Differentiated Instruction

 Description:

 “To make forward progress from what they know to what they don’t yet know, gifted students need compacting and differentiation. Compacting means condensing a semester or year’s worth of learning into a shorter period of time. Differentiation means providing gifted students with different tasks and activities than their age peers – tasks that lead to real learning for them.” Susan Winebrenner

There are five elements to differentiation: content, process, product, environment, and assessment.  When other elements of gifted programs are combined with differentiation in the regular classroom, gifted kids can experience consistent opportunities to enjoy learning and to be as challenged and productive as possible.

Services Available Through SCOE:

The SCOE created a GATE Certificate Program in partnership with the GATE coordinators of Siskiyou County and NorthState for GATE, the California Association of the Gifted (CAG) affiliate for the CAG Mt. Shasta Region. Using the Santa Clara University GATE Certificate program as a model, our program was developed. The Siskiyou County program uses trainers who are part of the Santa Clara University program.

 Four-Part Training:

1. A week during the summer (The 2006 class met for two days in July and 3 days in August) - total of 35 hours of instruction.
2. Annual Siskiyou GATE Conference, one Saturday in late October/early November - 4 hours of instruction
3. Project development - a unit of differentiated instruction - during fall/spring - 15 hours of credit
4. Culmination at the Spring GATE Conference, one Saturday in April - presentation of differentiated unit of instruction - 6 hours of instruction
5.  Certification Program Objectives:

•  To provide educators the opportunity to learn how to differentiate instruction for a variety of learners
•  To provide educators the opportunity to gain expertise in how to operate a comprehensive program for GATE students
•  To provide educators the opportunity to apply their learning to their curriculum in their classrooms, the opportunity to reflect on their practice, and to receive feedback from experts in the field
•  Educators who complete the 75 hours of professional development will be awarded a GATE certificate certifying their expertise
  

Course Focus:

•  Understanding of the history of gifted education and current best practices
•  Recognition of the characteristics of giftedness
•  Knowledge of intervention strategies of motivation
•  Use of a process of identification and assessment that meets GATE standards
•  Understanding of the social and emotional needs of gifted students
•  Strategy development for twice-exceptional students
•  Modifying instructional plans to meet students needs
•  Teaching practices and the establishment of professional goals based on new understandings
•  Knowing and understanding GATE Program Standards and their application within a standards-based curriculum
•  Understanding the role and content of the California Education Code as it relates to gifted and talented education
•  Understanding compliance issues related to funding and the use of evidence for compliance in gifted education
•  Differentiating the curricular content, learning process and products created based on student readiness, learning profile and interests
•  Designing standards-based lessons with support and challenge for all students
•  Modifying curriculum bases on assessment, with tiered assignments, curriculum compacting, independent projects, learning centers, the use of varied technology and interdisciplinary thematic instruction
•  Developing a one week interdisciplinary integrated unity in differentiated instruction for the gifted based on curriculum standards, GATE program standards, and the rubric from the National Association for the Gifted

 Upon Completion of the Course:

• Four units of continuing education units will be available through CSU Chico. Cost of each unit is $55.
• Standards-aligned professional development credit towards the High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) provision to meet NCLB Teacher Requirements
• Training meets the GATE Certificate program requirements of CAG

Other excellent resources for information about differentiated instruction are: “Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom,” and Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom,” by Susan Winebrenner.

Contact:  For more information, contact Heidi Jankowski at 842-8404, or Mike DeRoss at 842-8404.

Updated for school year 2007-08.