Roxbury Township Public Schools

School Home Alliance for Reaching Excellence
S.H.A.R.E.

What is Differentiated Instruction?

Training Facilitators

Strategies

Guided Reading

Literacy Centers

Learning Styles

Socratic Circles

Discovery Based Learning

Literature Circles

Integrated Curriculum

Feedback on Training

Differentiated Instruction: 
Maximizing Learning for All Students
 

The Roxbury Public Schools believe that
Differentiated Instruction is a concept that…

Makes it possible to maximize learning for all students, so that each may achieve established goals.  It is a collection of instructionally sound strategies based on student-centered best practices that recognizes and respects individual needs.  These practices make it possible for teachers to create different pathways that respond to the needs of diverse learners, as well as foster student responsibility, ownership of learning, and independent thinking.

 Roxbury Public Schools - 2007

 In January 2007, the Roxbury School District began its next phase in the Differentiated Instruction training initiative.  For this series of trainings, the district Supervisors of Curriculum and Instruction, Mrs. Jane Feret, Mrs. Eva Gale, Mrs. Danielle Lynch and Mrs. Phyllis Prestamo, along with the district's Co-Facilitators, have been designing and facilitating workshops for all teaching staff.

The district's co-facilitators are a group of 14 staff members who have volunteered their time and efforts to the district's initiative.  These staff members are as follows:

These staff members participated in a three-day summer training session, whereby they were engaged in professional development focused on Differentiated Instruction.  Since these training dates, these staff members and the Supervisors have worked collaboratively to identify instructional strategies that would be beneficial to highlight within the various grade levels and/or content areas that are present in the district.

After much consideration, the following strategies were identified as the focus for professional development within the designated "clusters."

Following is an overview of each strategy:

Guided Reading: 

Literacy Centers/ Learning Stations:

A center is a physical area set aside for specific learning purposes.  Centers have appropriate materials to enable children to explore and work independently and behave as active learners.  Centers promote reading, writing, listening, speaking and viewing.  They provide open ended activities that extend and/or reinforce learning.
Fountas and Pinnell, 1996.

Learning Styles:

Learning styles are the preferred ways by which people learn. Common learning styles include visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile (hands-on).

Socratic Circles:

The Socratic Circle is based on the idea of Socratic dialogue in which teachers facilitate student lead discussion through careful questioning at higher levels of thinking, analysis and interaction. In Matt Copeland’s version of the circle, students come to the circle having critically read a selected text.  Following the discussion, students are given activities that have them reflect on the process and new learning.  
Copeland, 2005.

Discovery Based Learning / Manipulatives:

Discovery-based learning is a 'student centered' instructional methodology that fosters an active learning environment where students learn by doing.

Manipulatives, in the teaching of mathematics, promote an understanding of important mathematical concepts, as well as provide learning experiences intended to let students practice and refine their skills. 

Literature Circles:

Literature circles provide a way for students to engage in critical thinking and reflection as they read, discuss, and respond to books. Collaboration is at the heart of this approach. Students reshape and add to their understanding as they construct meaning with other readers. Finally, literature circles guide students to deeper understanding of what they read through structured discussion and extended written and artistic response.  Schlick Noe & Johnson, 1999.

Literature Circles are discussion groups in which students meet regularly to discuss books, which they have selected..  These groups are determined by book choices.   Students who are reading the same book meet in small, temporary groups to discuss various aspects of the text.  Students are assigned specific jobs within these groups.  The teacher acts a facilitator.

Integrated Curriculum:

Integrated curriculum is a way to teach students that attempts to break down barriers between subjects and make learning more meaningful to students. The idea is to teach around themes.

While the district still has over a month remaining in this training series, staff who have already participated in the workshops have been extremely positive about their professional development opportunity.  Following is a sampling of comments that staff have offered as feedback on their training evaluations; these comments reflect the general response from all participants. 

"It was a relaxed atmosphere under which you can learn and feel confident to attempt the new learning."

"I really enjoyed this workshop.  I will be able to take what I learned and use it in my classroom immediately."

"Great learning experience and a lot of fun.  Our group accomplished what we had to do and enjoyed every minute.  Great workshop."

"This was a great opportunity for our entire department to confer and define the track our students should be following from the elementary level through the high school level.  As a group, we were able to clearly set our goals, as well as define the sequencing of our program, which can only make it stronger."

"Smartly planned, smartly executed."

Trainings within this series will be completed by the beginning of May 2007.  At that time, the district Supervisors and Co-facilitators will meet with Assistant Superintendent, Ed Hade to discuss and reflect upon the training series and then use feedback to begin preparations for the next series of workshops in the 2007-2008 school year.