The Connected Curriculum - Challenge #8

Differentiate Your Own Instruction, Learn from Video

This week, spend some time on www.youtube.com and/or www.teachertube.com and watch videos on differentiated instruction.  Look for ones that catch your interest and that will help you in your current curriculum. To aid you in your review I’ve linked three excellent videos that you can start off with.

Video #1:  Begin with the Brain featuring Martha Kaufeldt

 

This is a surprisingly useful video and I hope that you can all benefit from it. For busy teachers who don't have the amenity to read up on so many varied sources, you get a good introduction of hearing about their applications through this video.

Kaufeldt talks in this video about how the brain “innately seeks to detect familiar and useful patterns in its environment”. These configurations give a context to what otherwise might be understood as meaningless. These significant patterns, when practiced, become wired in the brain as programs. She makes suggestions about refining classroom practices such as setting standards rather than imposing rules, the need for procedures and routines rather than discipline... and provides tools and ideas for teachers all which can also be found in her book by the same name.

This video provides both good brain-compatible, democratic, student-centered principles and support for developing meaningful skills without getting into arguments. I appreciated the challenge to one's thinking and training and all the help that is given here. Through this video and a quick review of her book Kaufeldt teaches not only good principles and practices for teaching and learning, but also for living. I now have her book on order!

Video #2: Differentiating Instruction Through Interactive Games (Tech2Learn Series)

 

This video focuses on an elementary teacher that utilizes technology to add differentiated instruction to his math curriculum.  Through interactive games such as Turtle Planet and Dream Box students were able to practice their addition and subtraction skills on MacBook’s, laptops, and IPod touch devices. He has found great success using this approach and finds that through the use of these interactive games the students are much more engaged and excited about learning the content.  One of the most positive aspects of using the technology of games is that the students are constantly being assessed through the process of moving to the next level in the game.  Mastery has to be shown before they can move on but they don’t see it as an assessment but more of a challenge.  He can review the levels they are on or stuck in and adjust individual instruction accordingly. One of the things I liked about this video is that he also gives ideas on grant funding and corporate sponsorships to purchase the technology when your school district cannot afford to provide it for you.

Video #3:  Differntiated Instruction Ignites Elementary School Learning

 

Forest Lake Elementary School in Columbia, South Carolina is recognized throughout the state and nation as one of the top schools to utilize technology with differentiated instruction.  Forest Lake has partnered with NASA and focuses their curriculum on science, math, and technology.  Their objective is not to teach the students what they already know but instead go where they are and take them as far as the teachers can.  At Forest Lake they utilize different technology stations where lessons are self-directed and the learning is comfortable to each student on an individual basis.  The video points out that one of the biggest reasons they are so successful is that they have a collaboration meeting every two weeks with their staff so that everyone is on the same path.  It is not viewed as a “required” meeting but rather one that no one wants to miss because they stay energized and motivation through working and communicating with each other.

Until tomorrow...

Collaborate and connect your curriculum!