Differentiated Instruction

Differentiation is not so much the “stuff” as the “how.” If the “stuff” is ill conceived, the “how” is doomed.

• Carol Ann Tomlinson

While we’ve dabbled into what differentiated instruction is (and we will spend more time on it in the future), let’s consider Tomlinson’s Insights, in this readable 7-page article.

By class time Wednesday, read Differentiated Instruction and post a response to the following:

1. Spend 1 paragraph to describe each of the following classrooms:
a) Mr. Appleton’s (who presents factual stuff) approach to teaching,
b) Mrs. Baker’s (whose class does different stuff) approach to teaching,
-and-
c) Ms. Cassell’s (alternative approach) to teaching.

2. Use the text to explain (in at least 1-2 paragraphs) your takeaway on what differentiated instruction isn’t (that is, what it is commonly misunderstood to be), and –most importantly– what differentiated instruction authentically is.

Teaching Social Responsibility

First, recall our discussion from Monday, that in the realm of ethics/morality, there are both descriptive (how things are) claims and normative or prescriptive (how things ought to be) claims…

Read The Courage to Teach Social Responsibility from pages 189-197 (you can stop at the Creating Change heading) and answer these questions on your site by class on Wednesday.

1. In a few sentences, what (according to the text) is “social responsibility” and why does it take courage to teach social responsibility?

2.In a few sentences… of the “four basic processes that nurture social responsibility”(see page 192), which process(es) do you believe to be most important in forming socially responsible citizens? Explain.

2. In 2-3 few paragraphs… how do different people (who have different values and fundamental understandings of justice, truth, & etc.) disagree about what values to promote and pursue? What do you think about pursuing a common vision when there isn’t a consensus?

4. In 3-4 paragraphs… offer your own stance: what does it mean to be ethical/moral in a descriptive and normative sense? How have you come to that conclusion/what is that based on?

Teaching the Holocaust (& Night)

By the start of next Thursday’s class (2/9), READ both Schweber’s Holocaust Fatigue: Teaching it Today and this NY Times article, The Holocaust Just Got More Shocking. Also, if you can make the time, you should check out the US Holocaust Museum as well.

DO THIS: See what group you’re in (click on “Continue reading” below) and respond to the corresponding three prompts in a few sentences on your page by class time on Thursday (2/9). The following readings and reflection will set us up nicely to transition into Night, by Eli Wiesel …which we’ll begin to read next week.

Spring Semester Syllabus

Welcome back y’all!

If you have a chance, please look this syllabus over before class; we’ll be discussing it tomorrow. Our first day back should help us look ahead, reset our course, and catch up… You’ll even have the opportunity to select a micro teaching topic. Further, look over the senior-year-final-exam_rubric that was used last year & will be used this year for your final exam microteaching.

Seven Principals for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning

Reflecting on Micro-Teaching

Our takeaways after our first round of micro-teaching: