TIME TO ROTATE: DI IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

LAB AND CLASSROOM

Amanda Greene and Katy Culp

Gregg Middle School

MISSION AND VISION

Mission: Dorchester School District Two leading the way, every student, every day, through relationships, rigor, and relevance. Vision: Dorchester School District Two desires to be recognized as a “World Class” school district, expecting each student to achieve at his/her optimum level in all areas, and providing all members of our district family with an environment that permits them to do their personal best.

TIME TO ROTATE: DI IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LAB AND CLASSROOM

In this session, teachers will walk away with: A better understanding of DI in the classroom and the lab Resources for classroom management Resources from fellow colleagues to use in the classroom

and the lab Understanding the benefits of DI

WHAT IS DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION?

Turn to the person or people near you and please take a few minutes to discuss what you believe “DI”

really means.

DEFINITION

Differentiated instruction is a way to reach students with different learning styles, different abilities to absorb information and different ways of expressing what they have learned. Laura Robb is an expert in the field of differentiated instruction, and, as such, she has command of the theory and research as well as hands-on experience in the classroom.

KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL DI CLASSROOM

Classroom Management Grouping Comprehendible Directions PLANNED and Goal Orientated

Activities/Assessments Back Up Plan

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Class Dojo: http://www.classdojo.com/

All of your classroom rules need to be applied ten fold during DI.

It usually takes me about two days to go over how to work the rotations within my own classroom and the computer lab.

Time is of the essence during the rotations. I explain to the kiddos that I cannot be interrupted unless it is an emergency.

HOLLYWOOD IN THE CLASSROOM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6rEy3Lqfio

GROUPING

Needs to be a lot of pre-assessment before DI instruction Groups can be: Homogeneously Grouped

OR Heterogeneously Grouped

This all depends on what your instruction is going to be and what the other groups that you are not specifically working with are doing.

COMPREHENDIBLE DIRECTIONS

Physically go to each station Say the directions verbally Have them printed out and taped to the

desk Again, they are not allowed to disturb

me, unless an emergency, so the directions need to be extremely explicit.

PLANNED AND GOAL ORIENTATED ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS

The different stations need to be working toward a specific goal and focus on the curriculum that needs to be revisited, reviewed, or retaught. It cannot just be “busy work” because the students can see through that.

Examples:

Writing: Grammar/Writing Prompt

Math: Algebraic Equations/Steps of the Process

Science: Weather/Experiment

Social Studies: Reading a chapter in parts/ Relaying information

Reading: Silent Reading/Vocabulary

BACK UP PLAN

This may be the most important part besides classroom management.

Technology can often fall through. You need to have a back up plan for ALL of your technology.

EXAMPLE OF DI IN THE CLASSROOM

Transitions Assessments Alternative Assessments

CONTENT AREA

Please sit with people from your content area and talk about some of the assessments you could find/make for

planning your DI instruction

Feel free to start creating lesson plans!

CONTACT INFORMATION

Amanda Greene and Katy Culp

Time to Rotate: DI in the Middle School Lab and Classroom

agreene@dorchester2.k12.sc.us

cculp@dorchester2.k12.sc.us

SESSION EVALUATIONParticipants are asked to complete a session evaluation for each session attended. Credit (attendance, renewal, and/or technology) will be added following evaluation completion.

For each question, use 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neither Agree nor Disagree, 4=Agree, 5=Strongly Agree. Your responses will assist us in planning future professional development in Dorchester School District Two.

1) The instructor was well prepared for the workshop.

2) The materials for the workshop were appropriate.

3) The concepts presented were appropriate to my job.

4) I will benefit from attending this session.

5) I would recommend this training to others.