| Goal: Have 6th grade academic math teachers successfully learn and apply 2 elements of differentiated instruction: student choice and tiered assignments to improve 6th grade students' confidence and motivation level to finish class assignments in a timely manner. Building student motivation to finish assignments will ultimately lead to more practice and a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts which in the long run will improve student achievement. | ||||||
| Action Steps (s): | Person (s) Responsible: | Timeline: Start/End | Needed Resources | Evaluation | ||
| Train teachers on 2 key elements of differentiated instruction. (Choice and tiered assignments) | Instructional Coach: Kim Yorloff Asst. Principal: Mike Barstow | Start: Sept. 2011 End: May. 2012 | District Training Modules on Differentiation Lesson Plans Differentiation Templates | Feedback from teachers Lesson Plans in KMAC Feedback from Asst. Principal over the math dept. | ||
| Use 1st 6 weeks grades and feedback from teachers to gather data on the number of times students were late on assignments or not motivated to finish assignments | 3 Academic 6th grade teachers Kim Yorloff | Start: Oct. 2011 Surveys need to take about 10 minutes to complete End. Nov. 2011 | Survey Monkey (Copy of Survey) | Report card for 1st 6 weeks Feedback from teachers survey | ||
| Use Student survey to find motivational and confidence level of students in 6th grade academic math before differentiation strategies were implemented | 6th grade Academic students Kim Yorloff | Start: Oct. End: Nov. 2011 | Survey Monkey (Copy of Survey) | Feedback from Student Survey in note form and graph | ||
| Provide differentiated instruction using choice and tiered assignments. Model and Co-teach differentiated lessons. Encourage teachers to use mini-lessons for whole group instruction. | 3 Academic 6th grade teachers Kim Yorloff | Start: Oct. 2011 End: March 2012 | Lesson Plans Field Notes Math Wiki Interview teachers | Lesson Plans in KMAC Feedback from teachers Report cards for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th 6 weeks | ||
| Observe students during a differentiated lesson with student choice or tiered assignments every 6-week period | 3 Academic 6th grade teachers Kim Yorloff | Start: Oct. 2011 End: March 2012 | Checkpoint list for teachers | Student Work Field Notes from classroom observations | ||
| Compare grades and completion level of assignments to other instruction where differentiation was not used. | 3 Academic 6th grade teachers Kim Yorloff | Start: Oct. 2011 End: March 2012 | Online Grade Book Interview teachers | Feedback from teachers | ||
| Interview teachers and students individually at least once a semester | 3 Academic 6th grade teachers Kim Yorloff | Start: Oct. 2011 End. March 2012 | Notes, data, grade book, Student work | Field Notes Post finding on Wiki | ||
| Survey teachers at the end of the study | Kim Yorloff | Start: April 2012 Surverys need to take 10 minutes to completeEnd: April 2012 | Survey Monkey | Survey summary in notes and report | ||
| Survey students at the end of the study | 6th grade academic students Kim Yorloff | Start: April 2012 Surverys need to take 10 minutes to complete End. April 2012 | Survey Monkey | Compare results from the 1st survey with students Survey summary in notes, report, and graph form | ||
| Reflection and Report Summary | Kim Yorloff | Start: April 2012 End: May 2012 | Notes, data, lesson plans, student work, interviews | Complete report and update principal and teachers on the findings Write summary letter to post on "Math Wiki" | ||
Format based on Tool 7.1 from the book: Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps from analysis to action by Sandra Harris, Stacey Edmonson, and Julie Combs, (Eye on Education, 2010).
Kim,
ReplyDeleteThe teachers on your campuses are so lucky to have you doing this study with them. Even with the district wide emphasis on differentiation, I think many go back to their classrooms and back to the status quo. I think your study will provide these teachers with a manageable way to not only implement the two strategies you have identified but also a way to measure the overall effectiveness. Often teachers, myself included, give up after a few growing pains or disappointing first attempts. I highly recommend any resource by Rick Wormeli for tiered instruction and More Good Questions by Mirain Small and Amy Lin (2010) for suggestions for differentiating with open questions and choice.I look foward to following your progress.
Becky