Differentiated Instruction in Mixed Ability Classrooms - Middle and High Schools
4 Part eSeminar - On Demand with Cindy Strickland

Link to this page
Return to Program List


Overview

In some ways, differentiation of instruction may seem to be the newest educational fad. Yet good teachers have always recognized that "one size fits all" instruction does not serve students well. Particularly in today’s world, where the backgrounds of our students are so diverse and their needs seemingly so numerous, teachers must find ways to consistently reach more kids more often. We can increase the likelihood of this happening by recognizing and responding to our students’ varied readiness levels for new learning, honoring and celebrating their diverse interests, and understanding their unique preferences for how they learn new information and practice new skills. A daunting task? Surely. An impossible one? Most definitely not. Come join 25-year teaching veteran and differentiation expert Cindy Strickland for a motivating (yet sensible!) introduction to differentiation of instruction.

Cindy Strickland has been a teacher to students of all ages, from Kindergarten to Master’s degree. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Educational Psychology with an Emphasis in Gifted at the University of Virginia, where she works closely with Carol Ann Tomlinson. Cindy’s consulting work includes school districts across the US and Canada as well as England, France, and Thailand. In the past six years, Cindy has provided hundreds of workshops on topics relating to differentiation.

Cindy’s publications in differentiation include the ASCD online course Success with Differentiation, the book Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum, Grades 9-12 (with Carol Ann Tomlinson), a unit in the book Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum, Grades 5-9, and Tools for High Quality Differentiation to be published in the spring of 2007.

Audience: Teachers - Grades 5-12
Duration: 90 minutes, each part


Content Description

Web Cast #1: Introduction to Differentiation of Instruction
Participants will:
Know...
  • What differentiation is - and is not
  • Key vocabulary of differentiation
  • Principles of high quality differentiation

  • Understand...
  • Differentiation is a way of thinking about teaching and learning
  • For differentiation to work well, teachers need to begin with good curriculum practice ongoing assessment, design respectful differentiated activities, and practice flexible grouping

  • Be Able To Do...
  • Use key vocabulary to describe the principles of high quality differentiation
  • Describe what good differentiated lessons look like
  • Assignment: Design & carry out a preassessment


    Web Cast #2: Focus on readiness
    Participants will:
    Know...
  • Multiple aspects of readiness
  • Rationale for readiness differentiation
  • What tiered lessons look like

  • Understand...
  • Tiered lessons respond to differences in student readiness
  • For students to grow as fast and as much as possible, activities need to be neither too easy nor too difficult

  • Be Able To Do...
  • Describe the role of tiered lessons in the differentiation model
  • Analyze and critique existing tiered lessons
  • Assignment: Write & implement a tiered activity for use in your own classroom


    Web Cast #3: Focus on learning profile
    Participants will:
    Know...
  • Aspects of a student’s learning profile
  • Rationale for learning profile differentiation
  • Strategies for learning profile differentiation

  • Understand...
  • When we allow students to work in modalities that are comfortable for them, we maximize the efficiency of their learning
  • Students need opportunities to work in preferred modalities as well as judicious opportunities to stretch their comfort with less preferred modalities

  • Be Able To Do...
  • Explain the role of learning profile in the differentiation model
  • Describe a variety of ways that activities can be differentiated for learning profile
  • Analyze and critique existing lessons that are differentiated for learning profile
  • Assignment: Write & implement an activity for use in your own classroom that is differentiated for learning profile


    Web Cast #4: Focus on interest
    Participants will:
    Know...
  • Rationale for interest differentiation
  • Ways to incorporate student interests into unit plans

  • Understand...
  • When we are able to weave students’ interests into lesson content, process, and product, we maximize their motivation to learn.
  • Students need opportunities to explore their current interests and discover new interests as well

  • Be Able To Do...
  • Explain how interest differentiation impacts student learning
  • Describe a variety of ways that activities can be differentiated for interest
  • Analyze and critique existing lessons that are differentiated for interest
  • Assignment: Write & implement an activity for use in your own classroom that capitalizes on students’ varied interests.


    Registration Fees

    2 to 20 teachers21 to 40 teachers40+ teachers
    $589.00$889.00$1,189.00

    [ Register Now! ]


    Return to Program List