Full Transcript for How do you effectively differentiate in the classroom?

WEBVTT 00:00:15.490 --> 00:00:17.250 Hey there, it's Patty from Madly Learning. 00:00:17.330 --> 00:00:19.810 Today I want to dive deep into differentiation. 00:00:19.969 --> 00:00:24.850 Now, this is one of those words in teaching that gets used quite a bit. 00:00:25.089 --> 00:00:27.170 And for many teachers it feels overwhelming. 00:00:27.250 --> 00:00:35.570 So what I want to do in this video is to clear up what it means, why it matters, and most importantly, how you can make it work in a real classroom without burning yourself out. 00:00:35.729 --> 00:00:37.810 So if you're ready, let's get started. 00:00:38.130 --> 00:00:44.450 So for me, differentiation is not about creating 30 different lessons, because who has time for that? 00:00:44.609 --> 00:00:49.330 It's about creating one strong core lesson and then adjusting the way students access it. 00:00:49.490 --> 00:00:55.570 That might mean changing the content slightly, or it might mean changing the product, how they show what they know. 00:00:55.810 --> 00:00:59.490 But at the heart here is the big idea that always stays the same. 00:00:59.649 --> 00:01:02.850 Everyone is learning, but the path might look a little bit different. 00:01:03.090 --> 00:01:05.329 So why does differentiation matter? 00:01:05.569 --> 00:01:07.569 Why do I believe this is so important? 00:01:07.730 --> 00:01:14.769 Well, because every student who walks into our classroom has different strengths and needs and backgrounds, and some need more support than others. 00:01:15.010 --> 00:01:20.129 Some need a challenge, and if we only teach to the middle, we risk losing both groups. 00:01:20.289 --> 00:01:22.769 Differentiation is not about making things easy. 00:01:22.929 --> 00:01:25.969 It's about making things and learning more accessible. 00:01:26.049 --> 00:01:30.289 It's about equity, and it gives every child a fair shot at success. 00:01:30.609 --> 00:01:36.689 So let's clear up some misconceptions here and talk about what they are and what we can do to overcome them. 00:01:36.849 --> 00:01:45.489 The biggest one here is that differentiation equals more work, that you have to prepare stacks of worksheets or entirely different lessons for each student. 00:01:45.729 --> 00:01:47.809 That's simply just not sustainable. 00:01:48.049 --> 00:01:50.530 True differentiation is about flexibility. 00:01:50.609 --> 00:01:52.289 It's about adjusting in the moment. 00:01:52.449 --> 00:01:56.769 It could be rephrasing a question, it could be giving students choice and how they respond. 00:01:57.009 --> 00:02:00.530 It could be scaffolding for one student or extending for another. 00:02:00.689 --> 00:02:03.489 It's small shifts, not endless prep. 00:02:03.729 --> 00:02:10.449 When you're balancing your prep time and reality, we know that the reality is we don't have endless prep time. 00:02:10.610 --> 00:02:15.250 Differentiation can't mean doubling or even tripling the workload because we just don't have time for that. 00:02:15.409 --> 00:02:20.689 So what I do is designing one solid core task that everyone can access. 00:02:20.930 --> 00:02:33.330 Then I layer supports around that task, sentence starters, guided questions, graphic organizers, and for those who are ready, I build in extensions, open-ended questions, extra challenges, or even opportunities to go deeper. 00:02:33.570 --> 00:02:39.010 One lesson, multiple access points, and that's what ends up making it manageable. 00:02:39.330 --> 00:02:40.610 So let's give an example. 00:02:40.770 --> 00:02:49.090 Let's say you're using one text for the whole class in a reading lesson, but you change how students interact with the text. 00:02:49.409 --> 00:03:02.610 Some may work in small groups with me, breaking down the text together, others might work in pairs discussing key ideas with guiding questions, and some can work independently, applying the strategies we had practiced in a previous whole group lesson. 00:03:02.850 --> 00:03:04.530 The text can be the same. 00:03:04.689 --> 00:03:09.570 The learning goal is the same, but the path might look different for each group. 00:03:09.730 --> 00:03:11.730 That's differentiation and practice. 00:03:11.969 --> 00:03:15.010 When it comes to struggling students, I focus on scaffolding. 00:03:15.170 --> 00:03:17.090 I give them the tools to reach the goal. 00:03:17.250 --> 00:03:22.129 That might mean modeling more, breaking tasks into smaller steps, or giving sentence frames. 00:03:22.290 --> 00:03:25.330 For students who need enrichment, I focus on extensions. 00:03:25.490 --> 00:03:30.370 I challenge them to go deeper or to make connections or apply concept in a new way. 00:03:30.610 --> 00:03:33.969 What I don't do is create two completely separate lessons. 00:03:34.210 --> 00:03:40.689 Everyone stays anchored to that same big idea that keeps the class together while still meeting diverse needs. 00:03:41.250 --> 00:03:44.450 Now, assessment is the engine that's behind differentiation. 00:03:44.610 --> 00:03:46.370 It tells me what my students need. 00:03:46.530 --> 00:03:53.570 I use formal tools like quizzes, but I also rely on informal ones like exit tickets, quick check-ins, and even body language. 00:03:53.890 --> 00:03:56.930 These small moments of feedback guide my next steps. 00:03:57.090 --> 00:04:00.050 Without assessment, differentiation is simply just guesswork. 00:04:00.210 --> 00:04:03.010 With it, it becomes intentional and targeted. 00:04:03.490 --> 00:04:13.090 Over the years, I've built routines that make differentiation just a regular part of my teaching, such as flexible groupings, open-ended tasks, choice boards. 00:04:13.250 --> 00:04:18.529 These are structures that allow students to work at their level without me having to micromanage. 00:04:18.610 --> 00:04:23.009 It gives them ownership and frees me up to circulate and respond where needed. 00:04:23.250 --> 00:04:28.689 And let's be honest, differentiation can feel overwhelming if you try to do it all all the time. 00:04:28.850 --> 00:04:35.009 Here's my reminder: you don't need to differentiate every single lesson, every single day for every single student. 00:04:35.170 --> 00:04:36.370 Focus on the big ideas. 00:04:36.530 --> 00:04:41.490 Plan tasks that are open enough for all students and give yourself permission to keep it simple. 00:04:41.730 --> 00:04:44.769 The goal again here is growth, not perfection. 00:04:45.090 --> 00:04:48.210 If you're just starting out with differentiation, here's my advice. 00:04:48.449 --> 00:04:49.329 Start small. 00:04:49.490 --> 00:04:50.769 Pick one strategy. 00:04:50.930 --> 00:04:52.290 Maybe it's offering choice. 00:04:52.449 --> 00:04:56.129 Maybe it's using exit tickets and adjust your next lesson. 00:04:56.370 --> 00:04:58.449 Maybe it's trying flexible groups. 00:04:58.610 --> 00:04:59.490 Choose one. 00:04:59.650 --> 00:05:02.129 Build confidence and then add more over time. 00:05:02.290 --> 00:05:03.650 Remembering this is a journey. 00:05:03.730 --> 00:05:05.970 It doesn't happen overnight, and that's okay. 00:05:06.290 --> 00:05:10.850 Differentiation is not about doing more, it's about teaching smarter. 00:05:10.930 --> 00:05:15.650 It's about knowing your students, planning with flexibility, and responding in the moment. 00:05:15.810 --> 00:05:21.650 When you do this, you create a classroom where every student feels supported and challenged. 00:05:21.810 --> 00:05:24.689 And that's the kind of classroom we all want to be in. 00:05:24.850 --> 00:05:36.449 If you'd like more support with lesson planning and building a differentiated classroom, check out the resources inside my Ignited Teaching Membership for math, literacy, science, and social studies. 00:05:36.610 --> 00:05:37.250 See you next time.