Dare to Differentiate

Dare to Differentiate

• Amye Cotton– amye.cotton@ectorcountyisd.

org• Lennie Garcia

– sheryl.garcia@ectorcountyisd.org

• Heather Wood– heather.wood@ectorcountyisd

.org

Stonehenge: one of the world's greatest mysteries!

Can you imagine something for which

there are no definitive answers,

no matter how much research you do?

2

• Southern England• henge=hanging• built more than 5,000 years ago• Heel Stone is stone closest to the road (If you

stand in the center of the circle on the winter and summer solstice the sun will rise directly over this stone.)

• concentric circles (The outer circle is 32 yards in diameter.)

• inner semicircle (The sandstone and lintels weigh 40 tons and are found 19 miles away from the site.)

• bluestones (These make up the inner circle and

are found 250 miles away from the site.)

Wonderings

1. What was the purpose of Stonehenge?2. How did they move such large stones over long distances without adequate tools?3. Why do so many different theories surround Stonehenge?4. If we still don't know the answers, why do so many people still focus on the wonders of Stonehenge?

Wonderings

5. Why do people continue to recreate Stonehenge without knowing its purpose?6. Was the Heel Stone placement coincidence or purposefully chosen?7. How do you explain something like Stonehenge to someone when you don't have all the answers?

Wonderings

The answers to these questions represent a combination of theory

and imagination.

Wonderings

1. What was the purpose of Stonehenge?

2. How did they move such large stones over long distances without adequate tools?

3. Why do so many different theories surround Stonehenge?

4. If we still don't know the answers, why do so many people still focus on the wonders of Stonehenge?

is differentiation?

can we differentiate

(and resources)

differentiation?

differentiation?

Wonderings

5. Why do people continue to recreate

Stonehenge without knowing its

purpose?

6. Was the Heel Stone placement

coincidence or purposefully chosen?

7. How do you explain something like

Stonehenge to someone when you don't

have all the answers?

teachers

differentiation plans a true

(direction)Should differentiation plans be

differentiation

Wonderings

The answers to these questions represent a combination of _____

and _________.theory

imagination

Differentiation: one of education's greatest

mysteries!

Can you imagine something for which

there are no definitive answers,

no matter how much research you do?

Differentiation Is NOT...

Differentiation Is...

Delisle VS TomlinsonDoes Differentiation Work?

NO!• Difficult to

implement in heterogeneous classrooms

• Homogenous grouping is ideal for learning

• Dumbs down instruction/difficult to manage

• Reaching each child is impossible

• Complicates teacher workload

YES!• Research shows

heterogeneous grouping works best for low learners

• Differentiating is not easy-teaching shouldn't be

• Pedagogy of plenty• High expectations

produce high achievements

• Not a cure-all, but a start

Delisle VS TomlinsonDoes Differentiation Work?

NO!• Unclear-don't know

what/how to differentiate (method or curriculum)

• Teachers feel defeated

• Lip service to please those upset about reaching each student's potential

• A failure, a farce, ultimate educational joke

U

YES!• Remedial classes

aren't conducive to supporting brain growth and growth mindsets

• Plus-one learning: starting where the students are and moving them forward

• Spectrum of learners increases due to quality of teaching and planning

Delisle VS TomlinsonDoes Differentiation Work?

Using two blank pieces of white paper, draw a visual

representation of each of the perspectives on differentiation.

Title one drawing "It Doesn't Work!" and the other "It Does

Work!"

Workstation Menus

• Uses a variety of learning styles

• Provides choice • Incorporates multiple

intelligences• Suitable for a variety of

students

Levels of Thinking

• Standardized testing-Students are expected to use higher order thinking skills. Students need to practice and become efficient with higher levels of thinking at an early age.

• Bloom's • Depth of Knowledge

Literature Circles

• Fluent readers-what is the next step?

• Deeper analytical discussions

• Peer collaboration• Choice of learning• Integration and

application of skills

To the one...To the one who needed to talk about their thinking because you had so much going through your head...I'm sorry for not providing more opportunities for productive discussions. To the one who was brilliant in art...I'm sorry for making excuses for your math weaknesses rather than showing you the art in math.

To the one who could read well above grade level...I'm sorry for leaving you to fend for yourself because you were able to handle grade level material rather than opening your mind to a deeper analytical world of literature and collaboration.

To the one...To the one advanced learner who finally hit a wall with your learning...I'm sorry for standing on top of the wall and telling you to try harder and that you were smarter than that rather than standing beside you to lay scaffolding blocks to help you get over the wall.

To the one who had a gifted mind but lacked foundational skills...I'm sorry for not enriching your learning while filling in gaps.

To the one who struggled...I'm sorry for not helping you set higher goals and helping you take steps to reach those goals.

To the one...

To the one who was a discipline problem...I'm sorry for seeing your behavior rather than the reason behind it and helping you grow as a learner and as a contributing member of society.

To the one...I'm sorry.

-Lennie Garcia

I Choose “C”…

How prepared will our students be for the real world?

Resources

• Delisle, J.R. (2015). Differentiation doesn’t work. Education Week, 34 (15), 28, 36.

• Frank, M. (2012). Stonehenge. Kids Discover. Retrieved from http://www.kidsdiscover.com/spotlight/Stonehenge-for-kids/

• Tomlinson, C.A. (2015). Differentiation does, in fact, work. Education Week, 34 (19), 26, 32.