Do Now:

Ten minutes to do this!

1. Think of the class you’ve JUST taught.

2. Make a sketch of the classroom / space you were in.

3. Annotate it with the following:

Who’s currently underperforming?

How do you know?

What are you doing about it?

"Please understand – we don't want no trouble. We just want the right to be different. That's all."

Uncomfortable Questions

Is it OK to ‘write off’ some students’ progress?

Do I accept (encourage?) sub-standard work from students who are capable of better?

Does ‘one size fit all’ in my classroom?

Was the Do Now task more difficult than it should have been?

One size definitely does not fit all.

The fact is…

… we all find differentiation difficult.

That’s because it is.

We need to aim high, but be pragmatic.

Myths

Multi-tiered resources and tasks in every lesson. On different coloured paper.

“Must-Should-Could” or “All-Most-Some”

Each student doing personalised work.

Ups and Downs

The Bottom Line

Is our Bottom Line high enough?

Two Non-Negotiables

1. Basic entitlement of access

2. Not stretching our highest achievers

“Teach to the top. Scaffold and support everybody else.”

WALT: Identify good practice in Differentiation

WILF:ALL of you will know some ideas about differentiation

MOST of you will understand them in the context of your own practice

SOME of you might make a commitment to try something new as a result

Knowing the students in front of you.

Teaching them in a way that suits THEM.

Keeping the challenge high…

...while providing just enough scaffolding.

And if all else fails…

Rule #1: REALLY know your students

“You may feel that John is coasting a bit; he needs a push this lesson... It may be

that Albert has looked a bit bored of late… He might be finding things a bit easy;

let’s really crank it up this lesson… The last time Rory handed his book in it was a

bit of a shocker; I need to sit with him this lesson and get a few things sorted out…

Daniel is always just below the top level… Why is that? Maybe he needs to do some

re-drafting and I need to absolutely insist that he does it again and again until it’s

hitting the top level.” Tom Sherrington (@headguruteacher)

What differentiation do you see?

http://www.teachersmedia.co.uk/videos/secondary-differentiation-and-data

Workshops

Contribute

Take away

Don’t forget to fill in your Bingo card!

Do Now:

Three minutes to do this!

Sit in a pair or trio with colleagues from a DIFFERENT

faculty.

Talk to each other about what’s on your Bingo card!

Discussion Questions

• Should differentiation be obvious to students?

• Are there times when it’s OK for all your students to do the same work?

• Is there a ‘best’ type of differentiation?

• How can I encourage challenge in my subject?

Exit Tickets