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.
Tagged WithDifferentiation
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.