Here is protoype 2 :) I have parents coming in to make these for me next week! Can't wait to try using them!

From DI Camp to the Classroom

I don't know about you other campers, but I have had quite a week. Going back to school on Monday was both exciting...and a tad overwhelming. After being gone for two days, I always feel like I have to play catch up. So I set out to do just that and try to begin restructuring my classroom so that little by little I can make sure that differentiation is truly happening so that my students can learn best.


I started Monday by taking the class day to work on sharing with my students the energy and excitement that I gained while I was at the DI STEM Camp. I shared with my students the Adora video: "What Adults Can Learn From Kids" and had them talk with each other about what they agreed/disagreed with from her talk. They LOVED it! I think I spotted a few Adoras in my classes that day!

I circulated by the groups listening to the discussions that were happening. What I heard blew me away and excited me even more! "She's right; adults shouldn't underestimate us all of the time!", "I HATE being called 'childish.'", "I wish adults would listen to us more.", "We have so much to share if people will listen.", "I am glad she is standing up for our generation!", "Wow, she got published?!", "It's easier to just do what they expect of us.", etc

After introducing the concept circle, I had the students make a concept circle for what they want and think of in a good classroom community. They asked me if I would actually read them and use any of their ideas. I let them know that this is exactly why I had them do that...I want to have their input. Their faces were priceless as I said this.


We finished the class discussing high expectations, differentiated learning, and how fair does not always mean that everyone is doing the same thing. As the bell rang, I gave them a goal: Try to teach Mrs. Riggs something new each day! :)


Since Monday we have focused on keeping our good classroom climate and trying to teach me something new each day! :) They have been coming up with more questions about our material than all year so far. :) Feels like we are going in a great direction!



This afternoon I finally had a minute to try to create what I could see in my head: The Equalizer! :) For those that did not attend the camp, the Equalizer is a tool inspired by Carol Ann Tomlinson's books about differentiating instruction. She shows an equalizer (like you would see on an old stereo) and challenges us to use this to make sure we really know our students as learners. On this she includes: is the student working with concrete or abstract, do they need to move slower or quicker, are they at a more independent level or dependent, etc. We talked in camp about creating this as a hands-on tool and manipulating it so that it can be a way for our students to communicate during each lesson how they are feeling about the material.


So I had a vision in mind: Something with pipe cleaners and a bead the students can move to tell me: Is the material clear to the student or fuzzy (confusing), Do they need help or are they working with it independently just fine, Do they need an example (concrete) or can they envision it in their mind (abstract), Do they have it down and feel like they could move a bit quicker on toward something else?, etc. As I walk the classroom and teach, the students will move the beads as necessary to show me where each of them are with the material being taught! Great assessment tool! :D hehe! I can't wait to have these and use them.


So I have created prototype #1! :) This is a work in progress, but I have the idea and I am enlisting parental help to get 26 of these made. I plan to make them a permanent attachment to my desks! :) I am sure it will evolve before they are done. I will keep you posted on this process.

a summary

DI word cloud

Have you been to www.tagxedo.com ? It is a free site where you can make a word cloud. You'll love it! Great for vocabulary! This is a word cloud using our blog's web address. Just thought I'd "share" with you!!

What is DI?

Thank you Dr. Khan for giving me a stronger understanding of what differentiation means. I feel stronger in my ability to meet my students needs!

Putting Ideas into Action!

     Differentiating Instruction.  What is it?  Why should teachers utelize it?  On September 8-10, 2011, a handful of Tennesse educators had the amazing opportunity to take part in a "unique professional development opportunity for teachers." 
     The camp:"Differentiated Instruction: Strategies to Reach and Teach ALL Learners" was a 3 day camp for teachers.  Dr. Zaf Khan of MTSU provided evidence-based, best-practice strategies, hands-on lab experience, and invaluable collaboration opportunities to help teachers become even better educators and to equip us to adequately differentiate our classrooms so that the students' learning will be a meaningful and dendrite-growing experience!  
     "Supporting differentiated instruction is not about teaching louder and slower or individualizing instruction for every student. It is about creating a rich, robust instructional repertoire with different entry and end points to learning. Differentiation is about change, challenge, and choice. Change the content! Change the process! Change the product!" (DI Camp Information from MTSU)
    This blog is dedicated to keeping the spirit of learning, engagement, and collaboration alive.  This will serve as a medium for the teachers at the training to share experiences from our own classrooms as we implement the ideas and strategies that we have learned at this amazing camp! 
     If you were a teacher that attended and would like to share your experiences of what you have used in your classroom from this training, email your post to me, Marsha Riggs: marshariggs@gmail.com I will make sure to post it to our blog immediately!  :)  Stay tuned for fantastic information and shared experiences!