Differentiated Instruction! True Story!

No matter what role I present to the world; mom, teacher, advocate, student, I have trepidation of the truth being revealed.  I am insecure.  Will everyone realize that I am hanging on by a thread and truly pretending that I am confident in all or anything I do?

There are moments in life that have served as reinforcement that yes I am inept.  However, there is a glimmer of "I may just know what I am doing" or maybe it was a serendipitous event that shined in my favor.

My role as educator has turned to take on a non traditional way to teach.  I am now a certified trainer with Time To Teach, Inc. I share with fellow educators how to be more effective in the classroom. I also work for iTutor as a teacher online to individual students or with small groups.

One of those moments that brought my two worlds as a trainer and a teacher came together in a moment that helped my new student and I shine.  Differentiated Instruction has become a dirty word in education.  Teachers cringe when they hear yet another professional development  on DI.  Let's debunk this myth.  DI is not a way to change each lesson to serve each student and meet them at their level.  DI is a way to keep your lesson and its rigor but find a way to motivate the unmotivated.  Meet each student to how they learn and how they can show what they have learned in your lesson.

I have a new student online who is on the spectrum  He is highly intelligent and yet struggles with other areas of life.  He enjoys the written word and reading is his favorite past time.  However, using the avenue of writing a response to show his comprehension is very difficult for him.  He is creative in well spoken in his responses to show his comprehension of any given story.

His previous teacher instructed him to write a short story on a superhero.  We discussed this project and it clearly created great anxiety within him.  I immediately told him that assignment is no longer in existence and we have 4 days until our next class to brainstorm and come together to think of another assignment.  An assignment that will allow him to use words but he doesn't have to write them down.  He was intrigued and started to ask questions:  "you mean I can use the computer?"  " I can make a video?" .  His wheels were turning.  I am looking forward to Monday to hear what ideas he has come up with for his new assignment.

We are reading The Lightening Thief.  This story is perfect for this young man to show his knowledge of Greek Mythology and ability to analyze the written word.  Our first lesson together started out rough.  He had a 'melt down' 30 seconds into our time together.  His mom popped on the webcam to tell me an ant crawled across the computer keyboard.  He has a strong aversion to ants or any bugs.  Mom and I talked about his level of cognitive ability and what works and doesn't work for him.  I was nervous if my planned lesson would keep him engaged and motivated to stay with me for the next 45 minutes.

After he and his mom learned about my son, Scotty and his different learning style and abilities, they both seemed relieved and comforted that I "understood" this life of different abilities and special needs.

He calmed down and came back to the computer for our lesson.  We chatted a bit.  I tried to get a sense of how he stays engaged and my choice of using minecraft to talk about the map of the Camp of Half Bloods in the story was a win situation.  It was a way to meet his creativity and one of his learning styles.

Mom walked behind him with a thumbs up as her way of approval of my approach.  In that moment my insecurities subsided as I believe so did Mom's and student's.  We are a team.  Keeping him engaged and motivated to learn and to teach.  Yes, he along with all my students past and present teach me every day.  My son, Scotty and my students teach me every day why Differentiated Instruction is critical to enhance one's teaching.  It is a way to motivate and engage students and teachers alike.

DI is not a dirty word.  It is the key to motivate the unmotivated.

Help me support the ASF!

Help me support the ASF!: Please join me in supporting the 2016 ASF Walk to find a cure for Angelman syndrome. We can make a difference!

Differentiated Instruction: NOT just another buzz term!

Do your students feel frustrated? Do they easily give up or sometimes not even try?

My strategies help you build student motivation which in turn increases student participation.  Fun, engaging lessons are at the heart of building a classroom that has participation from all students.  We also introduce methods for creating an inquisitive classroom, where students are free to question the material and explore the curricula in greater depth.   By honoring student voice, giving them more opportunities to respond to instruction and presenting the material in several modes and intelligences of learning, we greatly increase the chances our students will discover more ways of learning.  If we teach to their strengths and help them overcome their weaker areas, they will have more tools for their own learning.

Do you use strategies that promote attention and interest and garner greater participation in the classroom?

You are competing for your student’s attention every day.   In today’s dynamic world it is hard to grab interest in biology or algebra!  Through randomization and story-telling, I present very specific methods to re-engage your students and increase participation in your classroom.   A student who isn’t interested is not likely to care about the lesson.  Approaching instruction by using their vernacular, experiences, and points of view will greatly increase their interest and understanding of your lesson.

Can you make your lessons more relevant and engaging?

Students get frustrated if they don’t understand the task at hand.  Because of our busy time tables and schedules, we are often forced to “press-on” just to get through the material.  Even given these circumstances you can create memorable moments for your students and greatly improve the chance they catch the meaning of your lessons and attach them to their own experiences through the use of synectics and other strategies taught in my course!  Reducing confusion and increasing understanding go hand in hand with my approaches to creating more relevant and engaging lessons.

Do you wish your students were more connected to the curriculum?

We present methods to increase “Aha!” moments by connecting concepts in the curricula with student voice and experience.  Using strategies that honor student voice and allow them to approach the lesson from their areas of strength, will reduce resistance to learning and increase opportunities for your students to respond accordingly to the curricula.

Can we promote a sense of self-efficacy in our students?

Your state and school WILL put your students to the test and expect them to perform.  My course will help you teach students to function under increased pressure!  Except for performers and athletes, most of our students are not ready, or have little experience, to perform on demand.  Through my dynamic tension strategies, you will teach your students how to work under pressure.  When student’s truly “earn” their knowledge in such conditions, they are much more likely to understand how they learn best and feel motivated to learn even more.  By allowing our students the time and opportunity to struggle a bit, we give them that moment of understanding when, through their own efforts, they discover the concept or answer for themselves.

Do you get frustrated reinventing the wheel?  Is it possible to share our great ideas efficiently and effectively?

Too often teachers are left on their own to figure out what works and what doesn’t work.  Learn a powerful strategy to increase dialogue between teachers and administrators and to showcase the best lessons that are being taught in your building, in your grade level, or department.  Learn how to record and share your very best lessons and make them available for other teachers.  By doing so you will preserve the best and most effective lessons.  New teachers will greatly benefit as well as educators who suddenly have to change grades or subjects!  Having a reliable and accurate method of sharing our very best lessons can increase teacher retention as well as student achievement.  My matrix allows you to record your most engaging lessons, share them with others, and also track where we are lacking in either depth of knowledge or mode of learning.

Supports RTI, PLC’s and other fine programs.

Today is International Angelman Day...most of the time you will see my Scotty smiling..but behind that smile is days of seizures, sleepless nights, many visits to specialists, fighting to be seen and heard. Help us find a cure...text FAST to 52000 and donate..10 15..any amount that easy to help us find a cure...and get Scotty and his friends a better quality of life...let's be his voice...his hope...his cure!


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What do we have against Inclusion?

I had the privilege of being a substitute teacher the other day in a local middle school for fifth and sixth graders in a self contained classroom.  Unlike standard classrooms with a large number of peers, self-contained classrooms are typically in a smaller setting with a fewer number of students.  Created to help foster enhanced support for students with different abilities or specific difficulties.  The class can have 6 up to 12 students.   

The class I had the honor to be with was a class of ten students who had social emotional and behavioral struggles.  Some of the students also had learning differences and one or two may have had a cognitive delay as well.  What I learned from these students is that they believed they were stupid.  In fact they were convinced they were "retarded". I heard that word more times than I'd like to admit during my 6 hours with them.  

I referred to them as scholars and how impressed I was with their math skills.  One student said:  "Who the hell are you calling scholars?  We are retards!"  My heart sank.  Who told them this?  Who reinforces this?  Why didn't the aide correct this thought?  

What does this society have against inclusion opportunities for all students.  I am not naive to believe that all students should or could handle full inclusion.  However, some inclusion opportunities are beneficial to all students.  

My son is in a self-contained classroom at a school designated for students with different abilities.  Why?  Especially when I am such an advocate for inclusion.  I will tell you it is because in our area of the country, we do not have an appropriate model for inclusion.  In fact it is archaic and detrimental to the most vulnerable students.  I have him in a school where I believe he will receive the best supports for his needs.  I would love some inclusion opportunities for him, but it is just not realistic here in Western New York to have his academic, therapeutic, sensory medical, and safety needs met.

The students I worked with the other day at the ages of 10 and 11 already believe they are 'less than'.  Nobody has attempted to alter this mindset.  Our current system has reinforced this thought and belief.  The more I am in the classroom, the more I find myself advocating for inclusion opportunities and changing the foundational belief systems of administrators, teachers, parents, students, and society as whole towards our children. 

My son is not less than, those students are not less than, they have unique needs that our current educational system is failing them.  We must do something about this.  All of us.