You are here

Inspiring Middle and Secondary Learners
Share

Inspiring Middle and Secondary Learners
Honoring Differences and Creating Community Through Differentiating Instructional Practices



April 2007 | 272 pages | Corwin
Whileáthe differentiated approach to instruction continues to gain in popularity, there is still a great need for practical material to help secondary teachers who want to design engaging and meaningful lessons that will meet the needs of a diverse student body and also fulfill standards.Inspiring Middle and Secondary Learners: Honoring Differences and Creating Community Through Differentiating Instructional Practices presents a strong foundation with examples and ideas for creating an engaging classroom environment and building a community of learners who honor themselves and each other. The authors guide the reader step by step through the process of gathering student data, and show how to use this data to inform instructional practice. Low-prep, easy-to-implement strategies for differentiation are presented, along with more in-depth model lessons and rubrics in the content areas. Teachers can easily modify and/or create their own differentiated lessons using these models. Focusing on grades 6û12, this highly practical guide provides teachers with the tools they need for assessing and addressing the needs of the socially, culturally, and academically diverse students in their classrooms.
 
List of Figures
 
Foreword
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgements
 
About the Authors
 
Part 1: Inspiring Middle and High School Learners
 
1. The Inspiring Classroom
Motivation vs. Inspiration

 
Foundations of the Inspiring Classroom

 
Honoring Our Role as Teacher

 
Honoring Our Fellow Teachers

 
Honoring Our Students

 
What is the Inspiring Classroom?

 
 
2. The Inspiring Classroom: Theory Into Practice
Three Foundations of an Inspiring Classroom

 
Five Elements to Differentiate

 
 
3. Honoring Individuals, Building Community
Gathering Data About Students

 
Honoring and Inspiring All Learners

 
Building Community and Honoring Diversity

 
 
4. Creating Lifelong Learners: An Apprenticeship Approach
Maintaining a Balance

 
Vital Know-Hows for Student Success

 
How to Teach the Vital Know-Hows

 
 
Part 2: Activities and Designs to Inspire Middle and High School Leaners
 
5. Lite-n-Lean Learning Activities: Beginning Steps for Inspiring Learners
Investigations for Advanced Learners

 
Questions for Discussing and Journaling

 
Offering Student Choices

 
Graphic Organizers

 
Vocabulary Instruction for Different Learning Profiles

 
Learning Profile Projects

 
Interest Based Projects

 
Varying Text Levels

 
Memory Techniques

 
 
6. Teaching for Meaning
What is C U KAN?

 
Why C U KAN?

 
How to Write a C U KAN

 
C U KAN Sample

 
C U KAN: Teaching Tips for All Lesson Designs

 
How C U KAN Will Help You Differentiate

 
Deep and Dynamic Lesson Designs

 
 
7. Deep and Dynamic Design #1: Choice Menus
Teacher Overview

 
Sample Content Subject Examples

 
Choice Design: Teaching Tips

 
 
8. Deep and Dynamic Design #2: RAFT Plus
Teacher Overview

 
Sample Content Subject Examples

 
RAFT Plus: Teaching Tips

 
 
9. Deep and Dynamic Design #3: Tiered Lesson
Teacher Overview

 
Sample Content Subject Examples

 
Tiered Lesson: Teaching Tips

 
 
10. Deep and Dynamic Design #4: Contracts
Teacher Overview

 
Sample Content Subject Examples

 
Learning Contracts: Teaching Tips

 
 
11. Deep and Dynamic Design #5: Learning Stations
Teacher Overview

 
Sample Content Subject Examples

 
Learning Stations: Teaching Tips

 
 
12. Deep and Dynamic Design #6: Compacting
Teacher Overview

 
Sample Content Subject Examples

 
Compacting: Teaching Tips

 
 
Part 3: Evaluating and COmmitting to the Inspiring Classroom
 
13. Assessment and Grading in the Inspiring Classroom
On-Going Assessment

 
Grading in the Inspiring Classroom: Now They Get It!

 
Assessing Our Own Growth

 
 
Opening the Door
 
Resources
 
References
 
Index

"The authors succinctly propose an approach designed to generate in students the internal desire to learn! This text promises to be a significant resource for teachers who truly wish to leave a legacy."

Sallie M. Noel, Associate Professor of Biology
Austin Peay State University

"Fantastic read for anyone interested in implementing differentiated instruction into their classrooms.  Relevant for both beginning and seasoned teachers."

Cheryl L. Peters, Science Coordinator
White Lake Middle School, MI

"Provides a wealth of advice and activities for secondary teachers who wish to transform the adolescent's need for independence into empowerment, motivation, and inspired learning."

Belinda Lazarus, Professor of Education
University of Michigan, Dearborn

"Excellent book! A must-read for teachers and administrators who are truly interested in quality teaching and student success."

Paul Gmelin, Principal
White Lake Middle School, MI

"Enables teachers to reach each child where they are, while helping them to strive for more.  As a person who's struggled with dyslexia, I wish this book had been available for my teachers to have used with me."

Angela D. Steffke, Secondary Resource Teacher
John F. Kennedy High School, Taylor, MI

"As an administrator, this book provides me with meaningful direction for my staff. Implementing practices from this book will empower both students and teachers alike."

Sammie Novack, Vice-Principal
Washington Middle School, Bakersfield, CA

"This book is outstanding. I had several teachers review it and they found it very helpful. We will be providing it for our teachers."

Kathy Quick-Gunther, Director of Professional Development
Bethel Public Schools, WA

"If I were just browsing in a bookstore or at a convention and picked up your book, I would buy it just for the quotes. They are the first thing to catch my attention and they are powerful, well-selected quotes. They clearly set the tone of your book; you can tell from them that this is a book of essence and inspiration.”

Billie Jo Crouse, Third-Grade Teacher
Greensburg Public Schools, PA

Kathleen Kryza

Kathleen Kryza consults internationally for her company, Infinite Horizons, and also presents nationally for the Bureau of Education and Research (BER). Kryza has more than 20 years experience in motivating and reaching children, educators, and others through her teaching, consulting, coaching, and writing. Her expertise is in working with students in special education, gifted education, alternative education, and multicultural education. She has a master's degree in special education and is an adjunct professor in special education at the University of Michigan—Dearborn. More About Author

Susan Joy Stephens

S. Joy Stephens has taught middle and high school students of all levels and abilities in differentiated science, math, and foreign language classrooms. She is a presenter and trainer in practical strategies for differentiating classrooms and inspiring students. She has a master's degree in biology. More About Author

Alicia Marie Duncan

Alicia Duncan is a consultant, program coordinator, and teacher trainer for the Waterford School District in Waterford, Michigan. She shares her expertise across the state of Michigan and throughout the nation in reaching and teaching English Language Learners, gifted students, culturally diverse learners, and inclusion students through differentiated instruction. She has a master's degree in ESL teaching methodology. More About Author

Purchasing options

Please select a format:

ISBN: 9781412949033
$44.95
ISBN: 9781412949026
$96.95

SAGE Knowledge is the ultimate social sciences digital library for students, researchers, and faculty. Hosting more than 4,400 titles, it includes an expansive range of SAGE eBook and eReference content, including scholarly monographs, reference works, handbooks, series, professional development titles, and more.

The platform allows researchers to cross-search and seamlessly access a wide breadth of must-have SAGE book and reference content from one source.