Differentiation: Part 2
MICHAEL SOSKIL
SEPTEMBER 22, 2022
�While we wait for everyone to join, please answer in the chat: ��Share a link to a book, article, video, or other resource that has changed the way you think about teaching.
Mike’s Perspective
Current 3-5th Grade STEM teacher in a small, rural, economically challenged district in NE PA.
Worked with students, teachers, school leaders, and policy makers around the globe
Teach pre-service teachers in Scranton – Elem Science Methods & Edtech/Communications
Researched and published books on public education’s role in democracy & the impact of technology on education
3 Part Series - Differentiation
15 Sep.
What is Differentiation? How do we know what students need?
Today
How can we personalize teaching to meet the needs of all students?
3 Oct.
How can we give students agency in their learning?
How can we personalize teaching to meet the needs of all students?
Outside today’s scope: IEPs, 504 plans, ELL plans
Within today’s scope: Areas where we have direct, daily agency as teachers
Please ask questions in the chat at any time
What are we aiming for?
LOOK UP YOUR SCHOOL/DISTRICT MISSION STATEMENT. THEN, COPY/PASTE IT INTO THE CHAT.
Most school mission statements…
Life-long learning
Good citizenship
Contributing members of society
Academic achievement
The Elephant in the Room
Teaching is Really Hard
“I have to do all of this stuff already, and now I’m being asked to differentiate my teaching ALSO?”
“If I differentiate, I can stop doing all this other stuff that doesn’t really lead to student growth (academically, socially, or emotionally).”
Session Structure
15 Minutes: Welcome/Review?
70 Minutes: Discussion, Activities, New Information, Practical Ideas
5 Minutes: Goal Setting
After Session: Complete your goal, check in with your partner
Compounding Growth
A Few Group Norms for Honest, Productive Conversations
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
“Don’t give me Problems. �Give me Solutions.”
Differentiation means seeing each student as a unique individual whose full potential is waiting to be unlocked – and then giving them the keys to unlock it
Quick review of Session #1
What does it mean to be “fair?”
Equal vs. Equitable
Equal – Everybody gets the same
Equitable - Everybody gets what they need
Are we using data appropriately?
Quantitative (numerical/spreadsheet data) – Good for identifying WHAT the problems are.
Qualitative (narrative, experiential) – Good for identifying WHY problems occur, and HOW they can be solved
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
Ways that we should differentiate
Based on Basic Needs
Based on Academic needs
Based on Social/
Emotional needs
Based on student interest/passion
*Engagement
There is no evidence to support learning styles…��…so don’t differentiate based on that
How can we collect useful data?
Diagnose academic needs
1
Diagnose SEL needs
2
Diagnose engagement needs
3
Diagnose basic needs
4
1. Differentiating for Basic Needs
Maslow before Bloom
Children cannot learn when they do not feel safe
2. Differentiating for Academic Need
ELL/Hearing Loss Tip
USE POWERPOINT CLOSED CAPTIONING TO TRANSLATE VOICE TO TEXT LIVE.
Small Groups Determined by Formative Assessment
Sort work by student understanding (not binary – sort by *what* they do/don’t understand)
Small group or 1-on-1 conferences
Metacognition
WORK TOWARD A CULTURE WHEN STUDENTS FEEL COMFORTABLE IDENTIFYING THEIR LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING
Thumbs Up/Down
What does an 82 mean?
Do number/letter grades improve…
Life-long learning
Citizenship
Society
Academic Achievement
How do we differentiate grading?
Grade have traditionally been used primarily to rank and sort kids.
Differentiating Grading: �Feedback Aids Learning, Number/Letter Grades Don’t
Does your grading policy reflect this? If not, how can you integrate this into your grading policy?
Differentiation includes making sure every student gets the feedback they need to be successful.
Students should not be punished for learning too early or too late.
Multiple attempts at assessments should be encouraged.
Nothing murders “a passion for life-long learning” more than punitive grading policies (using zeros and failures as weapons)
Here comes the pushback…
It’s not FAIR if some kids get to retake tests until they pass, when my kid studied and got 100 on the first try.
But, how will students learn responsibility?
The real world doesn’t look like this.
But, college doesn’t look like this!
What does good feedback look like?
My grading policies
University: Each assignment is pass/fail. Rubrics are provided. Either students demonstrate understanding of the topic being assessed and get full credit, or they receive substantial feedback and receive no credit.
Elementary: Students either get an 80 or better on the test/quiz/project, or they must redo the assessment after substantial feedback and re-teaching.
Assess what you mean to Assess
Design assessments so that you get information that allows you to intentionally differentiate teaching
3. Differentiating for SEL needs
Intentionally plan with SEL objectives based on student need(s)
Intentionally add SEL objectives to collaborative activities
Potential SEL Objectives
Collaborative Work - Grouping
Possible ideas:
Based on formative assessment
Student choice w/ limited options (i.e. choose someone at the same table)
Based on interest/passion
The more choice (or illusion of choice) you can give, the better
Be as intentional as possible
Do not group students with one academically strong and one academically weak student paired together. This rarely leads to positive outcomes
Is your classroom designed so that both introverts and extroverts can thrive?
4. Differentiating for Engagement
Does the learning in your classroom matter to students? ��Would you want to be a student in your class?
Breakout!
WHAT FACTORS INCREASE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT?
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation are Inversely Correlational
AS ONE GOES UP, THE OTHER GOES DOWN
What generates engagement?
Ownership of learning (choice, agency, autonomy)
Intrinsic motivation
Aligned to personal interest/passions
Relevance
Positive Relationships
What doesn’t generate engagement?
“You’ll need this one day after you graduate.”
Extrinsic motivators (including grades in most cases)
Threats
Scripted textbook lessons
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Shhh!
Example - Using data correctly…
Problem (identified by quantitative data): Half of my students are failing.
Solution: Must depend on the cause of the problem. Re-teaching doesn’t solve engagement problems.
Understanding Student Passions
Many kids (especially younger students) don’t have enough life experiences to understand all their passions yet
Student surveys are helpful, but give an incomplete picture
Engagement and passion are cyclical. They can build off each other.
Passions change.
PROJECT LINC��INTRINSIC MOTIVATION AT IT’S BEST
Virtual Field Trips
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Resources:
Mike’s Super-Extensive Guide to Using Virtual Field Trips in your Classroom
Example: Deepwater Horizon
SIMULATED OIL SPILL CLEAN UP
Goal Setting
Reminder - Compounding Growth
In the next 5-10 minutes…
Connect with a partner (or partners) who will hold you accountable.
Develop your goal (I will…)
Write it down for yourself (or email/text yourself)
Send your goal to your partner(s) and set up a time to check-in before our next session.
CHILDREN ARE NEVER TOO YOUNG FOR RELEVANT LEARNING
Beth Heidemann’s Kindergardeners in Cushing, Maine
Every problem in the world has a solution hidden inside our student’s passions.��Our job is to help them find them.
Next Session: Mon, Oct. 3rd
Connect with Me
Email: mrsoskil@gmail.com
Join me on an Australia Teacher Adventure in July!
bit.ly/BBTAustralia2023
Get the slides and resources:
MichaelSoskil.com/KERN