Try DI! High 5 Reflection Activities

Try DI! High 5 Reflection Activity

I can determine the extent to which Principle-driven Differentiated Instruction exists in my teaching practice where I can point to evidence. Where is the evidence that I:

Principle 1: Am a student of my students?
Principle 2: Share the responsibility of creating the conditions for success by partnering with students?
Principle 3: Use qualitative and quantitative data to lead students to an increasing awareness of their readiness, interests, and learning profiles?
Principle 4: Have an approach that conveys to students that learner diversity is understood, planned for, and welcomed?
Principle 5: Ensure that all students know their success is defined by maximal individual growth in relation to standards?

 DI Quadrant Reflection Activity

While there would be many factors each of us would know and consider, given what you understand about:

• Differentiated Instruction (UBD, UDL),
• Your current teaching context,
• The needs of your students, and
• Your own teaching principles and values

• Where would you place your current status if you rated your level of interest and skill strictly in terms of Differentiated Instruction, and could pick only one quadrant?

Would Quadrant 1, 2, 3, or 4 best represent where you are currently?  For purposes of this reflection activity, please note that selecting Quadrant 1 would not mean that you regard yourself as being unskilled as a teacher, but that with regard to specific strategies and the rationale for embracing DI, this is where you would say you are. Here are some general reflection guidelines intended to make your selection more definable.

• For those who would place themselves in Quadrant 1, the information presented in Why DI? and here in Try DI! probably has not registered as compelling reasons to embrace this approach. They are also likely in Station 1, 2, or 3. As noted, the purpose of the course is to invite you to consider alternative approaches to meeting the diverse needs of your students, and that will remain a standing invitation.

• Those who would place themselves in Quadrant 2 are probably the primary intended audience of such a course as Try DI!. You are a teacher who is in Stations 2, 3, or 4 (process of considering DI) and possibly also view yourself as being in Station 5. The remainder of the course should provide a variety of items for you to explore.

• For those who would place themselves in Quadrant 3, this indicates what Jackson suggests is a reverse order (practices were in place before principles). It might also be the case that you have implemented many of the strategies, and can do them, but for any number of reasons choose not to. In terms of Stations, will be important to determine what is contributing to your selecting Quadrant 3. A review Try DI! High 5 Principles, or articulation of your own values and beliefs, may provide insight. Also, a review of the ways in which your current approach addresses learner variance should provide further clues as to how Quadrant 3 was selected over other options.

• For those who would place themselves in Quadrant 4, it will be important to keep reflecting on your PTP and your skill at ensuring that this is your approach for all students, not for just a portion of your student population. The remainder of the course should offer some new information and items for consideration, but your level of prior knowledge, interest and readiness indicate that you may already know much of the information being shared. An initial item for reflection might be how important you feel it is that other teachers in your particular teaching context also rate themselves as being in Quadrant 4, and how you might work with teachers in other Quadrants. What implication does this hold for systems that are looking to create system wide coherence and alignment of teachers’ theories of action?