Rick Wormeli’s Flexible Grouping & Approaches to Differentiation

How do you go beyond a Differentiation Instruction to build a Differentiated Classroom?

       1.     Start with Good Curriculum

§  Rick first takes into consideration his more advanced students when planning his lesson; he then modifies for other students and then tiers his lessons to fit all his students’ needs and levels.

§  Make sure high quality instruction is in place; make sure all students have a sense of readiness based on their individual needs.

§  Rick mentioned differentiating his lessons is a lot of work; a lot of up-front work! What does that mean? Rick spends all his time working with his students.

       2.     Continuously Assess Where Students Are

§  It’s important for a teacher to pre-assess to see where the students are before even begin teaching. Pre-assessments give great clues as to how you might adjust your teaching.

§  Push students beyond their comfort level; challenge them!

§  Daily assessments (informal assessments) are as equally important as pre-assessments. Daily assessments should be your compass to your daily planning.

§  One way to assess daily can occur during lesson-closure, like an exit card to end the day. Rick used the 3-2-1 Summary Method. The students write 3 things they learned about the topic, 2 comments about their personal connections or reflections and 1 question they might have regarding the topic.

       3.     Create a Sense of Community

§  Rick said one of the greatest things you can give the kids is creating a welcoming sense of community; it’s a community where you learn so much everyday.

§  You have to learn to trust yourself, your peers, and your teacher.

§  Attitude!

§  It’s important to have the student feel welcomed.

§  No matter what grade you’re in, every individual has room to grow. Growth is what needs to be celebrated.

§  Building community in a differentiated classroom is key for the teacher. It’s the teacher’s responsibility to find every student fascinating and worthwhile; to find their interests and individualism in them all.

§  The teacher will no longer be a self-controlled agent in the classroom. Students have to learn to seek each other’s advice and know when to help each other.

       4.     Use Flexible Grouping

§  At times, give students freedom of choice to choose groups on their own

§  When grouping students, be purposeful

§  Experience a variety of modes & configurations when grouping

§  Make sure it’s clear to students that working arrangements & conditions change often. They may be grouped with a specific student one day, then the next day it may be someone else.

§  Configure the students so you can accomplish the things you want them to accomplish.

       5.     Use Multiple Instructional Strategies

§  It’s critical the instructional strategies matches where it is the teacher wants the students to go.

§  Coaching and observing students = effective way to assess students in their learning.

§  Plan high quality instruction while working & encouraging students on an individual level.

§  Know the child! Get to know the students by personal observations.

 I believe when all five components are used together in the classroom, you will have created a differentiated classroom where every single student is being taken into consideration. I feel it’s crucial to create a community where the students feel welcome and safe, and to also produce curriculum where you’re assessing continuously.