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Re: [Phys-l] differentiated instruction



So when I teach my first-year students to find instantaneous velocity by finding the slope of a tangent line, I am already meeting the district objective.

Seriously, I do think that this particular educational buzz word means that different students are to be taught differently and that the "shotgun" approach does not qualify. It seems that this idea, like many others in education, comes up from elementary school and is then imposed at the high school level where it does not make practical sense. If I taught the same 25 students all day, I'd feel it was reasonable to get to know their learning styles and to sometimes adapt lessons to accommodate them. But I teach 100 a day, 43 minutes each...

The idea behind my second question is this. Say we accept that there are many ways to teach. And that each student has a method in which they are most able to learn. It might be the case that more physics will be learned if we adjust the methods to match the student's preferred mode. But it might be BETTER to continue to present many methods to all (call it "shotgun" if you like) and then help each student to get something from each of them.
________________________________________
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Jack Uretsky [jlu@hep.anl.gov]
Sent: Saturday, September 26, 2009 8:28 AM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] differentiated instruction

Hi all-
So why not get a course description from Mr. Warmell before
trying to conjecture his meaning. Maybe "differeniation" refers to t he
mathemtical process of finding the derivative of a function.
Regards,
Jack

"Trust me. I have a lot of experience at this."
General Custer's unremembered message to his men,
just before leading them into the Little Big Horn Valley




On Sat, 26 Sep 2009, Bernard Cleyet wrote:

You all received the course announcement?



Now Available!

Learn how to integrate differentiated instruction, assessment and
grading

with

Rick Wormeli's new course - Differentiation and Assessment for
Middle Schools


http://view.exacttarget.com/?
j=fe831d78716d0d7974&m=fef21373736d00&ls=fdf215797162037977177272&l=fe99
15707c64017f70&s=fe29107072620474741679&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe401d797d6300747d1
d&r=0


bc thinks another bureaucratic fashion hype.



On 2009, Sep 25, , at 10:21, Philip Keller wrote:

Hello all,

OK, maybe Friday afternoon is not the time to open up this can of
worms, but...

My district school goals include differentiated instruction. I
have been to a couple of workshops but I have some questions that I
was wondering if anyone here can help me with:

1. If I say "I am going to use differentiated instruction in my
high school physics class," what exactly am I planning to do? I
assume that it means more than "I am going to teach different ways
at different times." I've read that it includes differentiating
based on content, process and product. My course has only one
official approved curriculum. How do I vary the content and how do
I choose who gets what? Right now, I use a variety of different
teaching methods, but I do not "differentiate". Everyone has to
listen to a lecture. Everyone has to play with a simulation.
Everyone has to do an experiment. Everyone has to work on problems
to solve. So, as I said, I am teaching different ways, but I
suspect (hope?) that differentiating means more. Then, if I
differentiate "product", who decides which kids produce which kind
of evidence of learning? Won't everyone want the perceived easiest
option?

OK, that was my first question. Next:

2. Once I know what it is that I am planning on doing, how do I
answer if I am asked: "Do you have evidence that shows that this
is a good idea?"

Thank you for any ideas or references you may have. Have a good
weekend.
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l


_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l

_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l