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Differentiating the High School Classroom - Book Cover Look Inside
Bestseller!

Differentiating the High School Classroom

Solution Strategies for 18 Common Obstacles

"In the good old days, we didn't have to differentiate."

If this is how you feel about differentiated instruction (DI) in the high school classroom, you are not alone. Although research shows that DI maximizes learning and neural development, teachers still struggle with its challenges, especially at the high school level. With common sense, wisdom, and humor, the author illustrates solutions in action, providing new ideas to help teachers differentiate content, process, assignments, and assessments. Each chapter discusses one common obstacle and provides:

  • Solution strategies
  • Examples and scenarios showing the strategies in action
  • Practice assignments to overcome obstacles

Full description


Differentiating the High School Classroom - Book Cover Look Inside
Product Details
  • Grade Level: PreK-12, Elementary, Secondary
  • ISBN: 9781412917162
  • Published By: Corwin
  • Year: 2005
  • Page Count: 168
  • Publication date: November 10, 2005

Price: $39.95

Price: $39.95
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Description

Description

"Places all of a teacher's concerns on the table, and whittles them away with classroom strategies."
-Toby Karten, Educational Consultant

"The ideas in this book will be useful for years to come."
-William Fitzhugh, Teacher, Reisterstown Elementary School, MD

"In the good old days, we didn't have to differentiate."

If this is how you feel about differentiated instruction (DI), you are not alone. Although research shows that DI maximizes learning and neural development, teachers still struggle with its challenges, especially in the high school classroom. Applying her unique expertise as a researcher, teacher, trainer, and parent, Kathie F. Nunley provides practical and supportive solutions to the real obstacles teachers face in mixed ability high school classrooms.

Each chapter lists an obstacle-"I have too much content to cover," or "I can't grade all those different assignments," or "I thought I was differentiating"-and then provides:

  • A discussion of the pedagogical and curriculum issues
  • Ready-to-use solution strategies
  • Examples and scenarios showing the strategies in action
  • Practice assignments

Written with common sense, wisdom, and humor, this easy-to-navigate guide is a must-have resource for all high school teachers and instructional leaders committed to the benefits of differentiated instruction for high school learners.


Key features

  • Classroom strategies that acknowledge the realities of content-rich high school classrooms, required texts, and diverse learning styles
  • Supportive solutions appropriate for use by in-service high school teachers, pre-service teachers studying secondary methods, curriculum designers, and instructional leaders.
  • Aligns with the most current research in education, child development, and neuropsychology
  • Includes a detailed bibliography covering neuroscience and learning; pedagogical theory; inclusion strategies; control theory and self-efficacy; and other essential topics.
  • By the creator of Layered Curriculum™, Help4Teachers.com, Brains.org, and A Student's Brain: The Parent / Teacher Manual
Author(s)

Author(s)

Kathie F. Nunley photo

Kathie F. Nunley
Kathie F. Nunley delights teachers from around the world with her practical solutions to the challenges of today’s diverse classrooms. With more than 15 years of high school classroom teaching experience in both urban and suburban schools, she is the developer of the Layered Curriculum method of instruction. Nunley is a noted speaker at state, national, and international conferences and has authored several books and articles on brain biology and teaching in the mixed-ability classroom.
Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Introduction: I Just Can’t Do That in MY School / Classroom / Situation

Teachers are Creative People

Laugh and the World Laughs with You

So what is differentiated instruction?

Obstacle #1: I Long to Return Back to The Good Old Days

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies

Obstacle #2: I Thought I Was Differentiating

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies

Obstacle #3: I Teach the Way I Was Taught

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #4: I Don’t Know How

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies

The Easiest Road to Differentiation is Student Choice

Add A Second Piece: Accountability

Finish with the Final Piece: Encouraging Higher-Level Thinking

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #5: I Have Too Much Content to Cover

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies

Realize That you Can’t Lecture Fast Enough

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #6: I’m Good at Lecturing

A Description of the Issue

Classrooms May Result in A Power Struggle

Solution Strategies

Perception is Everything

Gain Control by Giving Some of It Up

Obstacle #7: I Can’t See How I Would Grade All Those Different Assignments

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies

Setting up a Paper or Electronic Grade Book

Entering Only Unit Grades and Exams

Entering Grades by Sub-Units

Entering Grades by Objectives

Daily or Weekly Grades

Design a Grade Scale by Considering “What’s an A worth?”

And on What Basis Or Criteria Do We Award Points, Marks and Grades?

Design a Grade Scale by Considering “What’s an F worth?”

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #8: I Thought Differentiated Instruction Was for Elementary Schools

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #9: I Subscribe to Ability Grouping

A Description of the Issue

Segregation Within the Classroom

Preparing Global Thinkers

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #10: I Have Real Logistical Issues

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies & Practice Assignments for Overcoming These Obstacles

Liability Issues

Scheduling Issues

The Room is Too Small

Obstacle #11: I Want My Classroom Under Control

A Description of the Issue

Perception of Control Trumps All

Leadership Style Determines Perception of Control

An Easy Measure of Leadership

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #12: I Don't Know How to Measure My Students' Learning Style

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies

Take a cue from your IEP’s

Provide a Home Base

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle#13: I Have Neither the Time Nor the Funding for All That

A Description of the Time Issue

I Don’t Have the Time to Plan for All That

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

A Description of the Funding Issue

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #14: I've Been Teaching This Way for Years and It Works

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle#15: There’s No Support For It At My School

A Description of the Issue

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #16: My District Requires Me to Follow a Prescribed Text

A Description of the Issue

Textbook Options Can Create More Effective Readers

A Variety of Reading Materials Keeps Information Updated

A Variety of Texts Makes the Information Available to More Students

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #17: Parents Expect Lecture Format in High School For College Prep

A Description of the Issue

Differentiated Reading Strategies Help Prepare Students for College Learning

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Obstacle #18: The Bottom Line—If They Are Learning, You Are Teaching

A Description of the Issue

Some Students Struggle with Linguistic Dependent Input and Output

Some Students Struggle with Visual Input and Output

Solution Strategies

Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle

Suggestions for Further Reading

Layered Curriculum and Other Specific Strategies for Differentiating Instruction

Neuroscience and Learning

Inclusion Strategies

Control Theory and Self Efficacy

Pedagogical Theory

History of the United States School System

Classroom and School Leadership

References

Index

Reviews

Reviews

Quote by Toby Karten, Educational Consultant, College of New Jersey, Author, Inclusion Strategies That Work: "Gives a clear road map to follow and provides vital information without preaching. The author acknowledges and places all of a teacher's concerns on the table, and whittles them away with classroom strategies. The casual yet clear format parallels high school teachers' needs."
"Gives a clear road map to follow and provides vital information without preaching. The author acknowledges and places all of a teacher's concerns on the table, and whittles them away with classroom strategies. The casual yet clear format parallels high school teachers' needs."
Toby Karten, Educational Consultant, College of New Jersey
Author, Inclusion Strategies That Work
Quote by Jacqueline Thousand, Professor, California State University, San Marcos, Author, Differentiating Instruction: “Differentiation at the high school level is one of the hottest topics and a greatly needed area for professional development. I really like the historical context; it tells us that we are in a ‘new’ and different age in U.S. education history.”
“Differentiation at the high school level is one of the hottest topics and a greatly needed area for professional development. I really like the historical context; it tells us that we are in a ‘new’ and different age in U.S. education history.”
Jacqueline Thousand, Professor, California State University, San Marcos
Author, Differentiating Instruction
Quote by J. David Smith, Professor of Education and Psychology, University of Virginia’s College of Wise: “Provides the readers with action strategies for differentiating instruction at the secondary level. It will be received with interest by many secondary school educators.”
“Provides the readers with action strategies for differentiating instruction at the secondary level. It will be received with interest by many secondary school educators.”
J. David Smith, Professor of Education and Psychology
University of Virginia’s College of Wise
Quote by William Fitzhugh, Teacher, Reisterstown Elementary School, MD: "I like the conversational tone of this book. The author is speaking to me, not at me. All of us veteran teachers have been through so many 'new' things that have been discarded after a year or two that we have become jaded. The ideas in this book will be useful for years to come."
"I like the conversational tone of this book. The author is speaking to me, not at me. All of us veteran teachers have been through so many 'new' things that have been discarded after a year or two that we have become jaded. The ideas in this book will be useful for years to come."
William Fitzhugh, Teacher
Reisterstown Elementary School, MD
Quote by Class Notes, Spring 2006, Missouri State Teachers Association: "This book offers 'assignments' that teachers can use to implement differentiation in their own classrooms, including devising a layered curriculum and offering students choices in displaying their skills."
"This book offers 'assignments' that teachers can use to implement differentiation in their own classrooms, including devising a layered curriculum and offering students choices in displaying their skills."
Class Notes, Spring 2006
Missouri State Teachers Association
Quote by CHOICE, June 2006: "The use of analogies, examples, and classroom stories makes it both engaging and user-friendly. Solutions range far beyond the author's own Layered Curriculum method to include many practical solutions to challenges common to many high school teachers."
"The use of analogies, examples, and classroom stories makes it both engaging and user-friendly. Solutions range far beyond the author's own Layered Curriculum method to include many practical solutions to challenges common to many high school teachers."
CHOICE, June 2006

    Other Titles in: Teaching Methods & Learning Styles | Differentiation & Multiple Intelligences | High School Teaching Methods

    Price: $39.95
    Volume Discounts applied in Shopping Cart

    For Instructors

    Request Review Copy

    When you select 'request review copy', you will be redirected to Sage Publishing (our parent site) to process your request.