Differentiation Reading Response

Differentiation in Practice, by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Caroline Cunningham Eidson

These units as an example of differentiation really appeal to my linear nature. I love how every thing is step by step and the overview show what differentiation strategies are being used. Because my field is in 1st grade I really focused on the first two units, All About the ABC’s, and What Plants Need.

I like how the ABC unit includes a station where the students use the same materials to engage in tasks that are differentiated for readiness. I really like that the unit works toward an authentic product- individual ABC books.

I like that the science unit engages all the students in reading, writing, and creating at their readiness. This unit is so rich, with students observing, recording, experimenting and researching.

It seems like it could be complicated to plan like this but the unit overviews make it seem more doable.

Differentiation Reading Response

Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, by Carol Ann Tomlinson, p.g. 120-162

From my Ch. 6 response:
I love the things from the toolbox. They are great examples of scaffolding and differentiating for readiness and interest. But the coolest thing is the can be scaffolding tools for my task of becoming a differentiating teacher.

I really like the graphic organizers. I especially like p.g. 124, Developing Clarity About Learning Goals. Some of my classmates and I were observing that sometimes it seems as if what's on the test is a mystery or a secret. I love that the students can see exactly what the goals are.

I love menus. I love how students have choices. I like that the deserts are things that kids will want to do. In the example the deserts are writing activities. Students who choose these can work on them in writers workshop if they don't have during science. I like how the side dishes have such a variety of ways for students to "consume" information: with a friend, on the computer, watching, and reading. I like that the responses for the side dishes are simple- only what will fit on an index card, but very specific.

I'm not sure I understand complex instruction all the way, but I like how everyone in the group is responsible for understanding all of the tasks, but they divide up the tasks and work on the tasks that best utilize their strengths. Then they have to make sure that everyone understands it.

As a student and a parent I love rubrics. As a teacher I like how they let you ensure that your task is aligned with your objective. I also like how they help you narrow in on what to grade of projects and keep you from grading based on your "favorite."

I like how the contracts guide a teacher in developing differentiated tasks, Think dots provide variety and multiple entry journals provide structure and guidance for student responses.

I'm so glad I have the toolbox as a resource.

Differentiation Reading Response

Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, by Carol Ann Tomlinson Ch. 7

Much of this chapter reminded me of the things I blogged about last week.

"If we allow ourselves to fall in love with what we do, we will be reborn countless times, almost always in a form stronger and more fully human than the one that preceded it." (p.g. 92-93)

This made me think of my own analogy to go along with how I've been feeling about differentiation and teaching. In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by, C.S. Lewis, Eustace has been positively yucky, very selfish, and inconsiderate. These traits lead him to a choice of which the consequences are being transformed into a dragon. After he has learned many lessons from this experience Aslan comes to him. He is afraid of Aslan without really knowing why. Aslan is lit by moonlight even though there is no moon. Aslan tells Eustace that he must undress and bathe in the pool he has been taken to and Eustace knows he must tear off the dragon skin. He does so, again and again. Finally Aslan assists him. It hurt more than anything else but it was such a relief at the same time. At first the bath smarted in his new skin, but then became delicious.

Sometimes as teachers we need a mentor or friend to remind us to shed the old and begin again. Sometimes we are in the dark, but answers and ideas can still come. Often we are afraid of what the answers might be or how we might implement them or if they will succeed. Sometimes we remove the old over and over and are uncertain of the effect and sometimes we need extra help to find ourselves more human. Becoming more human, reaching every student, taming the fox, is nearly always a struggle and sometimes it smarts, but eventually it becomes "delicious," if only for a moment before we begin the process again.

I feel for certain that many of my tries to differentiate will fall short of my ultimate goal, but it doesn't matter if I "just begin" and keep looking for new beginnings.

addition assesment

The first time i went to Lorri's class I noticed one student who was having difficulty with her self start math facts. She (BC) usually finishes all of the problems, but has few of them correct. They were working on addition facts, adding 1,2, and 3. When I noticed this I asked her to show me how she new the answer and indicated one that was correct. She showed me on her fingers and counted all. When I asked the same question about one that was incorrect she used the number line, put her finger on the first number and began counting up. However she began her count on the first number instead of the next number and many of her answers were one less than the correct answer. I worked with her to fix a couple of her answers, but she tired of it quickly and I didn't persist.
So I knew she was using the number line incorrectly, but it also seemed like she sometimes just put any number so she could be done quickly. I knew from our math methods text book that number line strategies are more difficult. I talked with Dr. Tuft and she said BK probably need more addition practice that is contextual and that possibly she just needed a little one on one instruction.
The next time I talked with Lorri she said I could plan a one on one or small group math activity(this activity was conducted on Fri, Oct 2).
I studied from the text more about developing meaning for the operations. I decided that a math story, or story problem could serve as an assessment and a learning activity. From the text book I chose, "Sandra had 5 pennies. George gave her 3 more. How many pennies does Sandra have altogether?"
I wrote this at the top of a scrap paper for each student and provided pennies and small round counters. Lorri selected four children who she is least unsure of their addition understanding. The students were excited to come to the back table with me. I told them we were going to read a math story and work on the answer. I gave them their papers and read the problem out loud. Almost before I was finished they were counting on their fingers and raising their hands, anxious to tell the answer. I told them i wasn't ready to hear the answer. I wanted them to think about how they could teach a kindergartner to figure out the answer. I also wanted them to write or draw on their paper how to teach someone else to figure out the answer.

MK drew a picture of his family and wrote, "I culd teach my little brothre and hes in kidnergarden." When i asked, "how would you teach him?" He replied, "I would teach him to be good." He did eventually count out pennies but when he counted the initial sets of 5 and three an extra was hiding under his sleeve and he didn't notice when he slid the piles together, so he had 9 pennies. HY helped him separate them into 5 and 3, and identify the extra, then he counted 8.

HY talked to an imaginary kindergartner as she counted out pennies. She drew five ooooo, added three more ooo, next to them. She counted them all to make eight then said, "then add 2 more." She drew 2 more to complete a ten frame pattern and indicated that there were ten.

RC wrote on her paper. "you can cat the pienes (count the pennies)" Her drawing shows 7 dots. When I asked her to show us how to teach a kindergartner how to figure out the answer she indicated her counters (5 pennies, 2 red counters, 1 blue counter) and counted up, "5,6,7,8"

HL wrote, "I wunbe hlep theym doow mathe and a storey(I would help them do math and a story)." Her drawing shows us at the table. One figure has a speech bubble: "I wunt to do math." On the table is a group of 5 dots, a group of 3, and the number 8. She chose to represent Sandra's pennies with red and blue counters. She used 5 red, line them up and continued the row with 3 blue. When I asked her why she did it that way she said it made more sense. I wish I had been better at helping her define why it makes more sense, but I felt a little stuck about how to go about helping her with out giving her my words.

What I learned:
MK's paper shows the least understanding of the concept. His work with the manipulatives does show that he understands the story is a joining of 2 sets, and that he can find the "altogether" amount by counting out the two sets and counting all. If i have a chance to work with him one on one I'd do several more stories like this having him show the story with the counters and I would model some ways to represent his work on paper. Then ask him to show how he knows the answer by drawing a picture.

HY's work with the story suggests she is verbal and social. I'm not quite sure what to do next. Possible a few more stories and an assessment of her understanding of these symbols +, =. I'd like to ask her if she can show what she did using them in her drawing.

BC I was surprised to notice her count up as i hadn't seen her use this strategy on her fact sheet. I think she could benefit from the same activity as suggested for MK. This would improve her communication about what she knows and give her contextual practice. I'd also like to work with her to represent joining stories using a ten frame. To strengthen her understanding of the relationship of other numbers to ten.

HL's counters show a strong understanding of joining two sets. I think she could Join HY in the suggested activity.

I repeated the same activity with 5 more students. Most of this group traced or drew circles and made them into number sentences: ooooo + ooo = oooooooo (or 8). TL and ML possible used the + and = sign when they saw their neighbor use them.

SN drew two boxes with a set in each. Then she wrote the fact family for 5,3,and 8.
AN finished before most of the group and asked now what do I do. I remembered HL adding 2 more to get 10 and asked AN, "How much more does Sandra need to buy a candy that costs $.10?" He wrote, "3+8=10" When I asked him to show me how he knows he used the pennies and discovered his error.

I think the whole class could benefit from a math story instead, or alternating with, fact practice each morning.

I tried to scan their papers but couldn't get the scanners in the labs to work :(. I will try one more time. Sucess with the scanner! Student papers added.
The next Friday I spent in Lorri's class I taught a math lesson in the launch, explore, explain format. I'm anxious to blog about it but this blog has taken me awhile, so I think it will have to wait :(.

Differentiation Reading Response

Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, by Carol Ann Tomlinson, Ch 5-6

I was really drawn to the authors description of her two classes, math and German. This affirms what I've been starting to believe since I began the UVU teacher ed program-The teacher makes all the difference.

So much of this chapter is what we've been learning in our other classes, from Social studies methods to Math methods. Important, focused, engaging, demanding and scaffolded. Some of these I feel like I can accomplish easily. Work that is demanding AND scaffolded I don't feel like I have the knowledge or skills yet. The end of the chapter says that we can't focus our efforts on the whole class if we want to be differentiators, we have to focus on individuals. This is what I wrote in the margin when I finished the Chapter:

I can teach in general ways I believe children learn best, by using a variety of methods and models , including movement, integrating art, using children's literature, designing authentic tasks and assessments, using group processes, creating a class community, BUT I don't have a clear idea of how to scaffold for individuals.

The more I explore and learn the more I'm not sure how to do what I know is best. I know it may take several years for my teaching to start to be truly differentiated. I know I will always be almost there, always decreasing the distance between where I am as a differentiating teacher and where I want to be: always striving, never arriving. However, I feel empowered by what I am learning and know that giving it my best shot, though far from what I aspire, will reach students. Will touch, empower, validate, and help them become more.

Then I reach Chapter 6. The scenarios in chapter six made me feel like I have a better grasp of how to scaffold! I haven't quite left the point where I know what it looks like but I can't yet create it. I can look at the scenarios in the book and see how the different tasks support different readiness and are all important and challenging. I still feel a little fuzzy about how I will accomplish it. But overall I feel a lot more comfortable having a go at it.

I love the things from the toolbox. They are great examples of scaffolding and differentiating for readiness and interest. But the coolest thing is the can be scaffolding tools for my task of becoming a differentiating teacher.

Differentiation Reading Response

Dear Jaremy,
When I read about your experiences as a Teach for America teacher on Jamie's blog (http://futuresuperteacher.blogspot.com/) it seemd your situation was pretty dismal. In class our instructor asked Jamie to read her blog post and told us our next blog assignment would be to write to you, hopefully offering advise about differentiation and definitely referring to our next assigned chapters. As I read the chapters I composed in my mind the things I might tell you about them. A lot of the time I thought how trite my advise might sound. After I read our assigned chapters I looked up your blog (http://jaremysjourney.blogspot.com/) and read many of your posts. And guess what I discovered! You are already doing many of the things we are learning to do and thinking about many of the things we are hoping to think about as teachers. So as you read my advise (based mostly on ch 3-4 of Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, by Carol Ann Tomlinson) I hope you will see many things you've already thought of, or are attempting to accomplish and maybe there will be something new that will help you a little farther down the path of making a difference in your students lives.

At the core of differentiated teaching is making meaningful connections with your students and meeting their needs. This you have begun to do; you are seeking ways to connect with them and ways for them to connect with their own education.

A first way to meet student needs is to affirm their worth and belonging in the classroom, providing way for them to contribute and feel essential to the class community. An element of this is sharing ownership of the classroom. You are showing them that you value their contribution and that you are willing to learn from them when you listen to their suggestions about your teaching.

Another way to meet student needs is by giving them challenging, important, and worthy things to do that can help them to be all they can be. "Simply put, opportunity is more closely related to exhilaration than drudgery" (p.30). It seems to me that this is something you are thinking about--you are worried about how much copying they have to do. I also see two things you have done to begin to address this: the marshmallow models and having them act out concepts.

Two more important things are being invested and persistent as a teacher. I can see your investment in your willingness to take on dance club, give students rides and expend all your energy on trying to reach them. Your students will begin to see it too. You will show your persistence as you continue to search for new ways to make connections and meet needs; as you try something new when your first idea fizzles.

The last thing the text talks about in this chapter is being reflective. Your blog shows that you are reflecting and adjusting. Think of these ideas as you continue to be a reflective teacher:

" --I watch you and listen to you carefully and systematically.

--I make sure to use what I learn to help you learn better.

--I try to see things through your eyes.

--I continually ask, 'How is this partnership working?'

--I continually ask, 'How can I make this better?' "(p. 34).

The next chapter touches on these topics: the classroom environment, communication in the classroom, classroom operation, routines, supporting student success, and shared responsibility. I believe that the most important of these is classroom environment. The text points out the importance of studying student culture which you have begun to do. Also pointing out students' contributions to the class, helping the students know each other, and celebrating success.

We have been learning a way to facilitate these outcomes and more. In elementary classrooms it's called morning meetings. As i was reading this chapter i thought over and over again, "Morning meeting addresses this.v If you choose to implement something like this in your classes you will undoubtedly have to modify some things to fit into a secondary environment. Morning meetings usually last 15-30 min and contain these components:

Greeting: Greeting activities can be simple or complex but the important thing is that each student hears his name and is greeted in a respectful way by one or more of his classmates.

Activity: Can be game, song, chant, cheer, or academic activity--helps to build common ground and community.

Sharing: Students share based on teacher guidelines, then they ask their peers for comments or questions. Comments show interest in the sharer's news, not become a second share. Sometimes a quick share is used where every one answers the same inquiry quickly, moving around the circle, with no questions or comments. Sometimes only a few students share each day.

News and announcements or message: Teacher message is read, contains things like what we're going to do today and transitions into the academic part of the day.

I'm really excited for the sense of community and belonging that morning meeting can build. This is especially important because students can't learn until their basic needs, such as belonging and power, are met. Oh I forgot, after you introduce your class to meetings and establish a routine and expectations you can have the students take turns running the meeting.

I hope you will find something in this note that will help you along your way in this awesome, challenging path you've chosen.

Rebecka