Assignment 1 

Chapter 5 states:

Differentiated instruction is built on a foundation of effective teaching practices. Quality curriculum is one of these defining principles, as what is taught serves as the basis for how it is taught. Quality curriculum has its basis in standards, or descriptions of student outcomes in content areas. (p1)

However, many educators have concerns regarding these new standards for various reasons outlined in Chapter 5 in the textbook including, but not limited to:

• Lack of training to implement the new standards
• A realistic view of standard mastery of students with special needs
• Too much government control over creative freedom of instruction
• How these new standards will be implemented on such a large scale

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are meant to provide educators and parents with a consistent and clear understanding of student expectations. While written to address English Language Arts and Mathematics, the CCSS address college and career ready knowledge and skills in preparing students to transition from high school to college. 

Assignment Instructions:

First, read Chapter 5 of the course text. Then view the webinar, “Common Core State Standards: Where Does Differentiating Fit”. 

Next, read and respond to the following scenario: 

Ms. Phillips instructs in a middle school inclusion class with 20 ‘typical’ students, three students who have an IEP for a Specific Learning Disability, one student who has an IEP for “Other Health Impairment” (ADHD) and two students who are identified as ELL.  Her class is beginning with a unit on the American Civil War that will focus on the significance of the Civil War Battle and the reason and significance behind President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

As the unit starts, Ms. Phillips provides her students with a KWL chart to share what they already know about the Civil War 

After reviewing the student’s KWL charts (see an example above), Ms. Phillips realizes that she should integrate differentiated strategies to provide a more well-rounded and accurate understanding of the topic and to make it more personally relevant. 

For this discussion:

• Create two measurable lesson objectives that are aligned with one Common Core Standard. For each of the objectives, create two differentiated strategies designed to master the objective. 
• Explain how the strategies you’ve suggested are engaging to diverse learners. 
• Cite scholarly sources to support how your strategies are examples of differentiation. 

Assignment 2 – 2pgs

Examine “All Children Can Learn”. Then, search the web for effective, evidence-based differentiated strategies that are engaging, motivating, and address the needs of individual learners. 

First, provide five evidence-based strategies: 

• Two instructional strategies (i.e., graphic organizers),
• Two instructional tools (e.g., technology tool, device or iPad App, Web Quests, etc.),
• One activity (e.g., Think-Pair-Share).

Second, for the two instructional strategies you listed explain how you can alter each to address the classroom needs you designed in Weeks One and Two and how the modification is relevant to the theory of differentiation.

Attachments: 

05ch_puckett_differentiating.pdf

This is a research paper. Please do some research. But please do not just copy something from the internet. 

Due Thursday, April 28 (Week 13)

College students and mental illness

http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/08/students-mental-illness.aspx

Read the assigned article, then write a short essay (2-3 paragraphs) that include the following elements.  Please paste your completed essay into the comments section rather than attaching a separate file.

1. A paragraph that summarizes the topic in your own words

2. One or two paragraphs that address one or more of the following objectives:

a. Describe a useful application of this information in your life, and specify what behavioral or attitude changes you might make as a result.


 


b. Discuss possible sources of bias that might have influenced the results (sample bias, experimenter bias, cultural bias, etc)


 


c. Discuss the generalizability of the research—do you think the result applies to all people, or just those who are similar in some way to the sample that was studied in the research?


 


d. Discuss the ethics of the research: was the research ethical? How might ethics influence the way that the research was conducted?


 


e. Briefly describe an experiment that you might do as a follow up study. Explain what additional information you would gain from the study that you propose.


 


f. Find a follow up study on the topic that has been done by another researcher, explain what the study adds to the original research, and provide an abstract and citation for the study.

Unit 7: Performance-based Assessment – Discussion

ASSIGNMENT

Please view the video, “ Building with Blocks.http://media.pearsoncmg.com/pcp/pls_0558982484/index.html?wf=1&item=5with four-year-old children.

Identify what form of authentic assessment would be appropriate for these children. Why? How is the natural learning environment an appropriate setting for authentic assessment?

Be sure to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the method you chose.

How would you record data? Is there another method you would also like to use, and why?

STUDENT 1

After reviewing the assignment video, “Building with Blocks” that had two four-year-old children who t were building together by using blocks.  I feel that it is vitally important to use a variety of forms of assessments when it comes to young children.  The form of authentic assessment that I think would be appropriate for the children in the video is using performance-based or authentic assessment.  According to Wortham (2012), “Performance-based assessment is considered particularly useful with young children because it measures progress as well as achievement. Children in the early childhood years are proceeding through rapid changes in development that are described as complex because of the interaction between maturation, experience, and learning (Hills, 1993). Performance assessments provide a vehicle for measuring developmental progress in addition to progress in learning new concepts. Performance assessments permit teachers to understand the processes children use to learn and how they actively construct meaning through analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Brown, 1989; Harrington, Meisels, McMahon, Dichtelmiller, & Jablon, 1997; Meisels, 1993)” (Wortham, 2012, p.236).  The advantages of performance-based or authentic assessments are I feel it is most sensible, useful and credible for assessments for younger children or early childhood intervention.  However, the disadvantages of performance- based or authentic assessment is that  Wortham (2012) stated “like all other informal assessments, they are subjective; teacher bias and interpretation are part of the process. Teachers must be constantly alert to the need for objectivity when evaluating young children” (Wortham, 2012, p 236).  I can record data by using sticky notes, a note pad or videotape the child or children.  However, there is another method I would also like to use, is Portfolio Assessments and Extended Tasks.  According to Sweet (1989) “Extended tasks are assignments that require sustained attention in a single work area and are carried out over several hours or longer. Portfolios are selected collections of a variety of performance-based work. A portfolio might include a student’s “best pieces” and the student’s evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of several pieces” ( Sweet, 1989, p.1.).

                                                              Reference

Sweet, D. (1989). Performance Assessment. Retrieved on July 19, 2013 from http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/OR/ConsumerGuides/perfasse.html

Wortham, S. (2012). Assessment in Early Childhood Education, Vitalsource for Kaplan University.  Retrieved on July 19, 2013 from Kaplan/Digital Book

STUDENT 2

I believe the form of authentic assessment that would be appropriate with this group of four year old children is unstructured, structured, and diagnostic interviews. This is appropriate because this group of children is just beginning to develop literacy skills (Wortham, 2012). The natural learning environment is appropriate for authentic learning and assessment because children are taught and assessed on a task in a realistic context (Wortham, 2012). By operating in a natural environment we can understand how children can apply what they have learned (Wortham, 2012). The most significant advantage of using unstructured interviews is that they take place when the children are engaged in an activity or task (Wortham, 2012). The advantage of using diagnostic interviews is that its sole purpose is to determine what specific concept the child is having difficulty with, saving the teacher time, rather than teaching the whole subject over (Wortham, 2012). An advantage of using structured interviews is that they are planned (Wortham, 2012). In order to move on to the next lesson you need to determine if the child understands what the climax of the story is, by planning a specific story to read or have the child read, you can conduct the interview and acquire the specific understanding (Wortham, 2012). A disadvantage of interviews is that they can be time-consuming on the teacher’s part. Another disadvantage is that they can be biased. You could record data from these interviews by taking notes, or using a recorder (Wortham, 2012). Another method I could use is to teach the children about reporters, and journalists. Then have each child take turns being a reporter and interview each other using a recorder.

Wortham, S. (2012). Assessment in Early Childhood Education, Vitalsource for Kaplan University.  Retrieved on July 8, 2013 from Kaplan/Digital Book

READ for reference:

Angelou’s “Champion of the World”
Tan’s “Fish Cheeks”

Write a paper emulating the same writing a narrative in the style as Tan and Angelou.  By style, I mean such things as voice, structure and building tension.  Your subject, of course, will be different. 

Write about an early event or incident in school that made you realize, perhaps for the first time, that there is a difference between males and females.  It could be a childhood experience you had with a teacher, a classmate or a principal.  Use the most interesting story you can remember.  As this is a narration paper, embellish and exaggerate some points if necessary.  In fact a narration paper is the only paper that you can totally make up if you want! 

Read what makes a good story in Bedford.  Remember, an effective story telling method has you one way at the beginning, then something happens through conflict to change your perception. The end of the story must be the realization that through this event you realized for the first time that there was obvious cultural and/or societal differences between males and females.  Do not write staements like “this was when I learned the difference between male and female” in your stories!  Like the essays you read this week, the message is implied through the events in the story. 

Five pages

MLA heading. (Watch tutorials to see how all papers must look)

 Written communication (50 points)

• Organization  (25 points)
  • Inadequate:  There appears to be no organization of the essay’s contents.
  • Needs Improvement:  Organization of the essay is difficult to follow, due to inadequate transitions and/or rambling format.
  • Adequate:  The essay can be easily followed.  A combination of the following is apparent:  Basic transitions are used; a structured format is used.
  • Professional quality:  The essay can be easily followed.  A combination of the following is apparent:  Effective transitions are used; a professional format is used.
• Mechanics and grammar (25 Points)
  • Inadequate:  Sentences and paragraphs are difficult to read and understand due to poor grammar or mechanics
  • Needs improvement:  The essay contains numerous grammatical and mechanical errors.
  • Adequate:  The essay contains minimal grammatical or mechanical errors.
  • Professional quality:  The essay is clear and concise and contains no grammatical or mechanical errors.

Content (50 points)

• Correctness of facts (25 points)
  • Inadequate:  Most facts are wrong.
  • Needs improvement:  Some facts are wrong.
  • Adequate:  Technical details are generally correct.
  • Professional quality:  All facts are correct, and the technical explanation is both concise and complete.
• Completeness  (25 points)
  • Inadequate:  Did not address the prompt.
  • Needs improvement:  Addressed the prompt, but provided few details.
  • Adequate:  Address the prompt, but left out some details.
  • Professional quality:  Addressed the prompt completely.