Gifted Education: Curriculum and Differentiation

workshop 3This is two part for workshop first part isReading Response 3.1. seconde part is Reading Response 3.2.Required for workshop.Essential Questions:What is differentiation?What strategies support differentiation?What distinguishes quality & effectiveness in differentiation?How do teachers differentiate appropriately for gifted students?What are some of the challenges for teachers in planning &implementing effective differentiation in their classrooms?While the focus so far has been on curriculum design, this module explores how to differentiate or adjust a curriculum plan for gifted oradvanced learners. It is difficult to consider curriculum design for advanced learners in isolation from differentiation, so this section buildsupon your reading and thinking from previous modules rather than introducing completely new information. It would be useful for you to consultthese readings and resources as you work on Assignment 3a, and particularly Assignment 3b.In this topic, Tomlinson’s model of differentiation forms the basis of our ideas about differentiation. Our focus in particular is on how todifferentiate appropriately for the gifted students in regular classrooms. A range of resources are listed in this module which you may consideras you plan your curriculum unit.Reading Response 3.1The key reading in this module that provides a clear summary of curriculum differentiation is:• Tomlinson, C.A. & Jarvis, J.M. (2009). Differentiation: Making curriculum work for all students through responsive planning andinstruction. In J. S. Renzulli et al. (Eds.), Systems and models for developing programs for the gifted and talented (pp. 599-628). Connecticut,USA: Creative Learning Press Inc.-For your journal response in relation to this reading, write 3 key understandings about differentiation, 2 questions and 1 professionallearning goal you want to work towards in relation to curriculum differentiation for gifted students.Reading Response 3.2The chapter on Ascending Intellectual Demand in the Parallel Curriculum textbook provides a good conceptual framework and examples ofdifferentiating for gifted or advanced learners. It highlights the importance of being clear about the entry level for students into thelearning task – of understanding what knowledge and skills come before and follow on from this entry point in order to plan for a continuum oflearners to progress towards expertise in any discipline. In the Australian Curriculum, personalising learning is critical in ensuring equity ofaccess for all students, including the gifted, to a rigorous and challenging curriculum and to the pursuit of excellence. Re-visit theAustralian Curriculum website information about personalised learning under the Student Diversity tab.For your journal response in relation to these readings, identify 2 challenges that you face in personalising learning for your gifted studentsand suggest strategies for meeting/dealing with these challenges.Readings related to designing concept-based curriculum/ defining strong learning objectives:Kumpost, J. (2009). Understanding the ‘understands’ in KUDs. Available at: http://www.diffcentral.com/examples/UnderstandingKUDs.pdf. This is agood introductory article if you feel that you are new benefit from a more foundational understanding.Available through eReadings:Wiggins, G. &McTighe, J. (2011). Essential questions and understandings.In The understanding by design guide to creating high-quality units (pp.70-88).Alexandria, VA; ASCD.Essential questions and understandingsWiggins, G., &McTighe, J. (2005). Crafting understandings. In Understanding by design (Expanded 2nd ed., pp. 126-145). Alexandria, VA; ASCD.Crafting understandings.pdfErickson, H. L. (2008). Concept-based curriculum. In Stirring the head, heart, and soul: Redefining curriculum, instruction, and concept-basedlearning (3rd ed., pp. 23-41). Thousand Oaks, CA; Corwin Press.Concept-based curriculum.pdfErickson, H. L. (2007). The structure of knowledge.In Concept-based curriculum and instruction for the thinking classroom (pp. 25-46).HawkerBrownlow, Heatherton, Vic; Hawker Brownlow.The structure of knowledge.pdfWillingham, D. T. (2009). Why is it so hard for students to understand abstract ideas? In Why don’t students like school?: A cognitive scientistanswers questions about how the mind works and what it means for your classroom(pp. 67-80). San Francisco, CA; Jossey-Bass.Why is it so hard for students to understand abstract ideas.pdfExample for workshop 3.1Pleas don’t copy any thing for this exampleRespond 3.13 Key Understandings:• The first key understanding that I saw was that Differentiation provides a framework for responding to differences in students’ currentand developing levels of readiness, their learning profiles, and their interests, to optimize and match between students and learningopportunities (Tomlinson and Jarvis, 2009)• The second key understanding was that for differentiation to be effective it has to be established using a quality curriculum and haveguiding principles which have been created while remaining flexible. By creating challenging tasks, maintaining ongoing and varied assessmentand by creating a safe and understanding learning environment, differentiation can be effective.• The third key understanding that I encountered is that by realising that all gifted students are not the same and that there is no‘standard’ student, we will be better prepared to create specific lessons to allow for each students engagement. Therefore allowing them todevelop the skills crucial to their own understanding.2 Questions:• In a classroom where I have 26 students how can I possibly design a program adequate enough to suit all their learning needs? I alreadydifferentiate within my classroom but am I doing enough to help the gifted students in my care??• I’m interested to see how I can create my unit of work for this unit work with all the students in my class, lower, middle and higherability students. At the moment my question after reading this article is how am I going to make it work?1 Professional Learning Goal:• Making sure that my unit of work has a clear ‘big idea’ that my objectives are thought out and clear throughout the unit I will beteaching. I also would like to learn how to better differentiate so that I can meet the needs of my students better.Reference ListTomlinson, C. A., & Jarvis, J. M. (2009). Differentiation: Making Curriculum Work for all students through responsive planning & instruction. InJ. S. Renzulli et al. (Eds.), Systems and models for developing models for developing programs for the gifted and talented (pp. 599-628).Connecticut, USA: Creative Learning Press Inc Press Inc.3 key understandings about differentiation:• Differentiation is “an approach to curriculum and instruction that systematically takes student differences into account in designingopportunities for each student to engage with information and ideas and to develop essential skills.” (Tomlinson and Jarvis, 2009)• Differentiation is a student-focused approach, it “originates from each teacher’s genuine commitment to respond to the diverse needs ofthe learners who arrive in his or her classroom.” (Tomlinson and Jarvis, 2009)• Differentiation is “not a bounded set of activities or particular instructional activities”, rather it is a “systematically flexiblemodel for responding to student differences.” (Tomlinson and Jarvis, 2009)2 questions:• How can I as a teacher differentiate my classes, and uphold the wellbeing of all students without them feeling as though they have beencategorised to a particular group?• Is differentiating confined to the academic subject areas, and is it appropriate to differentiate in other subjects too? (for examplethe creative arts or the more practical physical education?)1 professional learning goal you want to work towards in relation to curriculum differentiation for gifted students:• My learning goal is to gain a stronger idea on how to differentiate and challenge a class of diverse learners including gifted studentsand their particular learning needs. I am slowly building on this goal with each reading response, and through this next upcoming assignment, Ihope to gain a better understanding on how to appropriately differentiate a learning idea.References:Tomlinson, C.A. & Jarvis, J.M. (2009). Differentiation: Making curriculum work for all students through responsive planning and instruction. InJ. S. Renzulli et al. (Eds.), Systems and models for developing programs for the gifted and talented (pp. 599-628). Connecticut, USA: CreativeLearning Press Inc