TEAM BUILDER: Puzzling Team

Objective: This activity promotes flexibility, communication, cooperation, and the ability to look beyond oneself, and tap into the team's resources to

solve problems.

Directions:

Numbered Heads: complete the puzzle in the envelope.

On the count of 3, you will open the envelope and put the puzzle together.

Winning team is the one that solves it first.

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Process Team Builder

1. How did you feel when you discovered that you didn’t have all the pieces that you needed to complete your puzzle?

2. Who gave up the piece they didn’t need before finding the one they did need? Why did you do that?

3. Are there times when we need to look beyond ourselves or our department for help?

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Workshop Expectations

Take the pledge…

I will be the participant that I want my own students to be.

What does this mean to you? What does this sound like and

look like?

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Framing the Learning

Session Objectives Session Agenda

Understand basic principles

of differentiating content,

process, and product in an

academically diverse

classroom.

Be able to implement one or

more instructional strategies

that support differentiation.

Team Builder

Framing our Learning

Differentiated

Instruction

Summarizer

Evaluation

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Pop Quiz: True or False?

1. Differentiation is a set of instructional

strategies.

2. It should be enough for a school leader to

tell or show teachers how to differentiate

effectively.

3. Differentiation is just about instruction.

4. Differentiation is something a teacher does

or doesn’t do.

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Misunderstanding Reality

1. Differentiation is a set of

instructional strategies.

2. It should be enough for a

school leader to tell or

show teachers how to

differentiate effectively.

3. Differentiation is just

about instruction.

4. Differentiation is

something a teacher does

or doesn’t do.

1. Philosophy, way of thinking. Set

of principles and fact.

2. Requires teachers to rethink

their practices. About trial,

reflections, and adjustments.

3. While approach is about

instruction, cannot be separated

from positive learning climate,

curriculum, etc.

4. While some attention is paid to

student variation, many

teachers do not proactively plan

to address student differences in

readiness, interest, etc.

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TEACHER BELIEFS 9

DIGNITY AND RESPECT

THERE IS POSITIVE IN DIVERSITY

CLASSROOM COMMUNITY ALIGN WITH REAL

WORLD

MOST STUDENTS CAN LEARN

EQUITY

BUILD CAPACITY OF LEARNER

Belief: Dignity and Respect

How do I show respect and value to my students? How do I learn the strengths, and needs of my students? How do I support students to see others’ values and

contributions in class? How can I be the most effective teacher for each

learner? How do I establish a sense of community in the

classroom characterized by respect?

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Belief: Positive in Diversity

How do I understand my own culture and how it shapes my teaching?

How can I help students to learn and seek

multiple perspectives on issues and topics in the classroom?

How do I ensure there is equity of access to

quality learning opportunities in my classroom?

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Belief: Alignment with Real World

How can we create an all-inclusive environment in order to learn together?

How do we encourage, support, and celebrate growth?

How can I understand the diverse backgrounds so I can use it to connect to real world to help understand the concept of topic taught?

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Belief: Students can Learn

How do I learn the mindset of my students in order to ensure success for them?

How do I arrange the classroom to build on their cultural preferences?

How do I ensure that growth is the key and is seen in data?

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Belief: Equity Access for All

Am I teaching up or watering down for groups of students?

Is the curriculum designed to ensure understanding for all?

Are all assignments respectful of students?: requires them to think critically? Can students work in authentic ways? Is it appealing to them?

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Belief: Build Capacity of Learner

What are the next steps? How do we chart growth and quality over time?

How do we celebrate achievement?

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Principles of a Differentiated Classroom

Respectful Student Work Ongoing assessments Group work Choice in tasks/assignments Rigor/problem solving Meeting and recognizing needs of diverse learners

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LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

KNOW YOUR STUDENTS

BUILD CLASSROOM COMMUNITY

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Ways to differentiate

Content

• What is taught

Process

• How will the student understand or make sense of it

Product

• Demonstration of what they have learned and apply it

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Differentiation Instruction (DI):

“NOT” “IS” Individualized

Instruction ◦ Different Reading

Assignments

◦ Taught Skill Practice

One-Size-Fits-All Instruction

Student Centered

Combination of Whole-Class, small group and individual instruction

Flexible and Responsive

Learners of Multiple Abilities Educated Together

Proactive planning and learning

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teaching.mrbelshaw.co.uk

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Let’s take a field trip

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AMSXjq90OE

Process Video: So how DO YOU already meet the needs of your diverse learners?

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Differentiated Strategies

Read and discuss assigned

strategy.

On chart paper, describe the

strategy as if presenting to peers.

Explain how you will use it this

year.

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Lessons to take away…

Can be practiced in many ways Start small Know your students Proactive planning Set expectations for your students Commit to practicing one strategy/quarter

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Questions to ask when planning…

(Planning)What do I want students to

know and be able to do?

(Pre-assessment): Which of my students

already know the content/information or

can do it?

(Differentiation): what can I do for my

students for continued progress?

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Differentiated Instruction: Steps to beginning the

process…

Identify the Outcomes What should students know, understand, or be able to do?

Students and grouping them Pre-assess readiness, interest, or learning profile

Plan Task/Activity (start small)

Implementation of Lesson Create a common experience for the whole class

Reflection

Summarizer

Differentiation I use or have

practiced regularly in the

past.

Differentiation I would like

to try in the first marking

period.

What additional resource or

training do I need to

increase differentiation in

my classroom?

Strategies we used today…

Activator

Numbered Heads

Team Builder

Small groups

Modeling

Think Pair Share

Collaboration

Summarizer

Feedback

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Web Resources: REFERENCES

Understanding Differentiation in Order to Lead by

Carol Ann Tomlinson and Marcia B. Imbeau

12 Simple Do-it-Yourself Team Building Games and

Icebreakers by David Greenberg

Differentiation tips for teachers: Practical strategies

for the classroom by Kirchner and Inman

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Evaluation

Please evaluate today’s training.

It has been a pleasure working with

you today.

farhana@shah.org

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