Syllabus Example Classroom Course

CERTIFICATE PROGRAM in Certificate Program Title

The Differentiated Classroom: A Model for Success

Hours _30; Summer 2012

Instructor: Karen Person

. Contact hours: I will be available immediately following class or by appointment. Office phone: 206-463-3039 E-mail: [email protected] Course Web page: Class meetings: M-F 9-12 Prerequisites: None Technology Computer literacy and availability requirements:

COURSE DESCRIPTION This class demonstrates how to plan and implement a successful differentiated classroom that maximizes student talent through various processes, modalities, degrees of complexity, powerful instructional strategies and engaging curricula. Teachers will learn to meaningfully modify content, process and product to address state standards while meeting student readiness and interest level.

COURSE OBJECTIVES Students will be able to: 1) Develop a successful differentiated classroom model 2) Explain the science of motivation and its components of autonomy, mastery, and purpose 3) Describe ways to foster creativity and its components of fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration 4) Make instructional recommendations based on student learning profiles 5) Identify underlying educational goals given set curricula and EALRs 6) Demonstrate steps to modify content for individual student needs, vary process to meet

1 CERTIFICATE PROGRAM in Certificate Program Title

learning modalities such as tiered lessons, contracts, small groups and design product assignments to fit student needs

COURSE TOPICS Each class session will cover a critical area for developing a successful, working, differentiated classroom. 1) Defining the Differentiated Classroom 2) Understanding Motivation: Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose (Daniel Pink) 3) Fostering Creativity: Fluency, Flexibility, Originality, Elaboration (Torrance) 4) Interpreting and Implementing Learning Profiles 5) Identifying your underlying educational goals given set curricula and EALRs 6) Modifying content for individual student needs 7) Varying process to meet learning modalities: tiered lessons, contracts, small groups 8) Products to fit student needs: Soup Fest, Project Success, History Alive, journaling 9) Curricula development 10) Presentation of tiered lessons

COURSE FORMAT

The course consists of class discussions based on readings, small group curricula development, student profile recommendations, and presentation of tiered curricula. Each student will be involved in three classroom presentations. Two of the presentations will be worked on during class time. For one assignment you will be given a student profile card and asked to make curricula suggestions. The second is a small group activity where you will be asked to choose an objective /underlying educational goal and decide as a group on content, process and product to meet that goal. The third presentation will be your final which is an individual presentation of sample tiered curricula.

TEXT(S) AND REQUIRED SUPPLIES

Required text: The Differentiated Classroom by Carol Ann Tomlinson ISBN# 0-87120-342-1

EVALUATION AND GRADING

Coursework will be weighted as follows:  Grading is SC/USC (successful completion/unsuccessful completion). SC is a minimum of 75% or higher.  80% attendance is required. Excused absences may be accepted. Discuss with the instructor.

1. Class 10% Class discussions will take place each meeting and participation will center on the 10 chapters in the textbook 2. In class 30% Each in class assignment is worth 15%: assignments recommendations for programming from the student profile; and group activity that involves goal setting 3. Individual 50% This is your chance to demonstrate how you will presentation incorporate EARLs, content, process and products in differentiated curricula. 4. Let instructor know if you will be absent for any 10% Attendance reason TOTAL 100%

CLASSROOM RULES OF CONDUCT

1. Turn off cell phones. 2. Participate fully and share your ideas. Share “air time” with other students. 3. Make sure to complete the reading before class 4. Feel welcome to include other readings on the topics in the discussions

OTHER INFORMATION YOU WISH TO INCLUDE As an instructor, I will model for you my product expectations. I will provide a template for the final presentation so you can feel certain the requirements for the class are met. I use the Socratic method in my teaching. That means a lot of conversation from students and leading questions from me. I am very goal-oriented and set high class standards. The text is very compact and informative so there will not be a lot of reading to do. You already have a wealth of information if you are teaching, so we will build on what you already know and take our focus from there. I have been an educator for over forty years, teaching middle and high school, a 1-4th grade multiage combination, graduate level courses at six universities and serving as a national consultant for a major writing and literature based program. I will do everything in my powerful to ensure you have a positive and successful experience in this class, along with a new skill set to implement when you return to your own teaching environment. . COURSE SCHEDULE PLAN DATE DAY TOPIC/ACTIVITY July Mon Introductions; Defining the differentiated classroom: Read Chap. 1 Tues Understanding the science of motivation: Read Chap. 2 Wed Fostering Creativity: Read Chap. 3 Thurs Interpreting/implementing learning profiles—first class assignment presentation on programming recommendations: Read Chap.4

Identifying underlying educational goals; Read Chap. 5 Fri Mon Modifying content for individual needs: Read Chap. 6 Tues Varying process to meet learning needs: Read Chap. 7 Wed Designing products to fit student needs; group project in class on goal setting and content, process and product recommendations; Read Chap.8 Thurs Differentiated curriculum development Read Chap. 9 Fri Individual presentation of student products: Read Chap. 10