differentiation
Why My Toddler Likes Lego, Not Duplo
Even though he’s in the Duplo age range, my kid is simply more interested in Lego. And it’s always more effective, more respectful, and simply easier to start with a kid’s interests rather than what’s “age-appropriate.”
Differentiate Math: Getting Started
Working with a student who is bored in math? Quickly finishing lessons? Needs something more? Here are three ways you can get started differentiating in math.
Why “Challenging” Isn’t Quite The Right Goal
“I want to challenge my students” is just about the most common goal out there. Unfortunately, I think it’s not quite the right word…
Choice Menus: Quality or Mere Quantity?
I used to create extension menus, thinking they were an essential tool for differentiation. Overtime, I’ve changed my thinking. Here’s why.
Where Do I Start Differentiating for Gifted Students?
I get lots of questions from overwhelmed folks who have suddenly landed in a new job in gifted ed and have had little training. “Where do I even start!?” is a very common cry. Here are three places to begin differentiating for gifted kids.
How many students are already ready (already) for next year?
In a climate where we focus on who’s below-level, how many students are already ready for next year (and beyond)? Research from Johns Hopkins sheds light on the (truly) shocking number of above-level kids out there.
Why I Had “Early Finishers”
Wondering what to do with your early finishers? This is probably the wrong question!
What Differentiation Does NOT Look Like
There’s lots of faux-differentiation out there. In this article, I catalog a few anti-patterns: tactics that look like differentiation, but are actually quite the opposite.
What Textbooks Think “Differentiated Instruction” Looks Like
In a time when teachers feel prohibited from writing their own lessons, many are limited by what their textbooks offer. So what, exactly, do textbooks offer in terms of differentiation for gifted learners?
Stretching Students
I’ve been revisiting this lovely excerpt from Carol Ann Tomlinson’s article “Meeting Needs in Regular Classroom” and a few words really stood out to me…
Thinking From Anything’s Perspective
How a small change, with very little effort on the teacher’s part, leads to a delightfully complex task that can will get students thinking.
To Differentiate Go Faster. Or Slower.
Sometimes we need to speed up to serve gifted kids. Sometimes we need to slow down.
Aim for High Ceilings and Low Floors
To differentiate, aim for one complex task that is well-scaffolded, not three completely different tasks. Aim high and scaffold down.
Directly Teach Non-Academic Skills
Any time we complain that a kid always or never does something, we should consider this same question: has anyone ever taught them how?
A Clock Math Project?
A reader wrote in, asking how to differentiate for a task like reading analog clocks. What to do with a student who has mastered this skill? What’s a good math clock project?
Complexity Is A Good Thing
Differentiation is all about balancing the complexity of a task with the skill of the learner.
On Grouping Gifted Students
I am frequently asked about research supporting gifted programs. Is there evidence that putting gifted kids together is a good thing? The short answer: yes.
Why Gifted Kids May Not Be Great Tutors
It’s so easy to assume gifted kids will be the academic leaders in a classroom. Beacons of light for the other kids to follow. Dina Brulles and Susan Winebrenner explain the problem…
Constructing Meaningful Math Projects
Here are four key attributes I look for when developing math projects: juicy data, interesting conflict, an expert’s lens, and a final product.
Math Project: Furnish A Hotel
Starting with an IKEA catalog, a hotel furnishing math project was born. Use this project as a tool to differentiate your math instruction and impart some practical knowledge on your students.
Math and Novelty: What if we didn’t have 10 numerals?
Looking for some ways to challenge your advanced mathematicians? If you’d like to keep them on the same topic as the rest of your class, consider increasing the complexity of your current unit. If they’re in need of more advanced curriculum to keep their creativity flowing, try to bring in novel ways of looking at math.
Think Like An Anthropologist to Make Inferences
Like all HM comprehension skills, “Making Inferences” appears yearly beginning in kindergarten, so I know my 6th graders have practiced, and may well have mastered, the skill. To differentiate, I turned to the model of “Thinking Like a Disciplinarian.”
Ask Them Which Is Better
Moving from analysis to evaluation sure makes things more fun. Why? Check out these examples. Which would you rather answer?
An Apple Stock Math Project
Entice your gifted mathematicians with real world data and an authentic problem such as: “Let’s say that instead of buying the original iPod, you spent the same amount of money on Apple stock. How much would that stock be worth now?”
Should Students Have To Work In Groups?
Once in a while, a student will ask me a question that makes me realize how much more there is to know about my class. One child came up and quietly asked me, “Do I have to work in a group?”
Enticing Gifted Students To Read Twice
Think you’re lucky to get your students to read a story once? Can’t imagine convincing a class to read a story through again? The key is giving your gifted students an enticing purpose for a reread.
Differentiating in Math: Running Multiple Groups in One Class
100%, 100%, 100%. If you’ve ever taught gifted students math, you’re probably familiar with those kids who can knock perfect scores out week after week. You’ve probably also questioned what good you’re doing for those students. A differentiated math program may be just what you need.
How To Write A Lesson Objective
Creating a differentiated learning environment for gifted students doesn’t mean throwing out everything you learned in your credential program. Learn how to add on to or adjust the base program, curriculum, or standards that any general education teacher uses.