Differentiation Dive's Podcast

Confused about all the online learning platforms? Not sure which one will best support your student? Interested in learning new tips and tricks about Google Classroom? Well this episode is for you! Although still dealing with remote learning we dive into one special learning platform. This episode's discussion is all about Google Classroom. During this episode we will give you 3 strategies to use with Google Classroom, 2 common obstacles teachers often face with the learning platform, and one wonder we have! 

In this special edition of Differentiation Dive is dedicated to all those families that are in the midst of setting up remote learning in homes across the country. Instead of providing you with our traditional 3-2-1, we will be answering some frequently asked questions from parents of our own students as well as those from the listening community. 

With the majority of students at home due to COVID-19, many teachers and parents are scrambling to find ways to best support children in a remote learning environment. Here’s the thing though. We are all in this together. Although these feelings are not going to just go away, there are things we can continue to do to forge ahead so we can continue to provide unique and meaningful learning experiences for our students. Are we going to have to adapt? Oh yeah.  Do we need new skills to teach in this environment? YES. But can we do it? You betcha. It’s going to be a learning curve and patience is going to be tested in a new way. There are going to be times where you feel overwhelmed with the million different e-learning platforms available to you, when you feel like you can’t possibly learn how to use another app or tech tool, or when you feel like you made a million mistakes delivering your e-learning lesson. 

Transitioning from traditional teaching to teaching in a remote learning environment is not easy but we are here to help. In this special episode we are going to share what we have found to be the most useful strategies so far and what we are going to use moving forward.

For many students, and teachers alike, the writing process can be a very daunting task. Struggling teacher here. There’s always so many steps, requires loads of organization, and often times requires a plan you might not necessarily have! Prewriting is the first step in the writing process and one of the most important as it sets the stage for the writing project. According to research, prewriting should be implemented with many choices. Like personalities, prewriting strategies can be very specific to students and can range from making lists, to quick draws, to outlining. This is the time for you and your students to get creative, get messy, and just get all your ideas on paper.

According to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, children's vocabulary size approximately doubles between grades 3 and 7. And Vocabulary instruction is directly tied to increased reading comprehension, academic achievement and success. This instruction does not take place during just one part of your day but is something that should be integrated throughout the day - math, science, dance, music - you name it, anytime is a perfect to learn a few new words or dive deeper into an author’s word choice. Your students can learn to apply the following three strategies when learning new vocabulary, regardless of the content area.

Do you know the difference between number sense and mathematical procedures? Number sense is about understanding what a number means and what it represents. Procedures on the other hand require students to recall specific steps to solve a problem without necessarily understanding why they are taking the steps. Students with a strong foundation in number sense are better prepared to accurately solve arithmetic problems, and expand their mathematical thinking. Incorporating activities that support the development of number sense into daily routines and differentiated tasks help build student confidence. 

Do you use read alouds in your classroom? Read alouds are a powerful tool that can serve many different purposes in the classroom while reaching many different students and learning styles. Read alouds support instruction by motivating, encouraging, and exciting your students. A good read aloud can also reset the vibe in your classroom, allowing your student to sit back and enjoy a good book. This episode will deliver a 3-2-1 on one of our favorite teaching strategies, read alouds! We will give you 3 strategies to differentiate, 2 common obstacles or challenges with ideas to overcome, and 1 wonder we have! 

Differentiation Dive is a podcast for teachers by teachers. Liz and Katie, both Chicago teachers, bring you tools and strategies that you can use every day to help meet the needs of a wide range of students. Each podcast will provide listeners with differentiation strategies and resources immediately in the classroom without reinventing the wheel.