A Method of Differentiating Your Classroom
A Method of Differentiating Your Classroom
I was first introduced to this concept from a presentation
made at a PCTM (Pasco Council of Teachers of Mathematics) meeting. A
teacher at one of our high schools was the speaker for the Secondary
Teacher Session. She used Core K12 data to differentiate her
classroom through her seating chart by placing a student with an understanding
of the topic next to a struggling student.
It was so obvious because the data was available and I had never thought
of utilizing it. This method may seem convoluted but it is actually
easy and I can do my class in 15 minutes. I would be glad to help you.
Please let me know if you need help.
In my 8th grade pre-algebra class, our first chapter deals
with the following standards:
[MA.8.G.2.1] Use similar triangles to solve problems
that include height and distances
[MA.8.G.2.2] Classify and determine the measure of angles,
including angles created when parallel lines are cut by transversals
[MA.8.G.2.3] Demonstrate that the sum of the angles in a
triangle is 180-degrees and apply this fact to find unknown measure of angles,
and the sum of angles in polygons
There are two sources of data that can give me information about their
understanding of the relevant geometry standards (FCAT and Core K12). The
latest FCAT data from pascostar is the students’ 5th grade
data so it may be outdated. There
is, however, current data from Core
K12. My class data is below. I have removed the students names, the
standards that are not relevant, and made the "Correct" column reflect
only the relevant questions related to the standards of interest.
( "+" means the question was correct, "-" means the question was not done, and the letter was the wrong answer)
Name
|
Correct
|
8.G.2.1
|
8.G.2.2
|
8.G.2.3
|
8.G.2.1
|
8.G.2.2
|
8.G.2.3
|
8.G.2.1
|
8.G.2.2
|
8.G.2.3
|
1
|
3
|
B
|
+
|
+
|
C
|
B
|
B
|
+
|
C
|
A
|
2
|
2
|
+
|
A
|
A
|
C
|
B
|
A
|
A
|
C
|
+
|
3
|
5
|
+
|
+
|
D
|
C
|
C
|
+
|
+
|
D
|
+
|
4
|
1
|
B
|
A
|
A
|
C
|
B
|
B
|
A
|
B
|
+
|
5
|
3
|
+
|
B
|
+
|
C
|
C
|
A
|
D
|
D
|
+
|
6
|
2
|
B
|
A
|
-
|
+
|
C
|
B
|
-
|
B
|
+
|
7
|
4
|
+
|
+
|
A
|
B
|
B
|
+
|
+
|
C
|
A
|
8
|
2
|
+
|
B
|
A
|
C
|
C
|
B
|
D
|
D
|
+
|
9
|
1
|
B
|
A
|
+
|
B
|
B
|
D
|
A
|
C
|
A
|
10
|
2
|
+
|
B
|
A
|
B
|
B
|
A
|
C
|
B
|
+
|
11
|
5
|
+
|
+
|
B
|
D
|
C
|
B
|
+
|
+
|
+
|
12
|
5
|
+
|
+
|
A
|
B
|
+
|
D
|
+
|
C
|
+
|
13
|
1
|
+
|
A
|
D
|
B
|
A
|
A
|
A
|
B
|
A
|
14
|
3
|
+
|
B
|
+
|
C
|
B
|
+
|
C
|
C
|
D
|
15
|
1
|
B
|
B
|
A
|
B
|
B
|
B
|
+
|
C
|
A
|
16
|
6
|
+
|
+
|
A
|
B
|
+
|
+
|
+
|
B
|
+
|
17
|
4
|
+
|
+
|
A
|
C
|
+
|
D
|
+
|
C
|
A
|
18
|
4
|
+
|
B
|
B
|
C
|
+
|
+
|
+
|
C
|
A
|
19
|
5
|
+
|
B
|
+
|
+
|
A
|
B
|
+
|
D
|
+
|
To get to this data,
1.
Log onto Core K12
2.
Select your class
3.
Select the correct test
4.
Select “Reports”
5.
Select “Item Response Report”
6.
I downloaded the report to excel and then
eliminated all standards that were not relevant to the Chapter that I was about
to teach.
In my classrooms, I have tables in groups of two so that students
can work as shoulder partners. I have
grouped the students as follows:
16 & 4
3 & 9
11 & 13
12 & 15
19 & 2
7 & 6
17 & 8
18 & 10
1 & 5 & 14
I will change the seating chart whenever we change to a
different standard.
Happy differentiating!
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