Differentiated Instruction

What is Differentiated Instruction?

       Differentiating instruction is the planning of curriculum and instruction using strategies that address student strengths, interests, skills, and readiness in flexible learning environments. It's not so much a plan or strategy, but a philosophy that guides a teacher's thoughts and actions in the classroom. Teachers differentiate instruction based on students' differing strengths, interests, backgrounds, and learning needs, how students apply knowledge and skills, and the differing rates and ways in which students learn. This type of instruction eliminates learning barriers for students and decreases frustration with concepts of learning with which they struggle. It helps provide appropriate degrees of challenge for all students in the class regardless of skill level and allows whole group instruction to be used by simply giving different assignments to different groups of students according to their skill level. This makes it possible for all students to learn the same concept, only in different ways that best meet their individual needs. Differentiating instruction provides several options for students to learn by taking into consideration students' differences in background, interest, skill, personality, etc. and giving them the opportunity to choose the way they'd best be able to express their knowledge through activities, content, and product.

 

       In using this type of instruction, teachers use flexible grouping, focus on teaching instruction in multiple ways, and give students opportunities to choose how to demonstrate what they've learned. Flexible grouping allows students with similar learning goals, preferences, or needs work together. It also allows for students to work with everyone in the class, not just students with their same skill level. Other strategies used in differentiated instruction are reading buddies, compacting, learning centers, independent study, tiered assignments, learning contracts, adjusting questions, and anchoring activities. I liked the idea of tiered assignments because it allows students to work with the same skill and come away with the same important knowledge while giving different versions of an activity to students based on their readiness. The concept of learning contracts was interesting; if it worked with a student I think it would be empowering for them and increase their intrinsic motivation.

 

 

 This video caught my eye because it summarized the essential parts of differentiated instruction so well. It stresses teaching in ways that students learn best and to discover things about your students so that you can find the best way to teach and help them. Instead of thinking about the differences in students' learning styles as a hindrance, the video says to appreciate their differences. The video also emphasizes interactive learning, mixed-ability grouping, using small groups for enrichment and reinforcement, and collaborative learning in pairs. It briefly describes how to differentiate content, product, and environment. I found it very helpful to have a simplified version of what's important in differentiating instruction so I enjoyed this video!

 

       Differentiation is important in elementary school because students are at such different levels and teachers must cater to their ability levels and engage their interests. I would definitely strive to make use of reading buddies while also encouraging independence. If I were to teach high school math I would allow for hands-on learning and opportunities for students to manipulate materials in order understand what they're learning about. I would adjust the levels of questions on homework or the wording on tests to cater to students' differing ability levels, especially in elementary school. I think it's important to use flexible grouping in both school settings as well. I think differentiated instruction can be a powerful tool in the classroom and I hope to use it effectively in my future classroom. 

 

Teacher Collaboration: Response to Teacher Channel Video

The two teachers in this Teaching Channel Video are Ms. Warburton and Ms. Jones. Both are 8th grade algebra teachers and work together in order to make a consistent learning environment and experience for their students. The collaborate by planning their lessons, warm-ups, and teaching strategies together so that the students in each class learn the same lessons in the same way each day. They give the same tests on the same days and often give the same homework to create consistency. This way, there are little to no discrepancies the following year as to who learned which concepts or how they were taught. Both teachers have a passion for teaching and the care and enthusiasm they show in the classroom engages their students in learning and gives them the confidence and willingness they need to learn. Students in both classes work in groups but also learn to work alone to complete problems and how to compare work with others without giving answers. This helps students build confidence so that they can master a difficult concept.

                Ms. Warburton says that confusion leads to learning. By watching the video I observed that the more students are faced with difficult problems, the more they’ll get used to them and therefore, the more concepts they will learn and master because they become more willing to try to push past a challenge. She wants students to expect confusion—to not understand things right away—so that they’re always ready for a new challenge. Also, by teaching her students this she teaches them not to expect learning to come easily. One thing I really like that Ms. Warburton does is that she greets her students at the door at the beginning of each class with a smile and something positive. She also holds a sign that says “I ‘heart’ a silent start”. These two things together allow for a good start to the class period and for Ms. Warburton to “maximize her minutes” as she says. Her students know they are expected to start on their warm-up independently and silently and the class starts out smoothly without disruption and chaos. Meeting students at the beginning of class is something I would like to do as a teacher. I feel it helps teachers connect with students and in turn the students trust and respect the teacher, which motivates them to do better in class. This idea is backed up by TeacherVision which says “the ‘meet and greet’ that teachers do before class begins seems to be a critical benchmark for many students. They tell me how much it means when teachers hang out by the door saying ‘Hello’ and calling students by name. Furthermore, kids say that teachers who “meet and greet” are the ones who also care about them personally.” Engaging students in the lesson, while teaching, is a key. Although I found that Ms. Jones, in my opinion, does a better job at engaging her students into algebra, here Ms. Walburton spices up her lesson by teaching a fun and engaging song to remember the lesson by. Finally, her scoring system is unique in that the students grade their own warm-ups with a red pen but instead of marking if the answer is correct or incorrect, students mark two stars for “correct on the first time”, one star for “incorrect on the first try but now I understand”, or an X for “I didn’t get it right; I still don’t get it; I need help”. This is amazing to me because it gives students an opportunity to learn from their mistakes, ask for help, and realize they’re strengths and weaknesses.

                Ms. Jones, on the other hand, builds confidence in her students by requiring that they discuss math together. Her theory is that by talking with one another, students will help each other and will better understand what they’re learning by hearing it from a peer. Explaining a process in a group along with seeing it on the white board allows students to conceptualize understanding. For some students, it helps to work out problems as a group and say it out loud because it helps understanding of the concept and of what they’re doing wrong. Working as groups significantly decreases the pressure students feel when they’re called on individually because everyone has already worked together and discussed. Ms. Jones says that involving students in the challenge engages them and helps them learning. Talking math and doing math is connected this way so that when they’re right and they understand and can “talk” math, then they’re praised. They learn not only to understand but to love learning—and this is essential. The best part about watching Ms. Jones in her classroom is her high energy and enthusiasm. She teaches in a way that engages her students and demands their attention. She uses her personality and positive praise to encourage students, to convince them that it’s okay to fail a few times before you succeed so that you learn from your mistakes, and she strives for her students to feel that what they say and how they think really matters to her and to classroom learning. The way she teaches lets her students know that she has confidence in their abilities and that failing to understand is not an option (but this is expressed in a positive way to build confidence). As something I would love to share with my classroom one day, it’s comforting to know that at the University of San Francisco, one professor starts off asking the same question each year and always gets the same answer. He asks “who were your favorite teachers? And what did they have in common?” After several responses from his class, the graduate professor “went on to explain that he opens with that question because it's guaranteed to get things off to a good start, and it gets future teachers to think about what separates the great teachers from the not-so-great. He said, ‘We all remember our favorite teachers -- the ones who had passion and enthusiasm, the ones who loved and enjoyed what they were doing. We want each of you to become that kind of teacher. Always remember those special teachers. Make your career a tribute to them.’” It’s wonderful to know that enthusiasm and passion are characteristics that make up great teachers.

The Importance of Collaboration

Why is collaboration so important?

              Collaboration is essential in all aspects of education. As a teacher, I will collaborate with students, parents, administrators, and other teachers very often in order to be the most effective teacher I can be. Collaboration is important so that each child is challenged to their full potential but also helped in areas where they need extra assistance. As a teacher, I need to be aware of how each of my students struggle so that I can accommodate them to the best of my ability. Children learn in different ways so I will have to be an excellent observer so that I know how to differentiate between levels of learning and the types of teaching strategies to use. Sometimes grouping students into their levels of knowledge and learning might help me differentiate instruction so that each student is more successful in the learning process. It’s also important to be aware of how students struggle in elementary school in order to discover disabilities in a timely manner.

              Teachers today are in so many groups that meet weekly or biweekly that they’re nearly professional collaborators. There are PLC (Professional Learning Community) meetings, RTI (Response to Intervention) teams, Positive Behavior Support Teams, grade-level planning meetings, and many other teams teachers are members of. Each of these teams collaborates every time they meet. In The Fundamentals of Collaboration, Friend and Cook explain that individuals who collaborate, not only share resources and accountability for outcomes, but they also trust one another and a powerful sense of community often evolves (2010). It’s helpful to get advice from previous teachers about special education students. Co-teaching is another example of collaboration in the classroom which increases success of student learning by splitting a class up into groups to be taught a different concept/subject or the same concept simply in a different way. There must be communication across the content areas in order to relate what students are learning in physical education and art to what they’re learning in science and reading. This sort of collaboration helps students to really understand concepts and see them in concrete examples in many aspects of the world they live in. It also creates a sense of community, trust, and respect among the teachers and other professionals working together.

                Parent-teacher collaboration is possibly the most important in elementary education. Cook’s research on parent-teacher collaboration shows that “parental involvement in children’s education….has been associated with improved student outcomes” (2012). As a teacher, it’s critical that I take into account how I can keep parents informed, encouraging, and supportive of their students in order to see the greatest success in children. Often times, a student models an adult he or she respects most; in some cases, this is a parent. Therefore, it is essential that parents are up-to-date on any struggles a student has, the options on how to best help a student with disabilities, and of course, should know all about what the student is excelling in. Parents and teachers together engage in the success of students through things like developing an IEP (Individualized education program) for students with disabilities and parent-teacher conferences. This collaboration allows for communication between parent, child, and teacher while helping to create a trusting relationship where they can all work together towards a common goal.

                Collaboration is used in various ways in the education system. It often strengthens relationships, builds trust and resources, and allows people to help one another work toward a shared goal. Collaboration is constantly in use in the classroom, whether between students, teachers, professionals, specialists, or combinations of the four. Regardless of the circumstances, collaboration is a vital tool in education and being an effective teacher.

References

Cook, B. (2012). Facilitating the effective implementation of evidence-based practices through teacher-parent collaboration. Teaching Exceptional Children, 44(3), 22-30. Retrieved from https://libproxy.highpoint.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=trh&AN=69989327&site=ehost-live

Friend, M., & Cook, L. (2010). Interactions:  Collaboration skills for school professionals. Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions.

Podcast Blog 2

Welcome back to my podcast blog! This is a continuation of the podcasts, Sesame Street’s Word on the Street and Billy Gorilly’s Podcast for Kids. Let’s look at a few more episodes.

Sesame Street’s Word on the Street

Episode 2 is the word stupendous, with Gustavo Dudamel and Elmo from Sesame Street! Stupendous means amazing, really great, spectacular, extraordinary, or incredible. Elmo learns that some things that are stupendous include a rocket launching, fireworks, the beach, and a choir of singing penguins. Sesame Street can even teach you some Japanese--that's pretty stupendous!

Episode 3 is the word magnify, with Rico Rodriguez and Elmo. Elmo learns that magnify means to make something look bigger and that you can magnify something by using objects such as a magnifying glass, a microscope, or binoculars. Telescopes can be used to magnify the stars.

Episode 18 is the word empathy. Mark Ruffalo and Murray from Sesame Street teach kids that empathy is understanding how others feel, caring about others' feelings, and knowing what they're going through. Murray learns that he has empathy when he comforts a friend who is crying and feels sad with them; empathy could also be compassion.

Episode 21 is the word fragile with Jesse Tyler Ferguson and the cookie monster! The cookie monster breaks Jesse's grandmother's cookie jar and understands that fragile means easily broken or very delicate. Kids and moms from the street tell us that glass, china, butterfly wings, and teacups are examples of some very fragile objects.

Episode 25 is the word liquid. George Lopez explains the meaning of the word liquid with the help of Elmo and Abby from Sesame Street. George explains that a liquid is something that flows and takes the shape of the container they are placed in. Water, juices, rain, and all kinds of drinks are liquids. Want to learn some more vocabulary words? Try some online vocabulary games!

Billy Gorilly’s Podcast for Kids

Episode 20 is about "Mrs. Opossum" and "Dinosaurs". The song about Mrs. Opossum teaches children some fact about opossums. Did you know that opossum mothers carry their babies in a pouch? They eat bugs, snails, and slugs, they live under a tree and they have great night vision! Next, the song about dinosaurs talked about dinosaurs being similar to really big lizards. Some crawled, some ran, some swam, and some flew. Kids learn the names of many different kinds of dinosaurs.

Episode 21 is called "Make a Splash" and "Hopping Toads and Jumping Frogs". "Make a Splash" encourages children to go to their local library and become involved with the summer library program in order to learn, make new friends, and read lots of good books! "Hopping Toads and Jumping Frogs" teaches about how toads and frogs have speckles and warts on their backs, they like sitting on rocks and logs by ponds and bogs, and they have feet like flippers!

Episode 22 is called "Mrs. Flicker Fireflybrarian and A Walk in the Woods". Billy Gorilly's friends Wendy and Timmy sing about their librarian, Mrs. Flick Fireflybrarian. They talk about how helpful, kind, and happy the librarian is and how much information she knows and shares with the children in their community. This encourages kids to go to the library, ask questions, and be open to suggestions on reading new books.

Episode 30 is a longer episode on "Food Geography" and "Months of the Year". The food geography part is very neat in that it teaches children to recognize foods we eat today that are originally from other countries. The podcast starts by explaining that every country has its own culture, which includes their language, clothes they wear, food they eat, and music they listen to. Kids learn to distinguish that hamburgers are associated with America, spagetti is from Italy, tacos are from Mexico, and fish and chips are originally from England! How neat! The second part of the podcast is the song about the months of the year to teach children the months of the year and how to number and remember them. Billy Gorilly and his friends prove that songs can be used as a resource for learning just about anything! And remember:  "Keep singing, smiling, and learning!"

For more sing-along, educational songs for your children, check out these bus songs!


I hope you enjoyed the podcasts!

Podcast Blog

The podcasts I chose were Sesame Street’s Word on the Street and Billy Gorilly’s Podcast for Kids. The Sesame Street Podcasts include a variety of podcasts about five to eight minutes long which each teach about a different vocabulary word. The words are common words children should understand like embarrassed, fascinating, deciduous, and empathy. Sesame Street is a great learning tool for children and the podcasts are a good way to get children involved and excited about learning new things! Each episode is hosted by a well-known actor, actress, or other famous person. This is an interesting aspect I really enjoyed about the podcasts. The Billy Gorilly Podcast is an audio podcast that teach kids to learn through songs. Children generally enjoy music, dancing, and/or singing new songs so I found this to be a useful tool as well. Billy Gorilly, “the gorilla”, is the host of the podcasts who takes charge of teaching two or three different things through songs during each podcast. The podcasts teach about things like identifying body parts, how to take care of pets, healthy snacks, and how to wash your hands.

My personal favorite of the two, The Sesame Street Podcast, teaches the meaning of words using fun examples, animations, videos, and by asking children what they think about the word. The podcasts are enjoyable and engaging and provide a fantastic way for children to expand their vocabularies. For more fun and activities, go to the Sesame Street's website. Episode One is the word prickly, with the host Joel McHale. Murray from Sesame Street asks kids on the street what prickly means to them. The word is introduced by Murray and Joel, is shown on the screen several times throughout the podcast, and several examples of the word are shown. Children learn that a cactus, a pineapple, and a porcupine all have one thing in common:  they’re PRICKLY! When Big Bird goes to sleep he’s uncomfortable and you find out that he has a cactus and a pineapple in his bed! Examples like this one are humorous as well as educational; children learn in different ways so being able to see the word, hear it used, and watch a video of an example of how the word is used, is essential. Episode Four is the word soggy, with the host John Krasinski. In the same manner, Murray and John present soggy in different ways so that children understand the meaning of soggy. Kids on the video say a sandwich can be soggy; a wet sponge, cereal with milk on it, and a rainy day are also soggy. It was interesting to find what kids imagine as being soggy and I actually learned some things about the word too! Episode Five is the word stubborn, with the host Nicole Kidman. In this episode, Oscar the Grouch refuses to help Nicole describe the word of the day to the kids. Through his arguing and refusal to change his mind, Oscar shows the perfect example of stubbornness. In this humorous episode, you learn that some kids stomp their feet when their being stubborn but also that being stubborn about something you really believe in is sometimes a good thing. Episode Six is the word measure, with the host Drew Brees. In this episode, Elmo and Drew show that measuring involves finding the height, width, length, or weight of an object. Elmo learns that you can measure with anything you want—a ruler, a scale, a football, or even a potato! Episode Twelve is the word fascinating, with the host Michelle Monaghan. This podcast teaches how different things are fascinating to different people. Books and airplanes are fascinating to some people while bugs and cars are fascinating to others. Abby from Sesame Street and Michelle teach children that something fascinating and extremely interesting and Bert and Ernie even give an example scenario! Now you can watch Kermit, Oscar, and the Cookie Monster's discovery of The Mystery Box!

The Billy Gorilly Podcasts for Kids are a collection of educational songs taught by “your friend”, Billy Gorilly and his friends from the Candy Appletree Woods. In the classroom, students could listen while working on projects. This radio show podcast is also great for car rides to entertain children while teaching them important concepts like counting, having good manners, and about never giving up! Each podcasts starts and ends with the theme song which helps children remember and learn it so they are excited each time they hear it come on. Episode 29 teaches children about body parts, how to wash your hands, and also how to decipher between a snack and a treat. The song “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” teaches children how to identify their body parts through an interactive song. After teaching kids the importance of washing your hands, Billy Gorilly teaches the difference between a snack (something healthy like a banana, orange, or apple) and a treat (chocolate, cake, rice crispy treats, etc.). This part I very much enjoyed because I learned how I could teach children how and when to choose snacks over treats. For more ideas of healthy snacks for kids, click here. Episode 28 teaches children about birds and how to dance. Sometimes kids get embarrassed dancing around their classmates once they’ve hit a certain age or are just shy. This shows them that dancing and being goofy is a good thing, and that all you have to do is move your arms, legs, and hips! Episode 27 teaches the story about the Boy Who Cried Wolf and the importance of always being honest. The second half of the podcast is Billy Gorilly’s song about the 5 senses and how you use each one every day. Episode 24 teaches children about having pets and the importance of taking care of them and treating them well. Billy Gorilly’s friend Wendy sings a song about having a tiger in her house—yikes! In this podcast, kids learn that cats and dogs make good household pets—much better than tigers! To learn more about Billy Gorilly and print out activities, go to Billy Gorilly's webpage!

There are many great podcasts for kids on iTunes. The Sesame Street podcast and Billy Gorilly’s Podcast for Kids are fantastic audio and video tools I found to help not only in the classroom, but also for families! The podcasts are interesting, fun, educational, and provide an excellent way for children to learn in various ways!