D IFFERENTIATED I NSTRUCTION L ESSON S TUDY P ROJECT

Rob Rosie & Deidre Wilson

March 24, 2011 UGDSB

P ROJECT G OALS

 Apply the elements of lesson study  Review and apply the principles and structures of DI while creating a local DI Teaching/Learning example  Fulfill the requirements of the project  Develop and accomplish a team learning plan

3

For improved instruction, teachers need on-going professional and growth opportunities which are done most effectively by “job embedded learning techniques such as professional learning communities or teams; peer coaching; group lesson study”

Strangway, 2009

A GENDA

– –

Minds On

Sir Ken video on teaching and learning What research says -

Action

What is Lesson Study?

Brainstorming your research question Talking About DI Using the TLX template -

Consolidation

The Project Details Lessons learned – teacher efficacy Developing the team learning plan

5

P ROJECT G OALS



Apply the elements of lesson study

 Review and apply the principles and structures of DI while creating a local TLX  Fulfill the requirements of the project  Develop and accomplish a team learning plan

Planning

(2-3 meetings) -create activities to engage in the goal -decide how to measure understanding of the goals -create the lesson

Teaching 1

-one team member teaches the lesson -other team members observe and look for success criteria -record observations of student reactions -collect evidence of student understating of lesson goals

Debriefing/Revising

(best right after lesson is taught) -review/reflect on lesson feedback -acknowledge teacher & student learning -meet with expert if available -make necessary adjustments to the lesson based on feedback & new learning Continue debriefing and refining as time permits.

Teaching 2

-a different member teaches the revised lesson to a new class -other team members observe and look for success criteria -record observations of student reactions -collect evidence of student understanding of lesson goals

Document Reflections

-public sharing of the lesson and evidence of learning

L ESSON S TUDY 1.

Determine a research

question

: look at student data ex: EQAO, class assessment, questionnaire etc.

2.

Creates a

lesson

to address the question.

3.

One member

teach

es the lesson and others observe.

4.

Rewrite

s the lesson based on observations.

5.

A new member of the team

teach

es the lesson.

6.

More

feedback, discussion and revision

of the lesson 7.

The lessons, observations, reflections and group learning are

document

ed.

8.

Lesson study teams come together to

share

learning.

their

Lesson Study provides the context for teachers to focus their discussion on planning, implementation, observation, and reflection on classroom practice. By looking at the actual classroom practice, teachers are able to develop a common understanding or image of what good teaching practice entails, which in turn helps students understand what they are learning.

A. Takahashi, & M. Yoshida

T HEMES IN THE L ITERATURE ON L ESSON S TUDY • reduce isolation • subject specific • discussion about practice

Building Community Co constructed knowledge

• inquiry based • team develop questions to answer • based on student reaction • outside observers • experts/coach • group product

Support for Learning Teacher Reflection

• observation/feedback • data • professional identity • final product

D EVELOPING YOUR R ESEARCH Q UESTIONS Thinking about your subject area…..with your partner(s)…..

What questions about student understanding come to mind? Record all your questions on the sheet provided.

Your Learning…activity  Look at the list of questions about student learning your team created.

 What learning do you need to help answer these questions?

 Share your thoughts with a partner.

P ROJECT G OALS

 Apply the elements of lesson study 

Review and apply the principles and structures of DI while creating a local TLX

 Fulfill the requirements of the project  Develop and accomplish a team learning plan

  

D IFFERENTIATED I NSTRUCTION D EFINITION

Effective instruction that is responsive to the learning preferences, interests and readiness of the individual learner An organizing structure or framework for

thinking about teaching and learning

Responding to student needs with an awareness of the decisions that we make and taking deliberate action to meet the

needs of all learners.

T ALKING A BOUT DI

 Examine the Differentiated Instruction Framework for Teaching and Learning ‘reference card’.

 Share an observation with a partner

K EY F EATURES OF A DI C LASSROOM

 Choice  Respectful tasks based on curriculum  Flexible grouping  Shared Responsibility for Learning

D IFFERENTIATED I NSTRUCTION

W AYS OF O RGANIZING FOR DI

S TRUCTURES

     

DI Structures

Tiering Learning Contracts Learning Centres/Stations RAFTs Choice Boards Cubing

Using DI structures

give one - get one 1.Describe how you have used or seen one of the DI structures in your or a classroom.

2.Walk around the room and share your idea with someone new and hear their idea.

DI T EACHING /L EARNING E XAMPLES

M ATCHING A CTIVITY HANDOUT 1

1.

2.

3.

E XPLORING THE DI T EACHING /L EARNING E XAMPLES Pairs

Work in pairs

Forest:

Underlying Principles (broad characteristics) Select one DI Teaching/ Learning example of interest to both of you One person selects the Forest lens (underlying principles); the other selects the Trees lens (key features)

Trees: Key Features

(specifics)

P ROJECT G OALS

 Apply the elements of lesson study  Review and apply the principles and structures of DI while creating a local TLX 

Fulfill the requirements of the project

 Develop and accomplish a team learning plan

The Project

Purpose:

 Support Secondary and Elementary teachers by creating subject specific examples of lessons that incorporate Differentiated Instruction  Address Grade 11 and Grade 7  Teachers will co-plan the lesson, co-teach/observe the lesson

The Project

Deliverables:

 Creation of a Teaching/Learning Example (aligned with Ministry writing template)  Presentation of Lesson at Conclusion gathering  Use of a wiki to reflect on and share resources/strategies  Samples of Student work  Complete the teacher efficacy survey

The Project

Number of Release days (total):

4 per team member  ½ day for intro  ½ day for conclusion  3 days to use for planning, co teaching, observation and reflection

S OME C HALLENGES 

Teacher/student confidence around observers in the classroom ( see sample template)



Different teaching/working styles



Developing a research question ( using data )



Setting lesson goals /success criteria



Giving focused feedback as the observer



Time to complete the process



Reflection and Sharing

P

REVIOUS

P

ARTICIPANTS WORDS  Reminded me of the importance of engaging students  More cognizant of “why I am doing this?” and of informing the student of why they are doing it  Has reminded us that we need to take more time looking at our lessons through the eyes/perspectives of our learners

W

HAT WE LEARNED

. . .

Two faces of Lesson Study

Knowledge and Skills Attitudes and Beliefs

Two faces of Lesson Study:

Knowledge and Skills Technical knowledge and skills  Using data to decide on a focus/question  Lesson planning – 3 part lesson  Establishing lesson goals and success criteria  Using assessment for and as learning  Use of DI Structures  Instructional strategies

T

WO FACES OF

L

ESSON A TTITUDES AND B ELIEFS

S

TUDY

:

Teacher Professional Identity  Collaboration – see value in and learn how to work with other staff – appreciate different teaching styles  Reflection- critical analysis of practice through observation and feedback

T

WO FACES OF

L

ESSON A TTITUDES AND B ELIEFS

S

TUDY

:

 builds a sense of inquiry  builds confidence  fosters a student centered approach since observations are based on student reactions to teaching – focus is on causing learning  works on all students achieving at a high standard

P ROJECT G OALS

 Apply the elements of lesson study  Review and apply the principles and structures of DI while creating a local TLX  Fulfill the requirements of the project 

Develop and accomplish a team learning plan

T EAM LEARNING P LAN  What is your research question?

 What DI structures and instructional strategies will best help answer your question?

 What will you need to know about your students to help answer your question?

 Think about when you will meet, teach and reflect  Take time now as a group to fill in your learning plan

Y OUR Q UESTIONS