FTI 2008 - SUSAN BAUM & HENRY NICOLS
Differentiation: Teaching for Success
There is no greater challenge today than addressing the diversity of students in our schools. Indeed, diversity should be celebrated and honored if we are to provide appropriate opportunities for student learning and success. Differentiation is one way to address diversity and engage all our students in meaningful learning.
Essential to successful differentiation is understanding who our students are; identifying meaningful learning outcomes, and applying appropriate curriculum and instruction that align and address students strengths, interests, and talents. This institute will focus strategies for identifying students’ strengths and learning profiles and for designing educational experiences that offer choice and multiple pathways of learning. Topics include bridging, teaching for understanding with multiple entry points and performances of understanding, curriculum compacting, tiered instruction, grouping strategies, and interest centers. Participants will leave with practical ideas and a plan for tomorrow.
Prerequisites: Please bring an appreciation for diversity and knowledge of your curriculum. We will provide the rest!!
Please Note: The Differentiation Handout listed below is ESSENTIAL to participation in Susan Baum's Institute. Be sure to download the handout prior to the Institute and bring with you.
Outcomes:
1. Identification of strategies for discovering students’ learning profiles
2. Understanding learning characteristics of specific populations of students (gifted, ell, etc)
3. Using students’ strengths to bridge to skill development
4. Creating differentiation points within a unit of study
5 Selecting grouping strategies purposefully
6. Using instructional strategies that allow choice such as curriculum compacting, independent study, and interest centers.
7. Awareness of assessment issues in the context of differentiation
8. Fundamentals of creating a community of learning
Targeted audience: This institute is relevant for all grade levels and content areas.
Level: Level I
SUSAN BAUM, PhD, is co-director of the International Center for Talent Development and Director of Professional Development at Bridges Academy, a school for twice exceptional students. Professor Emeritus from The College of New Rochelle, Dr Baum is a leading expert in the field of gifted students with learning and attention issues. She is widely published in the areas of twice exceptional students, primary-aged gifted students, and social and emotional factors affecting gifted students. Her books include Creativity 1,2,3; Chi square, pie charts and me; and To be gifted and learning disabled: Strategies for helping gifted students with LD, ADHD and more. She is co-editor and author of several chapters in Nurturing the gifts and talents of primary grade students and is co-author of a book entitled, Toolkit for Teens: A guide for helping adolescents manage stress. Dr Baum is also one of three authors of the popular book, Multiple Intelligences in the Elementary Classroom: A teacher’s toolkit, written in collaboration with Howard Gardner. Dr Baum consults extensively in schools world-wide focusing on differentiation and talent development. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Students and as secretary. She is the past president and co-founder of the Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students (AEGUS). <subee@snet.net>
HENRY (Hank) J. NICOLS is a teacher, adventurer, and international consultant. He is co-director of the the International Center for Talent Development and an adjunct professor for SUNY at Buffalo State College and for the College of New Rochelle where he teaches graduate courses in emotional intelligence, adventure based learning, and conflict management. Mr Nicols has presented extensively all over the world. His favorite topics include stress management, time management, communications, and innovative teaching and learning. His ideas appear in his book, Staying in STEPP: A guide for nurturing social and emotional intelligences. <hjnicols@yahoo.com>