# data[].attributes.body
At my middle school the a lot of the teachers differentiate instruction. Our principal talks about DI and helps to teach our teachers how to DI. I team teach math with three awesome gen ed teacher as well as two language arts classes with another awesome teacher. All four of them DI and as a collaborative teacher I help them find ways to help our students.
If a student doesn't learn what you teach you should change the way you taught the skill because apparently they do not learn the way you taught it the first time. Or maybe you should scaffold the skill because it may have been too much for them to grasp all at one time.

If there is any area that I think my school could do better as far as DI is concerned it would be for all of the teachers to DI and truly understand how to do it. We do offer a before school program as well as a after school program to give extra help in our students areas of needs. Every teacher in our building donates their time to help students understand skills in their deficit area. These programs are truly great programs.

# data[].attributes.body
·         I learned different ways to group students based on readiness, interest, and learning styles.

·         Learner profiles were discussed in one of the readings and I feel it is very important to get to know your students.

·          I really liked the concept map for differentiating instruction provided in the reading.

# data[].attributes.body
Ok so after reading the articles I rearranged my groups to include at least one student "who almost always gets it" with one who "almost never gets it." Then I tries to place the others strategically so that they could each help one another out. I specially told the leaders of the group that they needed to check the ones who had trouble and see if they could help them.
I thought this would help me reteach those students that I cannot always get to and would help those stronger students in the work by having to 'teach' it to the others.
What do you think?

# data[].attributes.headline
What I liked about what I read this week:

# data[].attributes.subject
What I liked about what I read this week:

# data[].attributes.body
* In a flexibly grouped classroom, a teacher plans student working arrangements that vary widely and purposefully over a relatively short period of time.
My Thoughts: Sounds easier than it really is.

* “With so many groups to teach, instructors found it almost impossible to provide sustained, properly executed lessons for every child or group and in a single class period.
My Thoughts: Yes, yes and yes. So how can I meet all these needs. Or do I just teach the best I can to the majority of the class.

* The goal of a differentiated classroom is maximum student growth and individual success.

My thoughts: I need training in this. I also wish that more teachers would share their successes or failures with me so that I may learn.

*However, when an entire class moves forward to study new skills and concepts without any individual adjustments in time or support, some students are doomed to fail.
My thoughts: I hate it but that is so true. It is almost impossible to meet all the individual demands.

# data[].attributes.headline
Jack's Struggle: Ok so I think my school from what I can tell does a good job of 
trying to do many things to help reach all their students. I am finding 
it difficult to keep up. Just to let you know about my classroom. I 
serve 50 students in all. About 17 of them are Hispanic, 18 African 
American and about 15 white. Out of those 50 4 are gifted, and I would 
think about 15 are receiving special ed services. I have around 12 that 
are ESL. So to call my classroom diverse would be an understatement. Now
 of the 50 that I serve 6 are extremely low. I would say 2nd grade or 
below in many areas. So it is a challege to try and meet all their 
needs. I would say that my most challenging area for our school is how 
to allow these low special ed student to only be pulled during history 
or science. Our principle likes them to be in our room for their core 
(Math, Reading, Language Arts) instruction. The only problem is that to 
be very honest with you there is no way some of them who are on 3nd or 
4rd grade level can get fractions or long division - a 5th grade 
standard. So how can I teach those who cannot get it while trying to 
meet the needs of the vast majority who must get it? Hard to say the 
least which is why I am trying this course out. Any suggestions?? BTY - this is a very difficult school as well in terms of behavior, so much so that we have a In School Suspenion Teacher. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Jack's Struggle: Ok so I think my school from what I can tell does a good job of 
trying to do many things to help reach all their students. I am finding 
it difficult to keep up. Just to let you know about my classroom. I 
serve 50 students in all. About 17 of them are Hispanic, 18 African 
American and about 15 white. Out of those 50 4 are gifted, and I would 
think about 15 are receiving special ed services. I have around 12 that 
are ESL. So to call my classroom diverse would be an understatement. Now
 of the 50 that I serve 6 are extremely low. I would say 2nd grade or 
below in many areas. So it is a challege to try and meet all their 
needs. I would say that my most challenging area for our school is how 
to allow these low special ed student to only be pulled during history 
or science. Our principle likes them to be in our room for their core 
(Math, Reading, Language Arts) instruction. The only problem is that to 
be very honest with you there is no way some of them who are on 3nd or 
4rd grade level can get fractions or long division - a 5th grade 
standard. So how can I teach those who cannot get it while trying to 
meet the needs of the vast majority who must get it? Hard to say the 
least which is why I am trying this course out. Any suggestions?? BTY - this is a very difficult school as well in terms of behavior, so much so that we have a In School Suspenion Teacher. 

# data[].attributes.body
I learned that differentiation instruction is not just catering to varied modalities. Instead, differentiating instruction is a conglomeration of factors that relate specifically to a particular student, not necessarily focusing on their deficits but highlighting their proficiency.

# data[].attributes.body
I have learned that differentiating instruction is an evolving pedagogy. I have long understood that differentiating instruction is a highly effective practice but was not cognizant of the non utilization of differentiating instruction being considered education malpractice. I believe that the term malpractice signifies that an injustice is occurring within a childs education if an educator does not implement differentiated instruction practices.

Tiffany Cargill

# data[].attributes.body
Teachers who practice differentiation in the classroom may:

Design lessons based on students’ learning styles.

Group students by shared interest, topic or ability for assignments.

Assess students’ learning using formative assessment.

Manage the classroom to create a safe and supportive environment.

Continually assess and adjust lesson content to meet students’ needs.

# data[].attributes.headline
Regina Hill                       In reading the material I could see that I have the right ideas about differentiated instruction but I don't think it is always easy.  There were tips on ways to start that were things that definitely need to be addressed. They included accessing the students accurately and accessing them continually.  I felt like when I taught that I was given a Plan for the student for me to read and was told to follow it and that was it.  Sometimes the special education teacher would offer to help with a test but I felt like they just told them the answers and they students knew this would happen and they knew they did not have to try.

# data[].attributes.subject
Regina Hill                       In reading the material I could see that I have the right ideas about differentiated instruction but I don't think it is always easy.  There were tips on ways to start that were things that definitely need to be addressed. They included accessing the students accurately and accessing them continually.  I felt like when I taught that I was given a Plan for the student for me to read and was told to follow it and that was it.  Sometimes the special education teacher would offer to help with a test but I felt like they just told them the answers and they students knew this would happen and they knew they did not have to try.

# data[].attributes.body
I have lots of friends that have special needs children and there is a special place in my heart for them but I definitely think that always being put in a normal classroom setting may not be the answer.

# data[].attributes.body
I just discovered that I used many components of Tiers to present my lessons in Physics. The lecture and class discussion would be geared to everyone, but basic concepts were emphasized. The students were put into groups to continue discussion and work problems. Although I never used separate worksheets, they all began with the very basics and moved on to quite complex. My goal was to take a student where I found them and then make them the best they could be in terms of my class.

# data[].attributes.headline
I found it interesting when I read that one key point of differentiation is teacher/student collaboration. I realize this is something that occurs naturally for most, but I never thought about it in those terms. Students are a key part of their own learning. They must communicate their needs in order to help us best differentiate their learning. 

# data[].attributes.subject
I found it interesting when I read that one key point of differentiation is teacher/student collaboration. I realize this is something that occurs naturally for most, but I never thought about it in those terms. Students are a key part of their own learning. They must communicate their needs in order to help us best differentiate their learning. 

# data[].attributes.body
Cortney Hyde

# data[].attributes.body
I learned that differentiated instruction is not just another term for teaching to accommodate various learning styles. According to Rick Wormeli, "It means...that we know our students well, and we successfully use that information to plan lessons to provide what each student needs to be successful." I learned that assessments are not the only things that should be modified. Teachers can modify content and activities, too.
I always felt bad about not challenging my gifted students in order to make sure that everyone could understand the material.  It is nice to know that it does not have to be that way. I like that differentiated instruction takes into account the whole student, including interests and readiness, and is not one-size-fits-all.  I hope to learn more about tiering and other strategies to differentiate lessons.

# data[].attributes.body
- Meet students where they are and assist them in building.
- Constantly varying DI implementation and learning strategies.
- Continuous assessment is a necessity. But varying the ways in which you assess is also key.

* I am constantly working on new techniques and strategies for learning (as I am a lifelong learner). Strategic variation is a wonderful and powerful thing!

* The 4MAT learning cycle is a great tool (for those who have not seen it in action). Visual aid is pictured below.

* By the way - I really like this padlet setup! I embrace the continuous need (especially my own) for visual and hands-on learning. This setup is like a really great idea board, where posting pictures and thoughts and discussion points are all part of a grand collage aiding in the grander learning scheme of things.*

# data[].attributes.headline
Encouragement and Downfalls by Susie Rogers

# data[].attributes.subject
Encouragement and Downfalls by Susie Rogers

# data[].attributes.body
Ms. Fletcher, I do not know what a padlet is, and am confused as to why we need to post on another website. Can  you please give me more detail and/or clarification? Thank you.

To answer the question for this week, I think my school does a great job (school-wide and classroom to classroom) of meeting the individual student's needs academically, socially, and emotionally. Our motto is to reach every student at their level and to promote success in the classroom and in their social surroundings. Most of my students have a learning or behavioral disability, and reaching them daily is a rewarding struggle (a term I think most teachers can relate to). Differentiated instruction in my classroom looks like: giving individual lessons to students and phrasing material in a way that reaches them, grouping students together in teams that promote the best encouraging atmosphere and elevated cognitive growth, and allowing students to engage in certain behaviors throughout the day that would not perhaps be allowed in the traditional classroom, but that supports the learning process (like using gross and fine motor movements at any time of the day to express anger, excitement, or the need to just move). For these reasons, I believe Maria Montessori's method reaches the needs of each child, because her focus was to cater to each student in the slums of Italy during WWI. She was enlisted by the Italian government to create an educational atmosphere that would reach the poor children in the area, and she worked with each child individually, and put them in small groups to teach each other, testing them as high or higher than traditional schools at the time after only a short period of introducing her methods.

One area I can see that Montessori is not supported in the current climate of education is "ongoing assessment and adjustment": from the concept map of Differentiation of Instruction, Chapter 1. Because the Montessori philosophy is so movement and practical life-oriented, there is little room for formative assessment. Because there are no formal assessments, there is little to adjust in the area. Teachers assess by using songs and rhymes and by observing what works each child has "mastered," noting what areas they have worked hard in, and where they are in each subject (Math, Science, Language, Sensorial, Practical Life, Physical Movement). Chapter 1 talks about how we expect students to learn the same material at the same rate, "[Measuring] everyone's progress only against a predetermined standard," which is not helpful to the struggling student. Although Montessori doesn't use "tests," it does a great job of encouraging students along in different areas of learning, allowing students to work at their own pace. The last online course I took was called Assessment in the 21st Century. In it, I learned that my school has a lot of room to grow in the area of assessments, and that I can actually incorporate many assessment tools to fit the needs of my students. This is the area I see room for improvement in effectively implementing DI in my school, and in my classroom.

***I hope I do not bore or overbear in my explanations of Montessori. It's just that I have taught in both traditional and Montessori schools, and am excited about both styles of learning. My comments are to reference my own frame of understanding, which I am very passionate about. Please let me know if anyone needs clarification, or has questions. I'm an open book! I just feel honored to learn more about how I can personally reach my students and get them excited about material and lessons. This class will cause a lot of growth!

# data[].attributes.headline
Shelley Farrior      Things I learned:
        *You can differentiate content, process,
and product.         * Differentiate according to student’s
readiness, interests, and learning profile. * Use
a range of instructional and management strategies to differentiate. 

·       
 Ongoing Assessment is essential.

*** Concerns I have for classroom is the lack of time
(only teach 12 hours a week) and the lack of resources. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Shelley Farrior      Things I learned:
        *You can differentiate content, process,
and product.         * Differentiate according to student’s
readiness, interests, and learning profile. * Use
a range of instructional and management strategies to differentiate. 

·       
 Ongoing Assessment is essential.

*** Concerns I have for classroom is the lack of time
(only teach 12 hours a week) and the lack of resources. 

# data[].attributes.headline
The above comment to the left is by: Shelley Farrior

# data[].attributes.subject
The above comment to the left is by: Shelley Farrior

# data[].attributes.body
I try to differentiate instruction in my classroom, but we don't have a school-wide policy to address it. The district has a policy, but it doesn't translate well to a juvenile detention environment.

Because of our unique learning environment, we aren't able to plan extensive units or lessons that build on concepts or topics since we have different students each day. In my class, I choose a weekly topic to fit within a monthly theme. I create activities that are appropriate for a range of abilities and ages because: 1- it would be impossible for me to make a lesson for each student every day, 2- class periods are only 50 minutes, 3- the kids I have on Monday are rarely the same ones I have by Thursday, and 4- it's more important, in my opinion, for them to learn as a class than it is for them to sit and work independently the whole time. I try to use graphic organizers and lists of information so that lower level kids have less information by which to be overwhelmed, and more advanced kids can dig deeper into the topic/their opinions/their questions. My goal is to keep these kids interested in learning and show them how what I'm trying to teach can help them outside of school and in their future.

The areas I think that I could improve most within my classroom are assessing learners' needs and challenging students who are more advanced. I have a hard time checking progress of my students because of the frequent turnover, so I tend to focus more on the new kids than I do on checking in with the long-term students.

The most important thing I'm taking away from these materials is that DI is more than easy-average-hard options. You have to build on experiences and learning at every opportunity. I also appreciate the fact that DI doesn't take away from a community-based learning idea because building up students individually actually does help strengthen those learning communities by contributing their strengths.

The picture is of some recent student work. The colored pages are constitutional amendments that each student created by summarizing the amendment, writing the full text of the amendment, and drawing a picture to represent it. The white papers at the bottom are "Create your own Country" graphic organizers. The students created a country, decided the type of government they wanted, made rules and means of compliance, and also determined how their leaders would be selected and how much power they would have. These are just two examples of differentiated activities I have used.

# data[].attributes.body
There is a need to meet students where they are. A lesson should be tiered to engage all learners at various times, not all learners all the time. The need for continuous assessment is necessary to teach this way, however little description or suggestions on how to implement these assessments has been given thus far. I already take work home nightly, how can I add more planning and prep to my day and fit it all in?

# data[].attributes.body
Meet students where they are.
A classroom should be flexible.
Teachers should perform ongoing assessment and adjust their lessons accordingly.

# data[].attributes.body
It is talked about all the time. Yet, I don't see a lot of it going on. I try. I do exit slips, groups, direct instruction, and scaffolding. The students themselves are an issue as well. Some are just plain lazy. Keeping them engaged in learning is a major challenge. I hope to improve in this area. Any pointed will be welcomed!

# data[].attributes.body
I think small groups are a great tool for differentiated instruction....especially in pre-k....but can be useful in all grade levels. By using small group activities it is easier to spot problems children may have and focus on those problems. Small group activities can range from math to science to language/vocabulary all the way to social development. DI should be used to reach and teach the WHOLE child. I have leaned through the reading that students can help other students as well. But I also know that sometimes as a teacher I have to let the children fee that I also don't know the answer to something....so to some questions they ask I say "I don't know. Let's look it up!" and we go online on the smartboard and google it.....we 'learn' together!

# data[].attributes.body
Regeania Dickerson
In the school where I teach, Differentiated Instruction has been addressed, but has it been encouraged? I think not. We talk about it at faculty meetings. We send the elite few to training workshops. However, we do not do it as a whole school. Those elite few do it randomly in their classroom. As a special education teacher, I highly encourage ALL teachers to be highly trained and implement Differentiated Instruction in the classroom. If done correctly, the teacher can attend to the needs of a particular student and/or small group, rather than just teaching to the whole class.
At CHS, I see the need for major improvement. First, we need to train all our teacher. Second, we need to implement Differentiated Instruction EFFECTIVELY in ALL classrooms. Last, but not least, we need to assess to make sure what we are doing is EFFECTIVE. All these things can take place if we began this with a "STRONG AND SKILLED" LEADERSHIP.  The leadership area is where we need the most improvement at our school.

# data[].attributes.body
Dolly McGuire

# data[].attributes.body
Hi! My Name is Dolly McGuire.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I Love Reading Books I Love Books Wallpaper I Love Books Quote Why I Love Books I Love Book Club I Love Reading Clip Art I Love Shopping Clip Art For I Love to Read Month Clip Art Walking Clip Art Birthday Borders Clip Art Reading Words Clip Art Women's

# data[].attributes.body
Click on the pink plus in the bottom right corner to add your post.
Don't forget your name.