We are about to embark on our first full week of 2018. The beginning of a new year is so full of possibilities and hope. Yet, as the months and weeks pass by, typically that passion of January has faded, and we just fall back into the same habits as before. I take that to heart as I started Weight Watchers this past week. I want to do well on this program and get some of these unwanted pounds off! However, wanting it is not enough. I have to do the work. I have to do the planning. When I'm not constantly preparing and thinking ahead, I am going to make poor .choices. That is exactly what happened this week. I didn't plan well, so my choices were poor. (WHY IS SWEET TEA AND DR. PEPPER so good and yet so bad???) Discipline is hard in anything we do. I went to the grocery store - with a list- and came home and prepped for lunches and snacks for the week. Seriously, I have a point here..... when the dark days of winter come and we are longing for another break, will you still have an innovative mindset, or will you go back to the old ways of skill and drill because that is what you know and don't have to think about? I want to challenge you as you lesson plan each week to think about the question I have asked though the Innovator's Mindset book - "Would you want to be a student in your classroom?"
************Chapter 5 - Lead, Learn, Innovate **********************
Several things struck me in this chapter. One thing the author talked about is how he dedicated time in the classroom just seeing how his decisions impacted the classroom. He talked about how a colleague shadowing a 10th grader and was expected to do everything that 10th grader did. Could you imagine? After going through the day, lectures, tests, etc... he asked the student is she didn't show up one day, did she think anyone would miss her mind, ideas, and voice? She laughed and said NO! He then asked the question, "Can you imagine going to a place every day where you felt your voice didn't matter?" Just let that sit for a minute. How I hope that YOU never feel that way at KGJ, but I equally hope that none of our students ever leave our doors feeling that way. What are you doing as an leader of innovation to ensure that doesn't happen?
Walk through focus this week: DIFFERENTIATION
Our goal is that every student make at least one full year's growth this year. I believe that we teach to the highest level of the standards, but we also have to meet students where they are and move them to where we want them to be. How are you planning your lessons to meet ALL the needs of your students? In this week's response post, share a differentiation activity you have used. It doesn't have to be what you are doing this week - just something you have used. I look forward to seeing all of your students learning and succeeding. Please respond NO LATER than 4 p.m. on Friday.
Next week's focus: Intervention/RtI
WEEK AT A GLANCE:
**I will start meeting with everyone this week to discuss your T-TESS goals and how you are doing and what you need to complete your goal. I have sent calendar invites for those.
Monday - Monday Morning Meeting - UIL Awards (other 9 week awards will be given at next Monday Morning Meeting).
Tuesday - K-2 PLCs; Testing Coordinator Meeting for me 1:30-4 - Data Digs Due by 3 p.m.
Wednesday - Iteam Meeting in STEM lab as soon as students are gone; RENSTAR 360 testing window open through 17th.(Please let Tonya and/or I know if you need assistance); Grade Level RtI meetings in conference room.
Thursday - 3-5 PLCs; Website updates & Lesson plans due today; Report Cards Go Home
Friday - Principal Meeting 9-12 for me; Blog response due by 4.
Stay positive this week and as always --- BE AWESOME!
I have loved using menus in the past for differentiation, but sometimes that is a lot of prep work and takes up a lot of class time to do. To make projects a little simpler and to complete in a timely manner I will give students the choice of 4 or 5 ways to demonstrate and present their knowledge. When this happens, students become more passionate about their projects. On a daily basis, I differentiate my independent activities for students by editing answer choices. For my higher level students they receive open ended questions, while my lower students might receive 3 or 4 answer choices to choose from. It is an easy way for me to build in the support those students need but still challenging them to complete the same level of work
ReplyDeleteWhen give a choice of projects - how to you ensure that your high kids pick the more challenging projects and not the easier ones? I love all you do!
DeleteFirst grade has a very wide gap as far as levels of ability. I have kids that know 3 sight words and can't read a sentence to students reading on a 5th grade level. My differentiation happens a lot of times in guided reading. There, I can take the skills for the objectives of the day and break them down different ways for different levels. For example when I teach or review adjectives my lower levels would orally discuss and give examples of adjectives to describe a given object. My on level kids would pick adjectives out of a sentence or create a sentence using adjectives after we brainstormed a list. My high group would read a passage from a story and identify the adjectives or write a story using as many adjectives as they could to make the story come alive.
ReplyDeleteYou do such a great job at guided reading! I want you to take this concept and how can you incorporate that into other subjects?
DeleteI have used the Menu to differentiate my instruction in math and science. When doing projects in math and science, I either use a menu format or give them a list to select from. In math, I try to differentiate my daily independent work and partner work activities. I find my self modeling more pictorial representations to build understanding with some students; whereas using more complex computation is what others need. Using different task sets with varying levels of rigor for different groups of students has also worked well for me. Technology has help me with differentiate assignments in science. Creating slide presentations allows students to show what the know based on their levels. Students who are working on a higher level take the opportunity and run with it. Often they inspire the students who are working on level to step outside of their zones but encouraging them to try something new. In the coming days, I look forward to using flipgrid to differentiation student learning.
ReplyDeleteThe use of technology has really helped us differentiating in ways so that students don't realize who is doing more complex work than others. I really enjoy seeing you branch out with technology and teach the kids how they truly enjoy learning!
DeleteEspecially at the beginning of Kindergarten, there is usually a very wide range in levels of ability, depending on their background and prior knowledge. After getting to know the students, we have to provide differentiation to get them to where they eventually need to be to be 1st Grade ready...and that differentiation in Kindergarten comes mainly through stations and small groups. For example, we may have some who cannot write their name (or color or cut) yet, so we provide different activities to develop fine motor skills...then there are some who are ready to learn to write their name, so we provide different activities for that...then there may be a few who can write words and sentences, so we provide activities for that. And that's just the writing aspect! Differentiation is just a normal part of a Kindergarten day!
ReplyDeleteYou are true that Kinder lends itself to constant differentiation due to a variety of levels starting school. Now that our students are here and growing like crazy because of your awesome teaching - how can you differentiate even beyond small group and stations - possibly instead of whole group instruction? Just food for thought! :0
DeleteI provide differentiation through small groups and guided math stations. At least one of these stations has a menu so that students may choose an activity that they feel comfortable with, but that still provides feedback to me on their level of understanding. I like the fluidity of Guided Math groups. There are no set groups; students are assessed on their skill level for the concept being taught, not just on their summative assessment scores. I assess the small groups and will adjust as needed on a daily/weekly basis. Students are also assigned stations based upon their skill level. This does require a LOT of prep work, but once created, the stations generally last for an entire unit. I also use Google Classroom because I can easily attach documents and create assignments of varying complexity as needed for individual students.
ReplyDeleteAt previous schools, I had access to programs that adapted to the students’ skills as they progressed through the program. All students were practicing grade-level concepts, but at a complexity the matched their needs.
When given students the choice of assignment, how do you monitor to ensure your high kids are choosing a lower level skill? What do you do in the case of a high student not giving you a product that is of the skill level that you think they are capable of doing?
DeleteStudents are assigned specific stations. Not all stations are the same level, yet the activities look similar enough to the students so that only I am aware of the difference in skill level . I also use different menus for each skill level so that all of the choices on that menu are on their level. This provides them with a choice of activities and ensures me that they are not working below their level. Also, my high performing students tend to not be interested in activities that aren’t mentally stimulating to them. My concern is more with my lower performing students not producing quality work or becoming too frustrated with an activity that proves to be too challenging. I have students, not their parents, requesting additional work to improve their math skills. They want to succeed. 😊 Today alone, at least two students asked me to help them with their math and to provide work that they could do at home to improve the skill with which they are struggling. This is, without a doubt, a refreshing change. 😊
DeleteMy heart just smiled! Right on track!
DeleteCan I just how honored I feel as a parent to have my children at this school. Every time I read your responses I am so happy to have my children being educated by such amazing teachers.
ReplyDeleteDifferentiation we all know is so important in a classroom because our children are all different and come to us with different learning styles, different experience and backgrounds. Choice has always been my way to differentiate. I try to teach my students that I provide the parameters and they choose how to meet those parameters. I have used menus in the past and even tried it this year. I like the idea of the menu however, I agree with Chandler in that they require time and for some of my students are overwhelming. Technology has helped to give my students outlets for how they show what they know. I still struggle with intention differentiation within my teach and model. I am always worried that I am stretching my middle and high students but leaving my lower students behind
Samantha - we are so fortunate to have you and your expertise! What a gem you are in the STEM crown. I thought the same as a teacher because I know I always taught to my high kids. Therefore, my small group instruction was always geared to my struggling student. What I found is that my high kids had the hardest time in my class -- my other kids worked their tails off! :)
DeleteI will be the first to admit that differentiation is something that I have struggled to accomplish successfully. But I'm still working on it! During our stations is really the best place for me to start.
ReplyDeleteI have used google classroom as an avenue to offer different instruction across the board. Google classroom allows me the option to assign a few students one assignment which offering another group of students another without either group noticing. That is key for me..making sure students aren't necessarily aware of the differing. I have also been working on offering different types of stations during my small group time. Although the assignments differ, it is not obvious to anyone. I have also tried a type of menu within assignments on google classroom and those have worked well. I can definitely see the confidence levels increase when students are working on their level of understanding. I hope to improve my ability to differentiate successfully.
Starting small is perfect. If you aren't comfortable, then your students won't be either. Keep working on pushing yourself as well as your students. If you differentiate once a week - go for 2 times per week (or 2 subject) next week. Keep me updated. I can't wait to see the fabulous progress.
DeleteDifferentiation is hard for this little ones!!! I'm learning the aspects of it and getting more in the habit of doing this. For the Kinder, just like what Mrs. Thomason was saying, the writing varies drastically. I never realized how much the levels could vary at this age. For this week, we started our Word Family Books. In these books the students are learning the words that all end with certain sounds such as -ag. For my differentiation, I go around and discuss with the students how many they need to write and for my uppers have to make at least one sentence with one of the words. It doesn't seem like much, but it is a jump for some of these kiddos. They have seemed to really like these word family books. I am trying so hard to get those lowers up to the level that my highers are at! They will get there eventually!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great start. Remember to keep challenging your on level students in the same manner as your above level kids. They will rise to the occasion. Thanks for having high expectations for the smallest Rockets!
DeleteDifferentiation.....this has always scared me a bit! However, if you break it down, it really just means to do it differently, and I can do that!! Over the Christmas break, I did a lot of research on how I could "up the game" during stations while I did my guided reading groups. I found a great idea that I am breaking down for a station called Genius Hour. I am calling it Einstein Station. Every single child that goes to that station can take it to any level they choose. The "high” kids can seriously can it to the very top and it will be exciting for any child. I really just tried to "amp up" every station and make sure there were more choices available. I always make sure that there are choices for most assignments given. For my high students, some time we conference and decide what the expectations will be and honestly, at times their goals are loftier than mine are. I always to research, explore, and search out new ways to ensure that I reach each student that I teach!!
ReplyDeleteI love that you conference with the students about their choices. I want us to always make sure that our above level students choose assignments to their abilities and not just the "easy" ones. We are training them to reach for the starts! Thanks for all you do!
DeleteI have truly enjoyed my time here at KGJ. At first I was very nervous teaching K-4(I taught 5th graders before) physical education. Now I have truly had the time of my life. I realize that all of the students have different learning styles. I have used many different learning styles to be able to capture the students attention and increase their knowledge on the body system, working together, different sports, and friendly competition. I have used visual aids, technology, grouping, as well as allowing the students to perform different activities.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing an amazing job. Students are learning more than "just" PE. You are making the work and not only play. You are a true asset to KGJ. Keep doing what you're doing!
DeleteI'm working on getting better at differentiation. This year in Social Studies one of the ways I offered the students choices in how they presented their research on their final products on regions. I offered three choices. Student collaborative groups could either do a mobile of their region showing all the assigned elements, a google slide presentation, or a book of their region. Students really enjoyed that particular project. I continue on adding and looking for other ways to include differentiation in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great start, Gina. How are you ensuring that your above level students are being stretched? Are you asking them to dig deeper into the material they are presenting? Just food for thought! I love that you are taking risks and that you are ALL IN!
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