Standard Three: Planning for Differentiated Learning
The competent teacher plans and designs instruction based on content area knowledge, diverse student characteristics, student performance data, curriculum goals, and the community context. The teacher plans for ongoing student growth and achievement.
Artifacts & Reflections
Both artifacts pertain to Standard Three: Planning for Differentiated Learning. These artifacts are appropriate because they demonstrate my improved understanding and performance for implementing differentiated instruction; so my diverse student population can grow and achieve in my classroom.
The first artifact is an assessment handout for my Ancient China Unit and notes from a Differentiation Seminar I attended in order to increase my repertoire of differentiation strategies. This applies to Performance Indicator Q: develops or selects relevant instructional content, materials, resources, and strategies (e.g., project-based learning) for differentiating instruction.
This artifact was appropriately chosen because I utilized notes from an additional seminar I attended in order to develop relevant materials and strategies. In the notes from the seminar, there were sixteen new specific strategies for differentiating my lessons. As a final summative assessment in my Ancient China unit, I used a modified version of the Choice Board as a differentiation technique. In order to utilize the strengths and skills of my diverse students, there were two options, an illustrated version and a writing version. There is also an advanced option for those who want to challenge themselves and apply higher level thinking. This variation from the standard summative assessment is also differentiation because it is project-based and lessens test anxiety because there single-class period time limit.
This artifact demonstrates me growth as a teacher because I attended an additional seminar in order to expand my repertoire of teaching strategies. Prior to this workshop, my definition of differentiation was based on differentiation of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities in order to accommodate my different types of learners in the classroom. However, after this workshop and this take home packet, I was exposed to a more specific definition of differentiation. Now I understand that I must also differentiate content, depth of understanding, readings for different abilities, options for content, asking discussion questions and ways of organizing and taking notes. This packet breaks down each activity so teachers can easily use it in their lessons. There are even blank pages that can be copied and adapted for any content area or activity.
The second artifact is an edited lesson plan and worksheets for Civil Rights Legislation. This applies to Knowledge Indicator D: understands when and how to adjust plans based on outcome data, as well as student needs, goals, and responses AND Performance Indicator M:develops plans based on student responses and provides for different pathways based on student needs
This artifact is appropriately chosen because I took a completed lesson plan and added differentiated instruction notes and two-tiers of modifications on the worksheet. The modifications were made after reflecting about student reactions and depth of their discussion. I realized that the original worksheet could have been adjusted better to meet the needs of more students. The differentiated lesson now has different levels of worksheets and participation options. There is a blank worksheet for those students that are intrinsically motivated and strong readers. The second worksheet has some blank sections and some filled in sections for those who struggle finding information in the text. And I also will pass out a completed worksheet to those that struggle reading/writing before the mini lecture and discussion, so they can focus on discussing and not copying the information down. The different participation options will be to orally participate in the discussion, or for those students that struggle communicating orally, they will have an additional handout to fill out and turn in at the end of class to demonstrate their understanding through a written format instead of oral. However, all students will be able to meet both the student objectives and teacher’s goals with their accommodations.
Although this lesson was adjusted post-instructing, this demonstrates my growth as a teacher because I took an ordinary lesson plan and made accommodations for particular students so they could succeed and meet the lesson’s goals based on their needs. This is a demonstration of my understanding that my role as a teacher is to provide the necessary resources for each student to guarantee their individual success.