LE 3 Differentiation and Motivation
Reading Specialist Spring 2014
Shared Resources
from June
from Justin
Also from Justin
from Cheryl (on how to get students interested in different genres)
One thing that I include in my students Reader's Notebook is a Genre Wheel. Here, I have different genres listed around a circle that has been divided up into chunks. Then for each book they read of that genre, they can colour in a chunk of the wheel. I give them some time at the end of each month to update anything in their genre wheel, or give any recommendations of books to friends, which they seem to love.
Another thing that I tend to do quite a bit is tell them about my shifting genre interests. I always talk about how I used to describe myself as a "Historical Fiction" and "Realistic Fiction, specifically Chick-Lit" kind of reader. I always went to those, and if someone bought me another book, or tried to get me to read another book, I never really gave it a try. Then, I saw all of my students reading The Hunger Games, so I thought I'd find out what it was all about, and I was hooked to the first book, (I won't tell them about how the second and third gradually lost my interest), same with the Divergent Series. Definitely not what I would go to on my own, but I loved the first book. Or now, I also find myself reading different non-fiction more enjoyably as well. I also try to make sure my read-alouds switch up genre, and male/female lead character to keep my juniors interested.
Words of Wisdom
It's too easy to do all the talking. I think the thing I always have to remind myself is that it's okay to let them fail and figure things out along the way. I don't have to lay it all out for them. I am trying to let got a bit more and be more process oriented. This kind of learning is messy and always makes me a bit nervous but deep down I know it has a lot more value and meaning. (Natalie)
Formal learning is like riding a bus; the driver decides where the bus is going and the passengers are along for the ride. Informal learning is like riding a bike; the rider chooses the destination, the speed and the route.
(Jay Cross, Informal Learning: Rediscovering the Natural Pathways that Inspire Innovation and Performance) (shared by June)
Focus on the Grades or on the Process?
As part of that thread, Tracy shared an example of how detrimental the focus on grades can be for students--unless they have a teacher who is looking out for them:
"I had a student who was not identified prior to coming into my class. She was probably the hardest working student in the room and would always try her best and go home at night and practice etc. It broke my heart that no matter what she did she was not meeting expectations. I consistently complimented her on her efforts and we set goals and next steps but I would not give back evaluation pieces as they did not meet grade level expectations and I didn't want to undermine the efforts that she was making. Fortunately we were able to get her assessed and put on the modified program that she belonged on but that entire process was heartbreaking. In order for a student to be IEP'd or considered for assessment we have to "show/prove" that they are not meeting expectations. On the other hand we know that we should be valuing the process over the product in order to help motivate our students. Such a delicate balance and one that needs to be reconsidered in my opinion."
DI Resources
Motivation Resources
Shared Artifacts
note home to parents
golden ticket incentive
classroom library
A Few Extra Gems
Pink Mukluks (shared by Cheryl--author unknown)
Fairness does not mean Equal.
Once upon a time there was a teacher who had some special education students in his class. He was asked why some of them got extra time on tests, and some has the test read to them, and some were scribed for, and some had terms explained to them. It didn’t seem fair.The teacher responded with a story.
He noted that winter was coming and that the students needed some new stuff to keep warm. So he said he would give them each $100 to buy winter clothes.
They were happy and started to plan what they would buy.
He stopped them and said that they didn’t understand .....with the $100, they each had to buy a pair of size six pink mukluks. They responded by saying that was not fair... one student really needed a scarf, another mitts, another size eight boots and another needed a coat....
He said that that was the point, he was being equal, by having them buy the same thing, but he was not being fair, because he was not meeting their needs. It’s the same thing with students .... they do not all have the same needs. Being fair is about meeting their different needs.
Whenever a question arose later in the year, he just responded.... ‘Pink Mukluks.’