Differentiated learning was the topic of the afternoon. I had particpated in the training through my district, so Alison Murphy’s activities weren’t all new, but I did come away with some valuable ideas, tips, and activities.
- In planning lessons and units, plan for the advanced students first. Do this will eliminate “what do I do now?” syndrome, and it provides extension for any student that masters the core objective
- Break the core objective of the lesson down into very specific, attainable goals for students that aren’t immediately ready to demonstrate mastery. This gives the teacher a chance to praise students for their achievements, before they master the core objective.
- Post the core objective for all students to see. Leave that objective on the wall as long as possible.
- The teacher must find every student fascinating and worthwhile. Assessing each student’s readiness and interests early makes it easier to affirm each student.
In waste stream news, our meeting with a representative from Tucson Recycles was very productive. This guy has a huge volume of experience on projects in Australia, France, and the Bermudas. Sample size and interception point were the main topics of the day. There’s no way we can measure all the trash at our site, but we can deliberately select a sample and then make assumptions about the site based on that sample. Observing trash and collecting data at different points of interception in the waste stream can help us to insure that our assumptions are accurate.
