3-2-1... BLAST OFF!!!

Yesterday in class we watched Rick Wormeli's, Flexible Grouping Video. One thing I really liked about the video was the number of ways he differentiated in his classroom. I realized it is possible to differentiate and it isn't as exhausting as I thought it would be. :)  Mr. Wormeli adjusted to the needs of the students by dividing the students into two groups: struggling students and advanced students. He didn't tell the students which students were in what groups but the students were able to figure it out on their own. One part of the video I thought was interesting was when a student from the advanced group asked to go to the "lower" group. I feel this taught that even though you are differentiating, students still want to be apart of activities that look or sound fun to them. There were a lot of things I learned from this video but I think the biggest take-away I got from it was the 3-2-1 Exit Slips. I love the exit summaries because I feel they really help you as a teacher understand what needs to be differentiated for your students. In the 3-2-1 Exit Slips students share 3 things they learned, 2 comments about personal reflections and connections, and 1 question about the topic they are studying. Honestly before seeing this approach, I wasn't a big fan of exit slips because I felt they were a waste of time and students didn't share actual concerns. Watching this video changed my opinions and now I want to use them in my class. Differentiating is understanding who your students are and what they need from you as the teacher. 

New Insights...

Today I had the chance to read fellow classmates blogs and their opinions on differentiating instruction. There was one I read about classroom vision and seeking to understand who are students are and what they can become. One thing in this post that really stood out to me was, "our students probably won't remember necessarily what they learned in our classroom, but they will remember how they felt." I had some time to reflect on this statement and I feel it is very true. I have shared in my classes about an experience I had while I was in fifth grade. I wasn't doing well with reading comprehension and instead of the teacher asking me what I needed the most help with they assumed it would be better for me to get easier testing material. This devastated me and made me feel like a failure. I was only in fifth grade and had so many years of school ahead of me. What could've been different in this situation? I feel my teacher could've differentiated and tried to understand what I was feeling. From this experience I learned I want to be a teacher who changes my students for the better and help them see their potential. The best way to do this is differentiate and teach to their needs.

What I learned today... Differentiation in Learning

At the beginning of the semester Dr. Peterson taught our class about the importance of differentiation. Today in class we discussed more of the importance in doing so. What is differentiation in learning you might ask? I feel differentiation in learning is teaching to the needs of the students. In the last couple of posts, I have shared my feeling on the hallmarks and incorporating them in instruction, as I learned in class today, the hallmarks are important but differentiating your instruction is vital to meet your students' needs. Here are some things you as a teacher can differentiate: content, environment, process, or the product according to the students' interest or readiness. I personally haven't been able to incorporate this into my teaching because I haven't been in the schools much but I know this semester is going to be different as I work in the class for my field work. I feel as I seek to differentiate now as a student, I will be a better teacher because I will know what it means to differentiate.

Hallmarks Continued...

As I mentioned in the last post, Hallmarks in a differentiated classroom help you as the teacher learn how to meet the needs of your students. Here are the last 4 Hallmarks and the things I feel are important for you as a teacher in know in your classroom:

1. "Respectful" and Engaging Work for all students: the best way for me to remember this hallmark is to "go outside of the dotted line"and teach the your students' needs, allowed them to be challenged. So often teacher give students worksheets because they know students need practice but just because you give them worksheets doesn't mean they are going to achieve greatness!! They need good instruction in order to become great!!! 
2. Proactive thinking and planning for differentiated pathways: this is simple: plan ahead in your teaching to meet the needs of individual students. 
3. Flexible Grouping: in order to help meet the needs of our students we as teachers need to be flexible in our grouping of students. I was told, "flexible grouping is a colorful classroom." Let us apply this in our teaching and be flexible with our students: be aware of their needs and interests. 
4. Flexible use of time, space, and materials: we need to be willing to help our students succeed and in order to do that we need to realize there is more than one way to do things: be flexible with materials, time, and space. 

As you apply these hallmarks into your teaching, you will see your students succeed!!! 

Hallmarks of a Differentiated Classroom

What makes a classroom unique... HALLMARKS!!! In class this week we talked about the different hallmarks and the benefits to using them in the classroom. I have learned that hallmarks are key in understanding the needs of your students. Below are the first 5 hallmarks and information about how they can help the classroom:

1. A strong link between assessment and instruction: I was taught earlier this week that assessment and instruction to HAND in HAND, you can't have one without the other. If you don't assess your students, how are you expecting to instruct them to their needs? 
2. Absolute clarity about what the teacher wants the students to know, understand, and be able to do: this is like a road map because the teacher has a clear understanding of what is important by having the end goal in mind. The teacher can go a variety of ways to meet the needs of the students. 
3. Shared responsibility for the classroom is between teachers and students; make things work for everyone: this can be thought of like a staircase, this process is gradual and in order to get to the top you as the teacher need to work with the student and vice versa.
4. Individual growth is emphasized as central to classroom success: I liked this hallmark because it teaches that students shouldn't be compared or have to compete with other students; their learning and growth is due to what they have achieved personally. 
5. A "way up" usually through multiple and varied pathways, and never a "way down": this hallmark is simple, teach up to students and never down. When you teach down to students you aren't allowing them to grow in their learning.