EDIS 7390 TEXT ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS 1

Learning Curriculum Assessment Instruction Leading/Managing

Environment
Big Ideas Big Ideas Big Ideas Big Ideas Big Ideas
Students come to class Curricula need to be Students need multiple, Teachers need to use a A differentiated classroom
with varied backgrounds, rigorous for the discipline, flexible formats to variety of models and is a radical departure from
profiles, abilities, relevant to students’ demonstrate what they strategies to appeal to traditional classroom
cognitive/affective/ interests, and engaging for know, understand, and do. students’ learning routines and expectations,
social needs, and effective transfer. profiles/ strengths. which requires different
expectations. Pre- and formative management strategies.
Units need clear and assessment for and as Students should never
Every student needs to manageable KUDs for learning are crucial for be labeled or Students should be invested
Why Does This feel personally, which students will be student success and pigeonholed as “types” in the process and take
Matter? comfortable, encouraged, assessed. Essential effective differentiation. of learners, but given greater responsibility for the
and invited to learn. questions and multiple entry points to functioning of the
understandings are the core Assessment should refer reach KUDs. classroom.
Students need to be of well-designed curricula to where students are in
encouraged and that promote transfer. relation to KUDs, not as Teachers should help Just as students need
rewarded for taking personal judgments, students determine different tasks or pathways,
academic risks and Curricula unite content, punishments, or rewards. which methods work they also may need different
exploring, not punished process, and product. best for them. behavioral approaches and
with grades. (Tomlinson & Moon, p. motivation.
“Teach up” and then 30-5, 42, 66, 122-3). (Tomlinson, p. 19;
(Tomlinson, 2014, p. 15, differentiate for levels. Tomlinson & Moon, p. (Tomlinson, p. 57, 59, 165)
21, 48, 158) (Tomlinson, p. 33, 72, 134) 11)
How do we reconcile an In English, where the How do we reconcile Although differentiated When using different
invitational classroom content’s original form differentiation with instruction may have behavioral strategies with
that values risk-taking (difficult literature) may be standardized testing, in different timelines for students, how do we also
with the “grading a necessary cognitive load, which processes and students working on avoid giving the perceptions
machine” and how do we guarantee the scores are not tailored to different products, are of favoritism or different
expectations from same rigor across different individual student there natural “reset” behavioral expectations?
What I Don’t stakeholders? materials/reading levels? variances? buttons within units?
Understand…/ Is there a way to build in a
How would 3-P grading For schools with rigid How do we develop How do we keep system of prerequisites in
Questions work? (If only the product curriculum/pacing guides, consistent criteria for different timelines both which a student will not be
matters numerically, how do teachers focus on differentiated products manageable and in sync graded on practice, but
would process and progress essentials rather than that also account for with school year practice must be completed
be taken as seriously?) coverage? quality? timelines, like before the performance?
quarter/semester?
(Tomlinson & Moon, (Tomlinson & Moon, p. (Tomlinson, p. 73, 93, (Tomlinson, p. 139)
2013, p. 122-37) 29) 155)
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What cultural changes
can teachers directly
make to deemphasize
What I grades and promote risk-
Wonder… taking?
(Tomlinson & Moon, p.
129)
Teach metacognitively to
share thinking with
students on processes,
rationale, and
misconceptions; this
signals to students that it
Ahas is OK to struggle and
work towards a goal.
The classroom is a
“triangle” of the teacher,
students, and content.
(Tomlinson, p. 147)
Set up the room to foster
active individual work
and collaboration rather
than passive listening.
Emphasize risks,
How Am I exploration, and
Doing with formative feedback over
grades.
This?
Be open about not
knowing information,
but also address how to
find out.
What is the right balance
we should strike between
student preferences/
interests and the necessary
body of knowledge (canon)
of a discipline?
(Tomlinson & Moon, p. 7)
Build curriculum
backwards from
performance/authentic
assessments to align KUDs
more tightly with what we
actually want them to
know, understand, and do.
Details, facts, and skills will
be more relevant for
students if they are put into
the context of
understandings.
(Tomlinson, p. 33, 53)
Revise curricula to focus on
a few key themes and
essential questions to revisit
throughout the year.
Pair primary works with
varied secondary works
that students can choose
depending on interest or
ability.
Are there better ways to
track student progress
than grades?
How do we reconcile this
tracking with a grading
system that demands
weekly or quarterly grades?
(Tomlinson & Moon, 99,
134-6)
Summative assessments
should form the bulk of a
grade, but there can and
should be multiple ones
within a unit.
Well-designed formative
assessment can extend as
well as measure learning
(assessment as learning).
(Tomlinson & Moon, p.
21, 91)
Use interest-driven pre-
assessments that can also
gauge student readiness on
skills like comprehension
and written expression.
Focus on formative
feedback targeted to
KUDs.
Use at least one authentic
assessment for each unit as
a focal point of the
essential KUDs.
2
How much should we How do we separate student
push students out of processes – not turning in
their learning comfort work, for example - from
zones in order to consideration in grading?
develop necessary skills?
(Tomlinson & Moon, 134-
(Tomlinson, p. 19, 130) 6)
Differentiation is a Differentiation requires a
philosophy of teaching, teacher to let go of some
not a model or strategy. elements (processes, silence)
to focus better on others
Not every element of a that are more necessary
unit need be (how to help all students
differentiated 100% of achieve).
the time; use it when it
makes sense and aids The goal is for a teacher to
students. make himself obsolete or
irrelevant when it comes to
Give each student classroom procedures.
“respectful tasks”
regardless of ability. (Tomlinson, p. 157-9)
(Tomlinson, p. 20)
Use a monitoring or Set clear expectations and
tracking system – be firm, but fair.
shared online folders,
student reflections, Emphasize and practice
checklists of progress processes early in the year;
towards overarching reevaluate as necessary.
KUDs.
Allow students freedom
Consider for each unit over how, and to some
the what, how, and why of degree when, they will tackle
differentiation. Identify KUDs.
opportunities for each
of these where possible. Be comfortable with some
noise, chaos, and
movement.
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ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS

Learning Environment
 Each child comes to our rooms with varied experiences, backgrounds, cultural values, learning profiles,
abilities, and cognitive/affective/social needs - in other words, complex humans, however big or small.
Tomlinson (2014) presented this as one of the inherent challenges of teaching: “Let students know that
their differing strengths, needs, and learning preferences present an interesting challenge to you as a
teacher” (p. 158); just as we should strive to make every assignment a worthy and respectful task for
students, so too are each of them worthy challenges for us. Students who may have so little consistency
in other areas of their lives should be able to depend on an adult who believes in their success and
actively works to make it happen.

 Students should feel encouraged to take academic risks and explore the content rather than feel
compelled to follow directions and do the “right” sequence of things to get the “right” answer, which
requires a reimagining of our roles in the classroom from judges to guides. Citing additional studies from
Berger (2003), Dweck (2008), and Hattie (2012), Tomlinson and Moon (2013) described an inviting
learning environment as one that instills a growth mindset, respects students’ backgrounds and potential,
and gives “important, worthy, and daunting things for the students to do” (p. 4, italics mine). To complete
these daunting tasks, students need encouragement and scaffolding, especially in the freedom to attempt
and fail in a safe environment.

Curriculum
 Curriculum development may be the single most challenging aspect of differentiation in the demands
placed on the teacher and the implications on both assessment and instruction; Tomlinson and Moon
explained, “Dynamic curriculum requires a teacher who knows the content well enough to blend required
ingredients (standards) with the nature and intent of the discipline in a way that represents both
appropriately and that also helps learners relate to, organize, and make sense of the discipline’s
‘narrative’” (p. 29). Curriculum needs to be not only rigorous and challenging in terms of the discipline,
but also relevant and engaging to invest students in why the content area matters.

 Sound curriculum follows backward design to align what students will do with what they need to learn.
Tomlinson asserted, “To ensure effective teaching and learning, teachers need to link tightly three key
classroom elements involved in learning: content [curriculum], process [instruction], and product
[assessment]” (p. 72, italics and brackets mine). To enable students to internalize and transfer what they
learn, curricula should be structured around a few key themes, essential questions, and understandings
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rather than attempting to cover the entirety of a discipline, which is both impossible and not conducive to
deeper learning. Focusing on the essential understandings of the discipline keeps the units both aligned
and manageable in that the know and do objectives complement the understand objectives without adding
extraneous facts or skills. However, Tomlinson added, “When subject matter is dynamic, intellectually
intriguing, and personal - when it bestows power to the learner - the ‘details’ also become more important
and memorable” (p. 53). Therefore, when students are encouraged to focus on understanding rather than
an accumulation of facts and skills, the related facts and skills are also incorporated into their learning.

 Sound curriculum also “teaches up” and scaffolds rather than “waters down” the content for students
with lower abilities. Tomlinson recommended when developing KUDs to “make a list of all the skills
and competencies you want your students to master in each facet of your subject...Then extend the list to
skills more basic than the ones you’re working toward and skills more advanced than the targeted ones”
(p. 163). Students will tackle the same KUDs, but at different levels of complexity, an approach which
values each student’s needs while also challenging them to progress. Tomlinson and Moon argued that
teaching up creates learning gains for all students (p. 8), likely because a teacher who believes in teaching
up also believes in the potential of their students and ensuring their success.

Assessment
 Pre-assessment (assessment for learning) is the most effective way to determine students’ interests, readiness,
and learning profiles and then differentiate instruction. Tomlinson and Moon referred to informal or
indirect pre-assessment as “part of the fabric of differentiation” and explained that it can provide
invaluable insights about student interest and learning profile: “Differentiating instruction based on
student interest and learning profile contributes to two important attributes: motivation to learn and
efficiency of learning” (p. 43). By investing a little time early with pre-assessment, teachers can engage
students in the process and design more effective instruction around their interests and needs.

 Formative assessment (assessment for and of learning) is one of the most effective contributors to student
success because it provides feedback on where they are in relation to the KUDs and can be designed to
extend learning in addition to measuring it. According to Tomlinson and Moon, “Effective use of
formative assessment is foundational to that incremental process of a student’s investment of effort in
practice, opportunity to learn from the effort and self-correct to promote investment of effort in the next
practice” (p. 66). Formative feedback allows students to see the connection between their effort and
their learning gains and encourages them in that process. Formative assessment should also provide a
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safe opportunity for students to practice, and practice may be a messy process with failure. Students
should feel that freedom to fail in a learning environment centered on growth.

 Summative assessment is more effective and valid when it requires students to do challenging, authentic,
and varied tasks to demonstrate what they know, understand, and can do. These tasks can be varied in
format as long as the criteria for success remains consistent across all formats. Teachers can appeal to
Gardner’s intelligences or Sternberg’s Tri-Mind to develop varied tasks for different intelligence
preferences, as long as these options are suited for measuring achievement for the KUDs. For those who
want to tackle extra challenges or work on certain areas, Tomlinson recommended establishing “class
criteria for success with tasks or products, then work with students to add personal criteria to their
lists. You can add one or two for each child based on what you know of the student’s strengths and
needs” (p. 155). This approach maintains the same standards for each student while also recognizing
individual strengths and areas to improve.

 Neither pre- nor formative assessments should be graded, but students should be given multiple ways of
demonstrating what they know, understand, and can do on summative assessments. Tomlinson and
Moon explained, “To say that grades should come largely, if not solely, from summative assessments
does not suggest that student report card grades would come from only one or two tests. It is important
for students to have multiple opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned. Summative
assessments can and should take place multiple times during a marking period and in multiple forms” (p.
91). Overemphasis on grading is one of the most destructive tendencies in both creating an invitational
learning environment and measuring where students are in relation to KUDs. Currently, grades try to be
all things to all stakeholders - a running record of assignments completed or not completed, personal
judgments, the primary method of tracking students into classes, and the criteria for college admissions.

 Differentiation can help students prepare for standardized tests more effectively than drilling practice
questions. According to Tomlinson and Moon, “Learning is both more natural and more durable when
individuals take in and explore information through multiple modes and when students have
opportunities to work in a variety of ways…If they learn better because of how we teach and assess
them, it’s likely they will fare better on standardized tests than if we insist on teaching them in narrow
ways that are ineffective for them” (p. 42, 46). The emphasis on understanding over discrete facts and
skills better prepares students to tackle questions on unfamiliar content rather than trying to cover all the
possible content that may appear on the test, an inefficient method that does nothing to guarantee deeper
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internalization and transfer. By this same logic, focusing on essential understandings and transfer in one
discipline may also help students perform better on tests in other areas.

Instruction
 Differentiation is a whole philosophy of teaching and learning centered around how students learn rather
than any one teaching model or instructional strategy. Differentiated instruction seeks to match students
with their instructional needs at any given time and needs to be adaptable and flexible. However, it is
also unnecessary to differentiate every possible element in every unit 100% of the time; instead, the
purpose is to be mindful of and identify opportunities to differentiate the what, how, and why that are
meaningful and lead to student success in varied ways (Tomlinson, 2014, p. 20).

 Content instruction is also self-instruction in that we need to continually assess how we learn best.
Tomlinson developed the idea of a learning profile for each student based on intelligence preference,
context, cultural background, and gender. Citing a study conducted with Imbeau (2013), Tomlinson and
Moon (2013) stated, “The goal of learning profile differentiation should be to create more ways for
students to take in, engage with, explore, and demonstrate knowledge about content, and then help
students develop awareness of which approaches to learning work best for them under which
circumstances, and to guide them to know when to change approaches for better learning outcomes” (p.
11). Tomlinson (2014) further elaborated, clearly distinguishing between labeling students as certain
types of learners and offering multiple pathways to KUDs: “The goal ought not to be to label or
pigeonhole students as particular ‘kinds’ of learners but rather to offer varied ways of approaching
learning and then helping students determine which of those ways - or others they may propose - seem
most effective in supporting their learning at a given time” (p. 19). Such a metacognitive approach
reinforces the idea that our first priority is to teach students how to learn better rather than what to learn.

Leadership/Management
 Although differentiation is really a series of intentional common sense decisions with students foremost
in mind, it is also a radical departure from traditional school structure. Tomlinson and Moon expressed
the need for more teacher flexibility: “Curriculum focused on engagement and understanding as well as
‘teaching up’ requires a flexible approach to teaching and learning” (p. 15). Teachers and students (and
administrators) will need to become more comfortable with noise, movement, looser timelines, and
structured “chaos” in the classroom. This level of comfort will require investing students in creating the
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procedures and routines – to be revisited as necessary – so that everyone can be successful (Tomlinson,
p. 57). Students must share in the creation and maintenance of a differentiated classroom.

 The best approach combining the principles of differentiation, invitational learning, and classroom
management is learning to be a “warm demander”; express to all students clearly that only their best work
is acceptable, but provide scaffolding and support to ensure that they can achieve their best work.
Tomlinson defines the term: “Patiently and persistently insist that only quality work is acceptable...These
teachers convey a strong sense of trust and acceptance but simultaneously make clear that they expect
only the best from their students” (p. 165). This model synthesizes the trust established in the learning
environment with the rigorous standards from curriculum, assessment, and instruction.

 Just as we differentiate the processes and tasks for students based on their learning profile, we may also
need to adjust how we motivate and correct behavior. Some students like firm direction, and some
others may prefer humor or “warm demanding.” When learning what interests a student or reveals a
need, we also observe what best motivates them to succeed. Tomlinson advised, “When there is a need
to deal with a severe or recurring problem, respect for the student, desire for positive growth, and shared
decision making result in understanding and learning, not conflict between adversaries” (p. 59).
Attending to students’ interests through differentiated design may help defuse some of the natural
behavioral issues that occur, but an inviting learning environment reaffirms for each student that they
have a place in the classroom.

References

Tomlinson, C. & Moon, T. (2013). Assessment and student success in a differentiated classroom. Alexandria, VA:
ASCD.
Tomlinson, C. (2014). The differentiated classroom, 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.