another student or group
• Ask 3 before you come to me
• Expert of the day
• Ask a peer
• Assumption Its never OK to sit and do nothing
• while waiting for help.

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Minimize noise
• Work on students working quietly with peers
• Teach students to talk quietly or whisper
• Practice how to move quietly around the room
• Use a signal to lower the noise level, e.g.
  lights flickering
• Set up a section of the room for those easily
  distracted by noise or use head phones or ear
  plugs

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Make a plan for students to turn in work
• Use an expert of the day to see if work is
  complete and of good quality before being turned
  in
• Be organized have a place for work to be
  submitted, e.g. folder, bin etc.

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Research shows that the average person spends 150
hours each year looking for misplaced items.
Barbara Hemphill Time Management Expert
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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Teach students to rearrange the furniture
• Draw 3-4 floor plans and teach students to move
  furniture to match the plan
• Clarify expectations and purpose of the
  arrangement, how it will help their work

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Minimize stray movement
• Designate a gopher for each work group
• Determine in advance the structure you want to
  encourage productivity

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Promote on-task behavior
• Let students know you will be checking daily to
  see how they are using their time
• Note those working with extra concentration and
  put a by their names
• Note those having a difficult time staying on
  task and put a by their names
• (Track students over time. Share results -.
  Revise groups, seating arrangement or assignments
  as necessary.)

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Have a plan for quick finishers
• If the same students consistently complete work
  with competence, tasks are insufficiently
  challenging
• If the students goal is to be finished first,
  encourage superior work vs. speed
• Develop anchor activities

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Make a plan for calling a halt
• Provide advanced warning
• Provide alternative homework assignments,
  learning contract or an anchor activity for those
  who or advanced or behind when the group as a
  whole moves on

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Give your students as much responsibility for
  their learning as possible. Foster independence
  by having students
• Pass out materials
• Move furniture for group work
• Keep records of own work
• Chart progress toward established goals
• Critique one anothers work
• Help design some of their own tasks
• Having them make suggestions for smoother
  classroom operation.

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The Basics for Managing a Differentiated Classroom

• Engage students in talking about classroom
  procedures and group process
• Think aloud about your thinking
• Develop ownership of the classroom
• Have ongoing conversations about what is being
  experienced individually and collectively
• (Students can often spot problems and develop
  solutions before the teacher can)

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Essential Principles ofDifferentiation

• Principle 1 Good curriculum comes first
• Principle 2 All tasks should be respectful of
  each learner
• Principle 3 When in doubt, teach up!
• Principle 4 Use flexible grouping
• Principle 5 Become an assessment junkie
• Principle 6 Grade for growth

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Please remember these two difficult truths of
teaching

• No matter how much you do, youll feel its not
  enough.
• Just because you can only do a little is not an
  excuse to do nothing.
• Susan Ohanian

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What are your burning questions about
Differentiated Instruction?
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Evaluations

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