A television interview show, posters, letters and a rap song are just some of the ways members of the Jamestown Public Schools’ Leadership Team used to describe what differentiated instruction is, and what it is not, to their peers during a recent professional development session. By using different ways of demonstrating their knowledge, they were actually using a differentiated technique to learn more about how differentiated instruction works in the classroom.

Differentiated instruction is an approach whereby teachers adjust their planned instruction to maximize the learning of all students: average learners, English language learners, struggling students, students with learning disabilities and gifted and talented students. The Leadership Team, which is made up of principals, assistant principals, administrators, teacher leaders, instructional coaches and coordinators, received information on differentiated instruction to better understand how it can maximize the learning of all students. The Leadership Workshop is just one of many that the district has, or will be, holding on differentiated instruction led by District Instructional Coaches, Christina Spontaneo and Amanda Sischo over the next school year.

As part of their workshop, the Leadership Team studied and discussed how best to apply the five principles of differentiation: quality curriculum, respectful tasks, flexible grouping, ongoing assessment and supportive learning environment. The Leadership Team members will take the knowledge back to their individual schools to introduce differentiated instruction to staff districtwide.

In addition to the Leadership Team workshop, Jamestown Public Schools also held differentiated instruction workshops for elementary, middle and high school teachers over the summer. Over four days, district teachers and principals explored best practices for differentiated instruction including adjusting three main instructional elements: content, process and product in order to increase student achievement according students’ readiness. Participants explored professional resources on differentiating assessments and used a tiered organizer to organize and collect their thoughts. Each teacher had the opportunity to present new information they learned and ways to apply it to their classroom. Teachers worked to enhance their current lesson plans by tiering lessons and assessments for the upcoming school year.