14. Differentiation is a journey, a
commitment, not something we
do once to tick off our list.
15. Time to be strategic in shaping
and aligning pedagogies.
16. As a leader, what are you doing
to challenge pedagogies?
17. Teachers differ in the pedagogic procedures they
employ in a range of ways, for example, the extent to
which they control and direct the learning activity, the
extent to which the procedures they use are
referenced in students’ knowledge procedures and the
extent to which they guide students to improve their
understanding of learning.
John Munro
25. How do we guide students to :
● Find motivation?
● Become metacognitive?
26. Developing an in-depth understanding of each
learner enables teachers to:
● Create a psychologically safe environment for every
learner.
● Determine each student's readiness for learning.
● Identify multiple access points to the curriculum to
increase engagement and success.
● Develop and demonstrate greater emotional intelligence
in the classroom.
How to Teach Now by William Powell and Ochan Kusuma-Powell
27.
28. How do we create optimal conditions
for learners as well as conditions for
their flourishing in intellectual growth,
personal and spiritual development and
well-being?
29.
30. Differentiation
● Where does it sit in your priorities?
● Does it appear anywhere in your strategic plan?
● When was the last time you had differentiation on the
Staff Meeting agenda?
● Is differentiation included in your curriculum planning
documentation?
● How many of your staff include it in their daily
planner, or equivalent?
31. Differentiation
● What impact or difference is being made by your
current practices?
● What are the consistencies that you notice across
your School?
● What is the difference between the ‘lip service’ and
the ‘practice’?
32. ● What is the underlying attitude reflected across the
School?
● What level of engagement is evident and how is it
measured?
Differentiation
33. From what you have
just heard, what, if
anything, is
different from what
you are doing?
Let me tell you about 2 students:
1 - Mary. Mary was a happy, positive students in Year 6 at Middle School. She liked School and related well to the teachers. She loved reading and was keen to show how much she knew about her favourite authors. She loved projects and handed her work in on time. Mary was one of those organised students; she completed her homework on time and was helpful in the classroom. She engaged herself keenly in the classroom discussions and answered questions whenever she was called upon. Mary was made for School. She loved the challenges and would work well in group work. The teacher often would use Mary’s work as an example of what others could do. She was often asked to take the lead in when visitors needed to be directed around the school. She would help the librarian reshelve books and loved to help with setting up displays of students’ work.
2. Stephen. Stephen was active at School and loved playing outside. He was a keen cricketer and would often help his friends out when they were playing. He organised the teams at lunchtime and made sure that people played by the rules. When things got tense between his peers while they were playing Cricket, Stephen usually was able to sort things out. He would settle arguments or issues that caused interruptions to the game.
In class things were a little different. Stephen had trouble following instructions or interpreting what he was supposed to be doing. He struggled to keep up with some of the other students in the class. He would often ask others what he was supposed to be doing but he would often get into trouble for talking. He tried to hide his frustrations but no matter what happened, he just couldn’t seem to get it like… Mary. Mary could do anything. She was first finished, She got to do all the good jobs and tasks in the School. Stephen would often go to her to get help but sometimes his friends would stir him about this. He just wanted the teacher to check up on him to see how he needed help. Why was it so hard?
Same but Different
Aren’t we all the same?
We are all in the same School,
We’re in the same class
We’re in the same room
With the same teacher.
Aren’t we all the same?
We use the same lessons
We use the same books,
You ask me the same questions.
We must all be the same.
Hey, Teacher! I’m in the room.
Take some time to talk to
Me.
Have you noticed?
Have you noticed that there are things
I can do?
Have you noticed that I can finish some things faster than others?
I’ve given up showing you my work because
I know you’ll give me more.
I just want you to get to know
Me.
I’ve been doing this for a while now.
It’s all the same,
But
I have learnt the way to play
I’ll just do it
Slowly.
I’ll just make it look like I don’t know,
I’ll just make it look like I don’t care.
I’ll just make a mistake
Here or there.
It’s easier this way
Because
Now I am just like everyone
Else.
We’re all the same,
Aren’t we?
Excuse me, Teacher!
I’m different.
I am not like everyone else;
I am not the same.
Excuse me
Teacher,
Don’t you know we are
Not all the same.
I just want you to get to know
Me.
I’ve been doing this for a while now.
It’s all the same,
But
I have learnt the way to play
I’ll just do it
Slowly.
I’ll just make it look like I don’t know,
I’ll just make it look like I don’t care.
I’ll just make a mistake
Here or there.
It’s easier this way
Because
Now I am just like everyone
Else.
We’re all the same,
Aren’t we?
Excuse me, Teacher!
I’m different.
I am not like everyone else;
I am not the same.
Excuse me
Teacher,
Don’t you know we are
Not all the same.
Have you heard that before? We can either go on doing what we are doing and it will most likely stay the same. Coming to this conference may have raised the whole topic of differentiation in your list of priorities but once you get back to your School or where you work, it will most likely be the same.
We can hope and wish that things improve but unless we do something different, things will stay the same.
Give the take aways here.
If you are a teacher - In the area of differentiation, after what you have heard during this conference so far and considering what you already know about differentiation, on a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your level of implementation in the classroom?
If you are an educational leader - In the area of differentiation, after what you have heard during this conference so far, and considering what you already know about differentiation, on a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the level of implementation in the area for which you are responsible?
What’s one thing you can try, or one thing that you can put in place when you get back that will raise your number by one?
When it comes to Paradigms, where do you sit? Are you aligned with where
This was the prevailing attitude during the industrial revolution.
“Let’s get students ready for the factory.”
Education for the masses.
Controlled, systematic skill development
Lock step approach to learning.
What are the paradigms that we hold that impact how we structure the learning in our classrooms or in our schools.
We can look at how we teach the students in the classroom and roll this out across the school. Or we can look at the educational theory behind what we are doing. This is the “why”
The whole school can now do it my way or the whole school is going to do it this way because it is based on the common understanding of our why.
Where do we fit on this scale? Transmission- there is a bunch of knowledge that students need to have in their heads before they leave our School. It is my role as a teacher to give them the knowledge and make sure that they know it.
Participatory - Enabling students to build the character and values that they need to be the person they are becoming. They will be forever learning and participating in the educational journey so that they can successfully participate in cultural practices.
When is it needed to travel between the 2?
It’s going to take us to put some effort to get to know our students. We need to look past the content to how we can relate it to the individual.
How much impact do you have on the pedagogical procedures that teachers employ?
How do you maximise the effectiveness of these procedures
Intuitive- Teacher discovers they need to do it as a student may not be engaged/learning/progressing at the same rate as peers. It becomes an entrenched practice. Lesson not going well so teacher shifts or changes tact.
Intentional - Deliberate, planned, Teacher knows students and plans for broad range of abilities
Negotiated - More student directed; project based or problem based learning
Discuss which of these are the most important? Which one/s do you need to consider for your particular environment?
Content - Learning Intention; From which year level or equivalent is going to be presented?
Process - What level of instruction is going to be included? Whole class instruction vs mini lesson. What pace is going to be employed? Questioning, Structured/Self directed; How much competition, if any is going to be included? (Maths Races etc)
Product - How will it be presented? What allowance will be made for learning styles?
Learning Environment - Individual / group; Teacher dependent or self discovery? Climate and tone of learning area
Assessment - Pre post; formative, summative; Pass the test vs show understanding of outcome/learning intention
Which of these are the most important? Which one/s do you need to consider for your particular School? (Chapman 2000)
What is the underlying attitude across the School? Do teachers believe that all students are capable of learning?
What level of engagement is evident and how is it measured? This will provide a reliable measure of the level of differentiation in place across the School
What evidence is consistently apparent in curriculum/planning documentation? Not just in 1 or 2 teachers but widespread and consistent. If it’s written down, it’s out in the open. More likely to be an accepted or embedded practice.
Could we consider a different way?
It may take a paradigm shift or it may just be a small shift in attitudes and practice.
Quiz: Have the students write the questions. Everyone can have an entry level. Everyone can participate
How can you begin?
How can you make some changes/improvements to what is already in place?