LS+differentiated+instruction

__ Unconference – Sunset Room __
 * Differentiated Instruction in LA and Math
 * Strengthening Core curriculum means differentiating
 * Resources
 * Small schools do not have resources but need to make it work
 * Every day learning in the classroom should have enrichment and readiness skills embedded
 * Nancy Atwell – the Reading Zone (readers developing at their own pace), letters to teachers about their books; readers finding just right books
 * Orbital curriculum – studies of interest for children when they finish projects and work
 * Instead of internal resources, talk about paradigm shift of how we envision differentiation – bringing in people to do teacher education
 * Embedding goal of differentiation into evaluations so faculty know it is a priority but have the goal talk about commitment to differentiation shown in certain ways
 * Multi-modal ways of teaching – kinesthetic (we’re all different learners); let teachers know that one lesson per week has to be (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic); teachers find that fair
 * Scheduling half groups to a special with others having more small group time for LA and math
 * In grade 1, having reading sp and learning sp designated to grade 1 certain times each week (they write report card sections)
 * Starting with Tomlinson’s work – common language as starting point for teachers to discuss differentiation
 * Davidson Young Scholar Program with great resources on enrichment
 * “Math in the City” as program – city college program – teaches teachers about mathematics – great feedback
 * Math demo lesson for interviewing and hiring, so we can really see where teachers are with this; math is harder typically than a Lang Arts demo
 * Math nights and educating parents about the importance of conceptual math is critical; rote skills is how many parents envision math teaching
 * Communication between Lower and Middle Schools is key to understand expectations of differentiation cross-divisionally
 * Cannot differentiate without assessment (ex - DRA 3x/year) to know where kids are (saying a child is solid in reading is not enough)
 * Backward mapping and planning as a way to understand where you are going
 * When a teacher refers to a Self-directed child, it can mean that they are not on the teacher’s radar and not the focus but we cannot forget about that child
 * Kids who are high level in math often just want to talk math – find the avenue for this to occur – club, etc.
 * Child Study – everyone studies one child per week with intense observations by resource people and all teachers who teach that child (starting with new kids)
 * Phonics programs we might use – Orton-Gillingham, Recipe for Reading, Wilson Reading
 * What’s good for one **is** good for all: K and 1 homeroom teaching are trained in Wilson as new hires;
 * Ability-based fluid literacy groups
 * Higher groups change from Wilson approach and lower students keep Wilson
 * Explaining to parents that top reading group in K does not mean top reading group in grade 3
 * Professional development to teachers – have different people accountable for different types of professional development opportunities
 * Guided reading – not just reading but isolated lessons that are relevant that are embedded into small group time