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.