Tools for Differentiation / FrontPage How Do We Know When Students Are Engaged? (Updated 11/2013) Educational author and former teacher, Dr. Michael Schmoker shares in his book, Results Now, a study that found of 1,500 classrooms visited, 85 percent of them had engaged less than 50 percent of the students. So, how do they know if a student is engaged? Teacher-Directed Learning You will see students... Paying attention (alert, tracking with their eyes) Taking notes (particularly Cornell) Listening (as opposed to chatting, or sleeping) Asking questions (content related, or in a game, like 21 questions or I-Spy) Responding to questions (whole group, small group, four corners, Socratic Seminar) Following requests (participating, Total Physical Response (TPR), storytelling, Simon Says) Reacting (laughing, crying, shouting, etc.) Student-Directed Learning You see students individually or in small groups... Activity and Ownership I believe that the majority of teachers pick up on the audience cues as they direct-teach and can tell if a student is not interested or not engaged.
Using Technology in the Early Childhood Classroom By Kimberly Moore Kneas, Ph.D. and Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D. Early Childhood Today: Are young children's brains (ages three through six) well suited to the use of technology? (We define technology as children using cameras, computers, tape recorders and video cameras in classroom projects.) If so, how? Are some forms of technology better than others for these specific age levels? Dr. I see technology doing the same things today. Modern technologies are very powerful because they rely on one of the most powerful genetic biases we do have — the preference for visually presented information. The problem with this is that many of the modern technologies are very passive. Sitting young children in front of a television for hours also prevents that child from having hours of other developmental experiences. On the other hand there are many positive qualities to modern technologies. Dr. Back to top Dr. I think that balance and timing are the keys to healthy development. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr.
Enhancing Learning Through Differentiated Technology Each day, teachers face the task of helping students stay engaged, show growth, and master the curriculum. How can they do this? Should they open the textbook and start teaching on page one? Should they use ongoing formative assessments to determine the individual needs of the student, also called differentiated instruction (DI)? What DI Is and Isn't Many teachers feel overwhelmed if you mention the words "differentiated instruction." Creating an individual plan for each of my students Keeping students in stagnant groups based on data from the beginning of the year Teaching only the lower-level students and letting the higher-level students teach themselves. Instead, as stated in an ASCD infographic, differentiated instruction is when: Students can be in groups based on skills, interests, readiness, or by choice There is a "purposeful use of flexible grouping" while keeping the lesson's goals in mind Teachers are "teaching up" and holding students to high standards. 1. 2. 3.
The Best Resources On Differentiating Instruction My colleague Katie Hull-Sypnieski is leading a February 1st Education Week Webinar on differentiating instruction, and I would strongly encourage people to participate. Katie’s the best teacher I’ve ever seen…. In addition, Katie and I have co-authored a piece for Education Week Teacher on the topic that will be appearing there soon (it’s appeared: The Five By Five Approach To Differentiation Success), and an upcoming post in my blog there will be talking about it, too (that two part series has also appeared). I also did a second two-part series in Ed Week on differentiation. Also, check out The Best “Fair Isn’t Equal” Visualizations. Given all that, a “The Best…” post was inevitable, and here it is. Here are my choices for The Best Resources On Differentiating Instruction: The Best Places To Get The “Same” Text Written For Different “Levels” Busting Myths about Differentiated Instruction is by Rick Wormeli. Reconcilable Differences? Deciding to Teach Them All is by Carol Ann Tomlinson.
Digital Differentiation Technology is a tool that can be used to help teachers facilitate learning experiences that address the diverse learning needs of all students and help them develop 21st Century Skills. At it's most basic level, digital tools can be used to help students find, understand and use information. When combined with student-driven learning experiences fueled by Essential Questions offering flexible learning paths, it can be the ticket to success. Here is a closer look at three components of effectively using technology as a tool for digital differentiation. Note: The interactive graphics you see below have been updated. The goal is to design student-driven learning experiences that are fueled by standards-based Essential Questions and facilitated by digital tools to provide students with flexible learning paths. Essential Questions: Student-driven learning experiences should be driven by standards-based Essential Questions. Teacher Facilitated Learning Experiences:
Reading Comprehension Worksheets "Your reading comprehension materials are the best I've found on the web. They are so thorough and comprehensive! My students and I have learned a lot from them. Like these materials? On this page you will find our complete list of high quality reading comprehension worksheets created specially by our team for students in grade levels K-12. READTHEORYWorkbooks Visit our online store here! Our reading comprehension worksheets teach students to think critically, draw inferences, understand scope and global concepts, find or recall details, and infer the meaning of useful vocabulary words. © COPYRIGHT NOTICE: The below publications contain copyrighted work to be used by teachers in school or at home. Grade 1 - Find more here! Phew! You really really like reading comprehension. Critical Thinking Reading Comprehension Worksheets Short Story Reading Comprehension Worksheets © COPYRIGHT NOTICE: The below publications contain copyrighted work to be used by teachers in school or at home.
4 Benefits of having mobile technology in the classroom If you’ve been thinking about bringing mobile technology in the classroom, my advice to you is to do it! More k-12 and higher education institutions are participating in the “mobile revolution” than ever. There are so many benefits your students are missing out on if you don’t. Today’s students are tech-savvy. Regardless of the method whether you do it through BYOD (bring your own device), a 1:1 iPad initiative, or any other method make sure you get that mobile technology in the classroom. 1. First and foremost your job as an educator is to prepare your students for the future. Working with mobile devices will not only be a part of their everyday lives as adults, but it will also be vital part of many career paths. Knowing how to appropriately use mobile devices is an important aspect in this increasingly connected world. In order to properly prepare your students for the future as they transition into the workforce, incorporating mobile technology in the classroom is key 2. 3. 4.
50 Education Technology Tools Every Teacher Should Know About via Edudemic Technology and education are pretty intertwined these days and nearly every teacher has a few favorite tech tools that make doing his or her job and connecting with students a little bit easier and more fun for all involved. Yet as with anything related to technology, new tools are hitting the market constantly and older ones rising to prominence, broadening their scope, or just adding new features that make them better matches for education, which can make it hard to keep up with the newest and most useful tools even for the most tech-savvy teachers. Here, we’ve compiled a list of some of the tech tools, including some that are becoming increasingly popular and widely used, that should be part of any teacher’s tech tool arsenal this year, whether for their own personal use or as educational aids in the classroom. Social Learning These tools use the power of social media to help students learn and teachers connect. Learning Lesson Planning and Tools Useful Tools
20 Must-Have Educational Resources For All Teachers Edudemic often features posts providing a list of top resources for a particular category. Recently, the site gettingsmart.com posted the names of the LAUNCHedu finalists chosen by the SXSWedu® Conference, offering even more resources for the Edudemic staff to consider! On March 7, 2012, they will choose winners after a full day of presentations by the finalists. There are so many sites and programs on the Internet already, but this competition just goes to show that the need for educational resources is still great. Necessity is the mother of invention, they say. The cliche works because it is true. I thought and pondered, considered and reconsidered, and researched and revised a list in my head this week. First, however, I created a wordle using some of the lists the editors have created recently. I divided my resources into categories, based on my interests as a teacher. Devices iPad – The iPad provides access to e-texts and incredible educational apps. Resources for Lesson Planning
The Differentiator Try Respondo! → ← Back to Byrdseed.com The Differentiator The Differentiator is based on Bloom's Taxonomy, Kaplan and Gould's Depth and Complexity, and David Chung's product menu. Try It In: French Dutch • Tweet It • Like Byrdseed • Pin It Students will judge the ethics of the [click to edit] using a textbook and create an essay in groups of three. Revised Bloom's Taxonomy adapted from "A Taxonomy for Learning,Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives" by Anderson and Krathwohl Depth and Complexity adapted from The Flip Book by Sandra N. Depth Big Idea Unanswered Questions Ethics Patterns Rules Language of the Discipline Essential Details Trends Complexity Multiple Points Of View Change Over Time Across the Disciplines Imperatives Origin Convergence Parallels Paradox Contribution Key Words Consequences Motivations Implications Significance Adapted from David Chung and The Flip Book, Too by Sandra N. Group Size One Two Three Four
Kids Science Experiments - Kids Science Projects including, gravity, lights, floating, sinking, mixing, separating, absorption, magnets, heat, pressure, and getting reactions that are all fun, easy and exciting.