1st Edition
Differentiation Is an Expectation A School Leader's Guide to Building a Culture of Differentiation
Turn your school into a place where every child achieves. This book provides leaders with all that they need to promote differentiation in their schools and districts. Through research and first-hand experience, the authors have identified effective strategies for hiring differentiation-minded staff members, communicating the need for differentiation to all stakeholders, motivating teachers to differentiate, and using differentiated teacher evaluation to effect change.
Contents include:
- First Things First: What is Differentiation?
- Can Differentiation Work in a High-Need School or District?
- Change Agents are Knowledgeable Leaders: The Value of a Professional Learning Community
- Evaluating Teacher Differentiation and Differentiating Teacher Evaluation
- Hiring the Best Teachers for the Job
A valuable resource for principals and other leaders, this book will serve as the go-to-guide to assist you on your journey in embedding differentiation into the culture of your school or district.
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction: Why Would You Read This Book?
First Things First: What Is Differentiation?
Who Are We and Why Would You Listen to Us?
Can Differentiation Work in a High-Need School or District?
What Can You Expect from This Book
Research and Data
2. Foundations of Change: District, School, and Teacher Goals
Core Values: A Necessity3. Change Agents Are Knowledgeable Leaders: The Value of a Professional Learning Community
Goals
Professional Learning Communities4. Beckoning: "Light" Strategies
Fire and Light Metaphor5. Pushing: "Fire" Strategies
Teacher Leadership
Modeling
Professional Development
Celebration
"Fire" Strategies6. Assessment, Instruction, Materials, and Technology: Tools to Support Differentiation
Differentiated Supervision
Evaluating Teacher Differentiation and Differentiating Teacher Evaluation
"Required Choice" Professional Development
The Toxic 2
Assessment: The Linchpin of the Differentiated Classroom7. Communicate! Communicate! And Then Communicate Some More!
Differentiated Instructional Approaches
Instructional Materials Aligned to Differentiation
Technology to Support the Differentiated Classroom
Differentiated Programming
Which Stakeholders Need to be Informed?8. Staffing
What Do They Need to Know?
What Methods Will be Used to Inform Them?
How Do You Hire the Best?9. Jungle to Greenhouse
New Teacher Orientation
Mentoring the New Teacher
Recognize the Importance of Differentiation
Set Goals
Learn Together
Develop Teacher Leaders
More...
Biography
Dr. Kimberly Kappler Hewitt has served since 2005 as director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment for Oakwood City School District in Ohio. Previously, she served as an elementary school principal and district instructional specialist in Norwood, Ohio, an urban Appalachian community near Cincinnati. Prior to that, she taught middle and high school students in Gwinnett County, Georgia. She earned her PhD in educational leadership at Miami University of Ohio and her MEd from Vanderbilt University. She has presented at a number of state and national conferences. Kim currently serves as president of OhioASCD. She has been selected as a 2010 Emerging Leader by ASCD. She was also recognized as a 2001 Atlanta Journal/Constitution Georgia Honor Teacher. Daniel K. Weckstein has served as principal of Oakwood Junior High School since 2007. He served for seven years as assistant principal of Hopewell Junior School in Lakota Local Schools, a very large suburban district near Cincinnati, Ohio. Prior to his service in junior high school administration, Dan taught at the junior high level for five years. In addition to having the opportunity to present at multiple national conferences, Dan was honored as an ASCD Scholar at the 2010 ASCD annual conference. He earned his bachelor&'s degree from Indiana University and his master's degree from Xavier University. Dan lives in Oakwood with his wife, Kellie, and their children, Collin and Casey.
