Center for Graduate and Professional Studies

CENTER FOR GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Goucher College

Teachers' Institute

ED 610.903 Differentiating Instruction: Responding to Every Student’s Needs

Monday, July 9- Friday, July 13, 2012, 8:30am-4:00pm (face-to-face sessions)

Instructor: Leslie M. Grahn, M.ED. (410-531-5403, )

Course description: Students will deepen their knowledge about topics relating to differentiated instruction through the exploration of tools, simulations, discussions, and research. They will apply their learnings through the creation of original, differentiated products and will reflect on how differentiated instruction connects to their work in the classroom. Throughout the course, differentiated strategies will be embedded and modeled. Students are asked to bring a laptop to each face-to-face class in order to access online resources. Asynchronous interaction and reflection will follow-up the face-to-face sessions.

Course objectives:

Students will be able to:

o Identify key components of differentiated instruction

o Discuss aspects of a supportive learning environment

o Evaluate tools used to collect information about learners’ readiness, learning profile, and interests

o Examine formative and self-assessment tools and feedback strategies

o Explore flexible grouping strategies

o Analyze, adapt, and design differentiated activities.

o Design differentiated lesson plans

o Provide feedback to classmates on their work.

Goucher College Graduate Programs in Education (GPE) Outcomes and Technology Standards Addressed in this Course:

Graduate Programs in Education Outcomes

GPE004: Knowledge - Diversity: Demonstrate the ability to incorporate theory and research into practice related to the area of specialization.

GPE005: Knowledge - Theory: Demonstrate knowledge of concepts related to diversity, and the interaction between concepts related to diversity and the area of specialization or certification.

GPE006: Skills - Data: Demonstrate the ability to gather appropriate data and use data in problem analysis and decision-making related to the area of specialization.

GPE007: Skills - Problem Solving: Use problem solving/critical thinking strategies appropriate to the area of specialization.

GPE012: Dispositions - Diversity: Demonstrate positive dispositions toward diversity and equity.

GPE013: Dispositions - Professionalism: Demonstrate professionalism in one’s demeanor, behavior, conduct, decision-making, and interactions with colleagues.

Maryland Technology Standards

MDTECH001: Standard 1, Information Access, Evaluation, Processing and Application: Access, evaluate and process information efficiently and effectively. Apply information accurately and appropriately.

MDTECH002: Standard 2, Communication: Use technology to exchange information and interact electronically effectively and appropriately with others. Use technology effectively and appropriately to communicate information in a variety of formats.

MDTECH005: Standard 5, Integrating Technology into the Curriculum and Instruction: Design, implement and assess learning experiences that incorporate technology in the delivery of a curriculum-related instructional activity. Design, implement and assess learning experiences that incorporate student use of technology to support inquiry, problem solving, communication, and/or collaboration.

MDTECH007: Standard 7, Professional Growth: Analyze the use of emerging technologies to improve teaching and learning. Develop habits of mind that support continual learning and professional growth in technology.

Course Requirements:

1. Bring a laptop to each class

2. Nightly reading assignments from text (purchased in advance of 1st class)

How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms, 2nd Edition, Carol Ann Tomlinson, ASCD, 2004

ISBN: 978-0131195004

Hard Copy list price: $20.95

Amazon: $18.06

Ebook through ASCD: $20.95

Reading Follow-Up Assignment Choice Board

In preparation for daily discussions of readings from the text, you may choose one of the following for each. You are encouraged to make a variety of choices.

Answer the questions provided for each of the chapters read. They can be found at: http://bit.ly/g1ltv2 / Create a visual or set of visuals that best capture the ideas from the chapters (pictures, timeline, collage, etc.). / Create a word cloud, web, or mind map of key ideas from the chapters. (ex. Wordle: www.wordle.net
Webspiration:
www.mywebspiration.com)
Create an organizer that compares/contrasts the chapters you read with another resource on the topic. Highlight similarities and differences. / YOUR CHOICE!
(must be approved by instructor) / Choose one chapter from the assigned reading and add a real life example from your own experience.
Create a list of questions you would ask the author in an interview about the content of the chapters. / Choose a metaphor that comes to mind and relate it to the ideas in the chapters by making connections. / Create a set of manipulatives you might give students to help them process the information in the chapters.

3. Active participation in whole group and small group discussions

4. Daily attendance (lateness and absence are not permitted)

5. Portfolio

Portfolio description:

· Section I: Reading Follow-Up Assignments (4)

· Section II: Differentiated Activities

o A collection of 4 different differentiated products you have created during the course on which you have received feedback from your classmates. You may choose from the following: choice board, a set of learning centers, RAFT assignment, tiered assignment, cubing/think dots activity, WebQuest.

· Section III: Differentiated Lesson Plans

o A series of three consecutive lesson plans for a unit of your choice with annotations that highlight the differentiation strategies, non-negotiables, and the thinking behind them. The lesson plans must incorporate at least one of the differentiated activities you created.

· Section IV: Reflection paper (3 pages minimum, double spaced, 12 point font)

o Discuss the process by which you created your products. Identify the learners you targeted for each. Describe the context of each activity. Make connections between the text and the activities you created.

By midnight on Friday, July 20, 2012, you are required to post your differentiated activities and lesson plans on your page on the Dare to Differentiate wiki.

You will give meaningful warm and cool feedback to classmates on their work from Friday, June 20- Wednesday, July 25, 2012.

Your completed final portfolio is due electronically as an email attachment () or in hard copy postmarked by midnight on Friday, July 27, 2012.

6. Feedback on colleagues’ work

Warm feedback: given in the form of statements, it includes positive comments about attributes of the work

Cool feedback: given in the form of questions to encourage the presenter/author to see areas for growth and improvement

Electronic submissions:

1. Files/documents should be clearly labeled (use your initials in the titles)

2. Send documents in doc, docx, or PDF formats only.

3. You will receive a confirmation email from me that your files have been received and that I was able to open them.

Evaluation:

Your grade will be based on the following:

Portfolio 400 pts

Response to reading artifacts 50 pts

Differentiated Activities 100 pts

Reflection paper 100 pts

Differentiated lesson plans 150 pts

Class participation 100 pts

Attendance and active participation at face-to-face sessions 50 pts

Online feedback to classmates 50 pts

TOTAL 500 pts

· 450-500 pts A

· 400-449 pts B

· 350-399 pts C

· <349 pts F

Goucher College does not issue grade reports. You can obtain your grade approximately 3 weeks after concluding the course by going to the GoucherLearn website (http://learn.goucher.edu) and follow the prompts to receive your grade. If you have misplaced your password, please contact the help desk and they will walk you through this procedure
(410-337-6322).

If you need a paper copy of grades for tuition reimbursement, you will need to request a transcript in writing. You can fax your request to Student Administrative Services (SAS) at 410-337-6504 or mail to SAS at

Goucher College, SAS

1021 Dulaney Valley Road

Baltimore, MD 21204

There is no charge for this request. Please allow 3-5 working days to process. To access the transcript request form, please go to http://www.goucher.edu/x1891.xml

CENTER FOR GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Goucher College

Teachers' Institute

ED 610.903 Differentiating Instruction: Responding to Every Student’s Needs

Monday, July 9- Friday, July 13, 2012, 8:30 am- 4:00 pm (face-to-face sessions)

Instructor: Leslie M. Grahn, M. ED. (410-531-5403, )

SYLLABUS

Day 1: Digging Into DI research and Creating a Supportive Learning Environment

1. Opening activities

2. Research and background information about differentiated instruction

3. What is a supportive learning environment?

4. Learning Centers

5. Closure/reflection activity

Homework: Read text Chapters 1-3 (see choice board), Work on Portfolio

Day 2: Knowing Our Learners and Differentiating with Them in Mind

1. Reading homework follow-up

2. Strategies for Knowing Our Learners’ Learning Profiles and Interests

3. Flexible grouping strategies

4. Cooperative learning strategies

5. Choice boards

6. Closure/reflection activity

Homework: Read text Chapters 4-7 (see choice board), Work on Portfolio

Day 3: Respectful Tasks and Differentiation

1. Reading homework follow-up

2. Opening activities

3. What are respectful tasks?

4. RAFT and tiered assignments

5. Closure/reflection activity

Homework: Read text Chapters 8-10 (see choice board), Work on Portfolio

Day 4: The Many Faces of Assessment

1. Reading homework follow-up

2. Opening activities

3. Assessment self-assessment

4. Formative assessment

5. Feedback and student self-assessment

6. Differentiation of Assessment

7. Closure/reflection activity

Homework: Read text Chapters 11-14 (see choice board), Work on Portfolio

Day 5: How to Plan for Differentiation

1. Opening activities

2. What makes a high quality curriculum?

3. Incorporating differentiation into lesson plans

4. Cubing/Think Dots

5. WebQuests, Foldables, and other differentiation activities

6. Closing activities

Homework:

1. Differentiated activities and lesson plans are posted on student’s page on the Dare to Differentiate wiki by Friday, June 20, 2012.

2. Give meaningful warm and cool feedback to classmates on their work from Friday, June 20- Wednesday, July 25, 2012.

3. Your completed final portfolio is due electronically as an email attachment () or in hard copy postmarked by midnight on Friday, July 27, 2012.