Saguaro Education

Differentiation is one of those buzz words in education that can be hard to understand. But to put it simply, differentiation is about making a lesson accessible to every single student in the classroom. Sometimes that means lowering the standard to close a gap in a child's learning ability, but most of the time it simply means providing scaffolding that allows the child to reach the standard. Other times--in the case of Gifted and talented students--it also means stretching a state standard to the very furthest point, its highest branches and its deepest caverns.  Think of it like this:  Your class is sitting at the dining table. Everyone is expected to be able to reach the table. Everyone has the same level chair. But not everyone reaches the table. Those who can't reach are your ELLs, your IEP students, those with 504 plans, and some with behavioral concerns or a mixture of struggles. But no matter what the cause, the result is the same: the standard (or table) isn't bei

Articles, Reading Material, Ideas, and More! Instruction for English Language Learners 5 Ways to Differentiate Instruction Uppervention: Meeting the Needs of Gifted and Talented Students | Edutopia How Depth of Knowledge Drives Learning and Assessment (thoughtco.com) What Is Genius Hour and How Can I Try It in My Classroom? (weareteachers.com) Differentiated Instruction | Edutopia Diversity | Edutopia

Ford, K. (2019, February 7).  Differentiated instruction for English language learners . Colorín Colorado.  https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/differentiated-instruction-english-language-learners. Meador, D. (2019, October 30).  How depth of knowledge drives learning and assessment . ThoughtCo. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.thoughtco.com/how-depth-of-knowledge-drives-learning-and-assessment-3194253#:~:text=Depth%20of%20knowledge%20%28DOK%29%20refers%20to%20the%20level,students%20do%20during%20assessment%20and%20other%20standards-driven%20evaluation. Mulvahill, E. (2018, May 22).  What is genius hour and how can I try it in my classroom?  We Are Teachers. Retrieved November 27, 2022, from https://www.weareteachers.com/what-is-genius-hour/ Stallord, J. (2016, August 19).  Use PLT and differentiated instruction to reach diverse learners . Project      Learning Tree.  https://www.plt.org/educator-tips/8-differentiated-instruction-techniques/. Usher, K. (2019,

In busy classrooms, sometimes it can be easy to overlook the students who are doing well. After all, they can speak their language well, may not have behavioral struggles, and do not have an IEP or 504 plan. But sometimes, these students are doing well not because they don't need a teacher's help, but because they don't need the teacher's help in meeting the standard. In other words, they have already met the goals put forth by their teachers, and they are ready to learn more. But that does not mean they need another worksheet. Instead, their learning can and should be taken deeper, into higher-level ideas, research projects on niche parts of a unit, and student-led activities that will not only enrich the gifted students but help the others in the class as well.  This article strives to answer the question How can we help our Gifted students learn more? with 5 easy-to use tips for any classroom.  Utilize Student-Lead Activities Many Gifted students thrive during lesson

     In the 21st Century, the world is connected now more than ever. Between the internet and world events that have moved families across the world, more and more people are being exposed to a myriad of diverse cultures. As teachers, it is vital to prepare students for the world they will be going into. It is clear that the connectivity of today's world is not going to change anytime soon, and as such, teachers must be preparing their students to be connected to and accepting of all of the amazing cultures they will be exposed to throughout their lives.       With this thought in mind, this article is a list of books that will introduce different cultures to any classroom and will allow members of these communities to feel seen and appreciated.  Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard; illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal The 20th nominee for Best Picture Books of 2019 on GoodReads , this picture book focuses on fry bread as a unifier of cultures across Na

  Cultural diversity is something every teacher will see in the classroom and something that needs to be celebrated. Every student is different and has a unique experience and way of learning and it is our responsibility to differentiate instruction to meet their needs and celebrate their unique identity.  Differentiating for culturally diverse students can range from cooperative learning to using specific hands on activities to activate their prior knowledge. Each of these ideas lead to student achievement and high levels of learning.  That being said here are five ways to differentiate for culturally diverse learners: Prior Knowledge Links: Prior knowledge is one of the most successful ways to reach students where they are at. Teachers who utilize this method understand that creating these link is essential and will only elevate their students learning (Stallord, 2016). There are many ways to do create these links. One way is to ask whole class questions, for example, have you ever v

Differentiation for English Language Learners can range from technology integrated throughout the lesson  to including translated directions, and reading in their native language and English so they can make those all important language connections.  English Language Learner students often come from different countries and experiences that those of us in America truly can't even begin to understand and as educators it is our responsibility to differentiate and make adjustments to our instruction and assessment so that they have all the tools needed to succeed in our classrooms.  That being said here are five tried and true ways to differentiate for English Language Learners in your classroom:  Have a wide variety of research-based instructional strategies at hand:   Teachers who use this method understand that a one sized fits all approach doesn't work when it comes to teaching. These teachers will offer English Language Learner students a wide variety of resources to use when