Differentiated Instruction

One important direction set by the district’s strategic plan is to promote among each educational program and individual teacher the capability to use the best practices of instruction, not only to build the academic skills of each learner whether remedial, at grade level, or accelerated, but also to foster among all students an intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and a love of learning.  To that end, we have focused resources, training and planning efforts on our goal to introduce and implement differentiated instruction strategies into district practice.

Differentiation is not simply a recipe for teaching, nor is it an instructional strategy.  Rather, it is a way of thinking about teaching and learning.  It is a pedagogical philosophy, an approach to designing and implementing appropriate learning opportunities that are respectful of the needs of each learner.  Differentiated instruction considers different avenues to acquiring content, processing and making sense of ideas, and developing products so that each student can learn effectively.  In a differentiated classroom, the teacher proactively plans and carries out varied instructional approaches in anticipation of student differences in readiness, interest, and learning needs.

Differentiated instruction requires a change in teaching practices and an evolution of classroom culture.    The approach is not suddenly mastered according to checklist and timeline.  Rather, it is refined, extended and enriched over the course of a teaching career.  A districtwide, multi-year plan has therefore been developed which begins by building common understanding and commitment to the tenets of differentiation and proceeds with attention to the differences in teacher readiness and experience to support the transition of knowledge, understanding and skill into classroom practice.

In 2003-04 we have continued to make major strides in understanding and implementing this approach to teaching and learning.  A Differentiated Instruction Leadership Team, fondly known as “DILT”, was formed last spring.  The team includes teacher representatives from all four schools who are working closely with the principals to plan implementation strategies, facilitate professional development with colleagues, and to lead the charge in learning and implementing new strategies.  The team enrolled in coursework over the summer and again this fall, participated in a three-day planning retreat, and was instrumental in designing and leading the district staff development day on January 16.  Team members will be attending conferences in Anaheim, New Orleans, San Jose and New York this spring and summer in order to learn more from the national network of schools and districts already engaged in this work. 

The task of fostering effectively differentiated classrooms is a demanding and complex enterprise, one that Menlo Park is committed to pursuing for many years to come.

2005-06 Differentiated Instruction Leadership Team

Leadership Team Responsibilities

• Continue to increase knowledge and skills related to differentiated instruction strategies by attending summer D. I. Team Institute and follow up during 2005-06. 
  
  
  • August Institute and follow up during 2005-06
    Topics include:
    Parallel Curriculum model/curriculum development (Kathy Glass)
    Coaching, facilitation, leadership skills (Interaction Associates)
    
    
• Participate throughout the year on the district Differentiated Instruction Leadership Team to communicate and coordinate ongoing efforts across sites. Provide input about the district’s multi-year plan to provide support and training for all staff.  (Quarterly meetings)
  
  
• Facilitate grade level/subject area meetings at the site level on “District Thursdays” (once a month) throughout 2005-06 to focus efforts on differentiated instruction.
  
  
• Implement differentiated instruction strategies in own classroom/setting.