My master's thesis

[lapsetmom]

For all those out there whose written a thesis or is in the process of writing one or who just have great thoughts: I am trying to pin down a topic for my thesis. My Master's will be a MA in Teaching, and I've been researching in the areas of differentiation in instruction/professional development of teachers. This area is way too broad, and I am struggling to narrow down a particular topic. I figured the Hive always has a new way of looking at things esp. in the field of education and might be able to give me some guidance. Some of my thoughts so far:

 

--The need for teachers to better trained in grammar i.e. sentence diagramming, etc. in order to better differentiate instruction in a ps

Writer's Workshop format.

--The correlation between schools and teachers who take risks and their ability to differentiate instruction effectively (very vague still I know).

 

I don't really feel completely positive about either one, and I'm tempted to scrap all the research into differentiation I've been doing and go an entirely different direction. I really only have six more months to work on this thesis, and I'm stressing out. I e-mailed my advisor/professor with the first idea over a week ago and have yet to hear from her. So many of you are so well educated and/or intelligent that I thought you might be able to help me clarify my thinking a little. I have experience in homeschooling and public schooling and thought about researching more in the alternative education direction as well. However, I've lost so much time already. Am I just in way over my head?

[lapsetmom]

Nobody with any ideas? Even any ideas that maybe I hadn't thought of yet? I'd figure a group of people with a passion for education would have more ideas. Maybe you are just too nice to tell me my ideas so far are bad.:001_smile:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Could you define for me the educationese of "differentiation in instruction"? It has been 25 years since my education degree.

[regentrude]

Are you talking about differentiation in the classroom? I.e. teaching children of different abilities effectively?

[Farrar]

I don't know if I have helpful feedback or not, but you definitely get hugs! I did an MA in teaching many years ago and wrote the thesis during my first full year in public schools. Nightmare of a semester, but I got through it and I did do the vast majority of the work in that 6 month period, so I think if you're directed and you pick a topic very soon, then you can be okay.

 

I would think *this* board would support anything about diagramming sentences! Differentiation is certainly a buzzword right now. If it were me, I might go with that, but you're right that your topic sounds very vague. Can you specify more? And how much will the available literature influence what you do?

 

The thing that, for me, made my master's thesis enjoyable was having a topic that I felt strongly about. Also, I produced a product intended for use (a handbook with an accompanying academic document). Even though it didn't go anywhere, I liked writing for a wider audience than just the narrow academic one.

 

The other thing I would add is that there's very little scholarly research being done about homeschooling even though our numbers are growing. Are you familiar with Milton Gather's (now defunct) blog that reviewed research in the field? Any possibility of doing something there or does your thesis need to have a more narrow teaching in schools focus?

 

In any case... good luck!

[regentrude]

What exactly did you research on? What is you specific area of expertise? What are you excited about?

 

I would think that grammar and diagramming sentences would be one of the areas with the least need for differentiation (if by that word you mean what I think you do) - because there is only so much to it.

IMO, one of the subjects with the biggest need for differentiation would be mathematics instruction. Incidentally, this would also be the area with the largest problems in teacher training. (This has been addressed numerous times; I do not know how original your research needs to be - I have a PhD in physics, and in our area the thesis topic must consist of something new that has not been done before.)

 

Differentiation is a holy cow. In the time of standardized testing and large inhomogeneous classrooms, teachers have no time, and are not rewarded, for differentiation - it is teaching to the lowest common denominator. This is a political issue - any teacher I have talked to would tell me they would happily differentiate because this would create better conditions for students and teachers, but are not allowed to do so. So if you are brave and feel passionate about it, you could compare education in countries who do actually differentiate with the one-size-fits-all education in US public schools. Or you could compare private schools that differentiate more effectively - but that will be extremely hard to control for socioeconomic factors such as parental income and level of education.

 

You could research the detrimental state of gifted education and the psychological damage inflicted upon gifted students by a school that does not differentiate.

 

There are many more ideas.. you need to be a bit more specific. There has to be something that interests you greatly. Is grammar really your topic of passion?

[DawnM]

I wrote my thesis over 9 years ago and it was for School Counseling and not instruction, but I do have a teaching credential as well.

 

Now, the questions I have are these:

 

1. Do you think there is enough evidence for you to prove that teachers not only NEED better grammar instruction, but that they need to actually teach things like sentence diagramming?

 

I ask because by the time I started teaching English and ESL, I was told in no uncertain terms that sentence diagramming was passe and should be locked in a dark dungeon and the key thrown out!

 

2. Schools and teacher who take risks? What exactly do you mean by this? Maybe you and your professor would already have this code known, but I am not really following. Risks how? Risks in what area?

 

My thesis (more of a mini-thesis as we had extensive comprehensive exams as well) was actually on something along the lines of helping teachers and parents assist ADHD students effectively and collaboratively through the help of the counseling office......this isn't the actual title, but it was along those lines. It has been far too long ago to remember! :D

 

Dawn

 

For all those out there whose written a thesis or is in the process of writing one or who just have great thoughts: I am trying to pin down a topic for my thesis. My Master's will be a MA in Teaching, and I've been researching in the areas of differentiation in instruction/professional development of teachers. This area is way too broad, and I am struggling to narrow down a particular topic. I figured the Hive always has a new way of looking at things esp. in the field of education and might be able to give me some guidance. Some of my thoughts so far:

 

--The need for teachers to better trained in grammar i.e. sentence diagramming, etc. in order to better differentiate instruction in a ps

Writer's Workshop format.

--The correlation between schools and teachers who take risks and their ability to differentiate instruction effectively (very vague still I know).

 

I don't really feel completely positive about either one, and I'm tempted to scrap all the research into differentiation I've been doing and go an entirely different direction. I really only have six more months to work on this thesis, and I'm stressing out. I e-mailed my advisor/professor with the first idea over a week ago and have yet to hear from her. So many of you are so well educated and/or intelligent that I thought you might be able to help me clarify my thinking a little. I have experience in homeschooling and public schooling and thought about researching more in the alternative education direction as well. However, I've lost so much time already. Am I just in way over my head?

[lapsetmom]

Could you define for me the educationese of "differentiation in instruction"? It has been 25 years since my education degree.

 

Differentiation is when teachers flexibly tailor instruction, assignments, and even assessments to the particular individual needs, readiness levels, and passions of different students within a group setting. It is a huge area that is hard to narrow down.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Differentiation is when teachers flexibly tailor instruction, assignments, and even assessments to the particular individual needs, readiness levels, and passions of different students within a group setting. It is a huge area that is hard to narrow down.

 

You might be better, if language arts is your passion, to focus on differentiation in writing instruction from using something like IEW in the schools.

[lapsetmom]

I don't know if I have helpful feedback or not, but you definitely get hugs! I did an MA in teaching many years ago and wrote the thesis during my first full year in public schools. Nightmare of a semester, but I got through it and I did do the vast majority of the work in that 6 month period, so I think if you're directed and you pick a topic very soon, then you can be okay.

 

I would think *this* board would support anything about diagramming sentences! Differentiation is certainly a buzzword right now. If it were me, I might go with that, but you're right that your topic sounds very vague. Can you specify more? And how much will the available literature influence what you do?

 

The thing that, for me, made my master's thesis enjoyable was having a topic that I felt strongly about. Also, I produced a product intended for use (a handbook with an accompanying academic document). Even though it didn't go anywhere, I liked writing for a wider audience than just the narrow academic one.

 

The other thing I would add is that there's very little scholarly research being done about homeschooling even though our numbers are growing. Are you familiar with Milton Gather's (now defunct) blog that reviewed research in the field? Any possibility of doing something there or does your thesis need to have a more narrow teaching in schools focus?

 

In any case... good luck!

 

I would be curious to hear more about your thesis, specifically your product intended for use. That sounds a lot more up my alley. I love to create practical things.

 

I would be willing to do research in the realm of homeschooling as well. I think I know the blog you are talking about. If I do research in this area, I would want it to be research that not only helps the homeschool community but can be applied to education in general whatever the setting. For instance, is there a way homeschool parents tailor and differentiate instruction for the multiple children in their families that could shed light on differentiation in general that could even be applied in a classroom setting? I'm trying to stick to differentiation because that is something in which I believe strongly and have already collected research.

[babysparkler]

You could research the detrimental state of gifted education and the psychological damage inflicted upon gifted students by a school that does not differentiate.

 

This is exactly what I was thinking!!! My son suffered from the beginnings of depression when he was in the ps system because of this very issue... Homeschooling him has made all of the difference BECAUSE of the differentiation I have been able to give him. And I know he is not alone.

[lapsetmom]

What exactly did you research on? What is you specific area of expertise? What are you excited about?

 

I would think that grammar and diagramming sentences would be one of the areas with the least need for differentiation (if by that word you mean what I think you do) - because there is only so much to it.

IMO, one of the subjects with the biggest need for differentiation would be mathematics instruction. Incidentally, this would also be the area with the largest problems in teacher training. (This has been addressed numerous times; I do not know how original your research needs to be - I have a PhD in physics, and in our area the thesis topic must consist of something new that has not been done before.)

 

Differentiation is a holy cow. In the time of standardized testing and large inhomogeneous classrooms, teachers have no time, and are not rewarded, for differentiation - it is teaching to the lowest common denominator. This is a political issue - any teacher I have talked to would tell me they would happily differentiate because this would create better conditions for students and teachers, but are not allowed to do so. So if you are brave and feel passionate about it, you could compare education in countries who do actually differentiate with the one-size-fits-all education in US public schools. Or you could compare private schools that differentiate more effectively - but that will be extremely hard to control for socioeconomic factors such as parental income and level of education.

 

You could research the detrimental state of gifted education and the psychological damage inflicted upon gifted students by a school that does not differentiate.

 

There are many more ideas.. you need to be a bit more specific. There has to be something that interests you greatly. Is grammar really your topic of passion?

 

My passion is in the area of curriculum and instruction, and differentiation, of course, fits under that main topic. I also have a passion for the teaching of grammar as the building blocks needed for great writing and reading skills. I understand that differentiating sentence diagramming is difficult. I was just wondering if training teachers to effectively diagram sentences (many of which were never taught) would allow them to more flexibly differentiate and tailor actual writing instruction.

Grammar, spelling, and writing are areas in which I have more knowledge and enjoy researching. I do understand that math has needs as far as research in differentiation, but I feel that math is my weak point so I hesitate going in that direction. What about spelling? Could I research the methods and curriculums schools are using to differentiate spelling instruction? It seems one of the easier subjects to differentiate, especially for the gifted, and yet I see so little of it happening.

 

You also give me some other great ideas that are helping get my mind thinking. Thanks!

[Farrar]

Differentiation is a holy cow. In the time of standardized testing and large inhomogeneous classrooms, teachers have no time, and are not rewarded, for differentiation - it is teaching to the lowest common denominator. This is a political issue - any teacher I have talked to would tell me they would happily differentiate because this would create better conditions for students and teachers, but are not allowed to do so. So if you are brave and feel passionate about it, you could compare education in countries who do actually differentiate with the one-size-fits-all education in US public schools. Or you could compare private schools that differentiate more effectively - but that will be extremely hard to control for socioeconomic factors such as parental income and level of education.

 

 

By the time differentiation became a big buzzword, I was already in private schools, not public, so I may not give the right answer here - but my understanding is that in many districts teachers *are* encouraged to do a sort of narrow differentiation. I want to note that differentiation is not individualization. Nor, in most cases, does it address the content of the classroom. Rather, it allows for teachers to create assignments that offer flexibility in the type of product or flexibility for the level of work or both.

 

On the one hand, I think it's good that teachers are being given tools to allow for some flexibility to, for example, let the artsy kid do a poster and the push the gifted writer to write a story if the goal of the assignment is to prove learning about a specific topic. However, I do find that it's extremely narrow. It reminds me a bit of how, during my hellish public school year, there was an opening faculty meeting where we were asked to do this strange exercise that put people in different groups according to our educational philosophies. Then, in this very trite way, the leader of the thing said, "See! We all have these different approaches and we're all using them to help kids pass those standardized tests!" Seeing as the majority of people were standing in groups that represented educational philosophies that were opposed to standardized testing, it was a complete farce. So, like acting as if our educational philosophies mattered, I feel like differentiation may just be window dressing to hide that the only thing that matters is those standardized tests. But... it is nice window dressing...

[Sebastian (a lady)]

For all those out there whose written a thesis or is in the process of writing one or who just have great thoughts: I am trying to pin down a topic for my thesis. My Master's will be a MA in Teaching, and I've been researching in the areas of differentiation in instruction/professional development of teachers. This area is way too broad, and I am struggling to narrow down a particular topic. I figured the Hive always has a new way of looking at things esp. in the field of education and might be able to give me some guidance. Some of my thoughts so far:

 

--The need for teachers to better trained in grammar i.e. sentence diagramming, etc. in order to better differentiate instruction in a ps

Writer's Workshop format.

--The correlation between schools and teachers who take risks and their ability to differentiate instruction effectively (very vague still I know).

 

I don't really feel completely positive about either one, and I'm tempted to scrap all the research into differentiation I've been doing and go an entirely different direction. I really only have six more months to work on this thesis, and I'm stressing out. I e-mailed my advisor/professor with the first idea over a week ago and have yet to hear from her. So many of you are so well educated and/or intelligent that I thought you might be able to help me clarify my thinking a little. I have experience in homeschooling and public schooling and thought about researching more in the alternative education direction as well. However, I've lost so much time already. Am I just in way over my head?

 

My husband knew that he wanted to write his thesis about something relating to World War I and Imperial Russia. So when he was writing papers for various classes, he tended to go with topic related to the war or to Russia or both.

 

So my suggestion would be to look back over the papers or projects that you've written and make a list of which ideas you'd like to know more about.

 

And remember that you won't probably have time to do classroom research, so you will need to go with what research is available.

 

You might also want to spend an afternoon in the library just browsing the education journals to see what catches your eye. Education Next has its archive online.

 

Some ideas that spring to mind:

Differentiation in reading groups vs a scripted classroom model

Intensive grammar instruction for teachers enabling differentiation for ELL student

Ability to provide differentiated instruction in public vs charter vs home school setting

 

Or on a more fundamental level, is there evidence that differentiation matters. I remember having leveled reading groups in school. And in upper elementary having a couple different levels of math where student would move around between teachers in our team. My understanding is that this became less popular as school moved to a more integrated model where students who were farther ahead where expected to work in groups with their peers in order to help the faltering students. But at the same time, you have the concept of an IEP where exceptional students who need extra assistance have a document that lays out what accomodations they need. However, there is little emphasis on differentiation for exceptional students who are on the gifted end of the spectrum. So does differentiation matter. When and where does it matter?

[lapsetmom]

I wrote my thesis over 9 years ago and it was for School Counseling and not instruction, but I do have a teaching credential as well.

 

Now, the questions I have are these:

 

1. Do you think there is enough evidence for you to prove that teachers not only NEED better grammar instruction, but that they need to actually teach things like sentence diagramming?

 

I ask because by the time I started teaching English and ESL, I was told in no uncertain terms that sentence diagramming was passe and should be locked in a dark dungeon and the key thrown out!

 

2. Schools and teacher who take risks? What exactly do you mean by this? Maybe you and your professor would already have this code known, but I am not really following. Risks how? Risks in what area?

 

My thesis (more of a mini-thesis as we had extensive comprehensive exams as well) was actually on something along the lines of helping teachers and parents assist ADHD students effectively and collaboratively through the help of the counseling office......this isn't the actual title, but it was along those lines. It has been far too long ago to remember! :D

 

Dawn

 

As far as your first question, there is a big contention as far as I know in the grammar world on the answer to that question. I think there are promoters on both sides. Currently, grammar has been geared towards a more transitional (is that what they call it?) type of instruction, but many are saying it is not helpful for actually giving students a language for good writing instruction. It would actually make good research to see under what circumstances sentence diagramming actually helps.

 

As to your second question, that topic was an area my professor suggested I might look further into, but like you, I have trouble clarifying the topic to something that can be researched.

 

Again, thanks, all for the thoughts and ideas. I am not feeling so hopeless. I knew you all would have some great thoughts.

[Farrar]

I would be curious to hear more about your thesis, specifically your product intended for use. That sounds a lot more up my alley. I love to create practical things.

 

Mine was a handbook for students on their rights in educational settings. The academic paper dealt with the educational implications of student rights. Probably won't find much support on this board... but it's something I still feel passionately about. When I was in high school, friends and I sued our school district over a first amendment rights violation.

 

Anyway, for yours, if it was me, I would want to create something like - a handbook for teachers (maybe something really specific that doesn't exist - like a handbook for 6th grade math teachers or 2nd grade language arts in specifically your state or district) on differentiation. Then, the academic paper to go with it documents all the research and talks about the specifics of your topic... But not all advisors would go for something like that.

[lapsetmom]

You might be better, if language arts is your passion, to focus on differentiation in writing instruction from using something like IEW in the schools.

 

I've heard so much about IEW on the boards, but I have never actually used it myself. Can you explain to me how IEW might help differentiate writing instruction in the schools? Right now many schools are differentiating writing through the writing workshop model. A good setup for large classrooms but light on good solid instruction that builds on previous skills. In my opinion, writer's workshop will only work with a EXCELLENT teacher with a great conceptual understanding of grammar and writing themselves. However, to be fair, I am still learning the Writer's Workshop approach. I am more familiar with the Six-traits of writing. I think it is great in many ways, but I still feel that there is something missing that many of you here could probably fill me in on.

[lapsetmom]

 

Or on a more fundamental level, is there evidence that differentiation matters. I remember having leveled reading groups in school. And in upper elementary having a couple different levels of math where student would move around between teachers in our team. My understanding is that this became less popular as school moved to a more integrated model where students who were farther ahead where expected to work in groups with their peers in order to help the faltering students. But at the same time, you have the concept of an IEP where exceptional students who need extra assistance have a document that lays out what accomodations they need. However, there is little emphasis on differentiation for exceptional students who are on the gifted end of the spectrum. So does differentiation matter. When and where does it matter?

 

Mmmm. . .there are so many ways to differentiate. Maybe research into where our time and effort is best put to use as far as which areas have the greatest need for differentiation? Still thinking. Great thoughts ladies. Keep them coming. And thanks all.

[regentrude]

Grammar, spelling, and writing are areas in which I have more knowledge and enjoy researching. I do understand that math has needs as far as research in differentiation, but I feel that math is my weak point so I hesitate going in that direction. What about spelling? Could I research the methods and curriculums schools are using to differentiate spelling instruction? It seems one of the easier subjects to differentiate, especially for the gifted, and yet I see so little of it happening.!

 

How WOULD you differentiate spelling instruction?

How would you, as a teacher, deal with a student who has a very visual learning style and is a perfect speller of complicated words, yet the spelling curriculum for the class forces him to participate in practicing words he has been able to spell for several years? How would you deal with students who do not need spelling instruction because they retain prefect spelling from their reading and see that the word "looks wrong" if spelled incorrectly?

Our ps adopted a "new" spelling approach: instead of giving the students a weekly spelling list of 20 words, they went to teaching the students 10 words a month and sent a long letter home explaining how holding the students accountable for these throughout the school year would improve spelling ability. Seriously. Parents had to sign that they understood the new policy (I signed that and told them that I did not understand how a lowering of standards is supposed to improve performance)... I am mentioning this because, apparently, there are educators constantly designing these new idiotic strategies... maybe you can critique those.

 

Just having students "opt out" of the instruction is also not differentiation - because these students, too, deserve to learn something during the time they have to spend in school.

 

I can see how reading instruction can be easily customized, and is done via the AR program. I have not come across any differentiated spelling instruction (other than "if you get a perfect on the pretest, you do not have to take the test" - that is not differentiation.) So I guess it would be interesting to see if anything can be done there.

[Rebel]

I'm no help at all, but I just wanted to say that I had never given any thought to how M.A thesis topics came about. It's interesting to hear that you get to pick pretty much any topic in your overall field.

 

I'm working on my M.S. in Biology right now and my thesis topic is a natural product of the research/project/experiment I'm doing right now. By working in a specific professor's lab, I committed myself to working on a project that fits the mission of that particular lab. For example, my professor's lab is physiology based so I would not be allowed to choose a genetics project. Some professors are even more specific.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I've heard so much about IEW on the boards, but I have never actually used it myself. Can you explain to me how IEW might help differentiate writing instruction in the schools? Right now many schools are differentiating writing through the writing workshop model. A good setup for large classrooms but light on good solid instruction that builds on previous skills. In my opinion, writer's workshop will only work with a EXCELLENT teacher with a great conceptual understanding of grammar and writing themselves. However, to be fair, I am still learning the Writer's Workshop approach. I am more familiar with the Six-traits of writing. I think it is great in many ways, but I still feel that there is something missing that many of you here could probably fill me in on.

 

I was going to answer but my brain is fried with a fever. Hopefully someone else familiar with the program can answer.

[3littlekeets]

Well, a few questions:

 

1) Are you a qualitative or quantitative scholar?

 

2) You only have 6 months, but IRB might take up a great deal of that if you include children in your study (versus only teachers)

 

3) Do you have a theoretical framework that compels you? (Vygotsky's scaffolding, social information processing, etc).

 

4) Is there an article that you love that may provide "directions for future research" that you can use as the foundation for your study?

 

5) Can you continue your advisor's line of research? (often great when you just want a "done" dissertation.

 

I advise 3 or 4 MA theses every year and am currently advising my first dissertation. I often find that students' biggest obstacle is that they think "too big." A thesis needs to be a solid project with clear implications for a segmented audience in your discipline. It does not need to be a best selling novel or primer on a new or groundbreaking topic for all educators.

 

So, find a small piece of something you LOVE...consider methods and research time...and find a few paradigm articles that you can use as inspiration.

 

Huge hugs!

[lapsetmom]

How WOULD you differentiate spelling instruction?

How would you, as a teacher, deal with a student who has a very visual learning style and is a perfect speller of complicated words, yet the spelling curriculum for the class forces him to participate in practicing words he has been able to spell for several years? How would you deal with students who do not need spelling instruction because they retain prefect spelling from their reading and see that the word "looks wrong" if spelled incorrectly?

Our ps adopted a "new" spelling approach: instead of giving the students a weekly spelling list of 20 words, they went to teaching the students 10 words a month and sent a long letter home explaining how holding the students accountable for these throughout the school year would improve spelling ability. Seriously. Parents had to sign that they understood the new policy (I signed that and told them that I did not understand how a lowering of standards is supposed to improve performance)... I am mentioning this because, apparently, there are educators constantly designing these new idiotic strategies... maybe you can critique those.

 

Just having students "opt out" of the instruction is also not differentiation - because these students, too, deserve to learn something during the time they have to spend in school.

 

I can see how reading instruction can be easily customized, and is done via the AR program. I have not come across any differentiated spelling instruction (other than "if you get a perfect on the pretest, you do not have to take the test" - that is not differentiation.) So I guess it would be interesting to see if anything can be done there.

 

Here is what I do in my classroom with spelling:

 

We all work on the same spelling pattern/sound/rule, whether it is the /ou/ sound that can be spelled "ou" or "ow" or the /j/ sound spelled with "j," "gi," "ge," "dge," or "gy." I give a pretest on a variety of words of different levels with the aforementioned pattern. I then create individualized lists for each students based on their pretest and/or any other words they struggle with from their writing or previous tests. For bright students who pass the pretest, I find words from even higher grade level lists with the same pattern that even if they already know how to spell, would present a challenge to them as far as vocabulary skills. After numerous practice activities many of which they choose for themselves based on a list (use words in story, put in ABC order, create art out of spelling words, etc.), they take a post test using the words in a sentence.

 

This idea is not completely new or mine alone, but I feel that it is especially beneficial for the bright students. I feel pretty passionate about differentiated spelling instruction, and I wish I had a good curriculum that helped me do it more effectively. I think there are some out there, but none approved by my district. :glare: I use my district's approved choice as far as their scope and sequence in spelling patterns and use various other lists and sources to come up with my pretest lists and activities. The only thing that I haven't figured out is how to differentiate for students who are not ready to learn particular patterns or for students who are way beyond certain spelling patterns without totally individualizing spelling completely which is practically impossible in a classroom environment.

[ElizabethB]

The only thing that I haven't figured out is how to differentiate for students who are not ready to learn particular patterns or for students who are way beyond certain spelling patterns without totally individualizing spelling completely which is practically impossible in a classroom environment.

 

Marcia Henry's Words. I use it with my tutoring students, mixed age elementary students. For $39, you can print unlimited worksheets. The advanced students can do the higher level things focusing on morphology and vocabulary, the younger/struggling students can circle ph as f and ch as k in Greek words.

 

Also, Spellers were designed to be used in one-room schools--you teach everyone syllables, then some work on 2 syllable words, some 3 syllable words, etc. But, you can start out the class with a review of a few syllables all together, and the syllables are the basis of all other words regardless of their difficulty.

 

Here are a few good threads about using Webster's Speller:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97408

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70153

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208407

[Heather in Neverland]

Inlight of your topic I thought you might find this interesting:

 

Is Differentiation Undermining Effective Curriculum and Instruction? In this trenchant Education Week commentary article, author/consultant Mike Schmoker takes on one of the current shibboleths of American education – differentiation. He says that several years ago he asked a differentiation guru for evidence that differentiation is effective, and after numerous requests, she conceded there was no solid research or school data backing it up. Schmoker says this is why differentiation isn’t on any research-based lists of effective educational practices or interventions.

What exactly is differentiation? Schmoker says it’s based on the belief that students learn best when they are grouped by ability, personal interests, or “learning styles.” Eminent researchers (Bryan Goodwin of McREL, John Hattie of New Zealand, and Daniel Willingham of the University of Virginia) and hundreds of studies have shown that this premise is fundamentally wrong, says Schmoker. Differentiation has become one of the most widely adopted instructional orthodoxies of our time based “largely on enthusiasm and a certain superficial logic.”

As Schmoker has visited classrooms around the country, he has seen differentiation causing problems for teachers. “In every case,” he says, “it seemed to complicate teachers’ work, requiring them to procure and assemble multiple sets of materials. I saw frustrated teachers trying to provide materials that matched each student’s or group’s presumed ability level, interest, preferred ‘modality,’ and learning style. The attempt often devolved into a frantically assembled collection of worksheets, coloring exercises, and specious ‘kinesthetic’ activities… With so many groups to teach, instructors found it almost impossible to provide sustained, properly executed lessons for every child or group…”

Most disturbingly, Schmoker has seen differentiation insidiously reducing expectations for some students. “In English, ‘creative’ students made things or drew pictures,” he says. “‘Analytic’ students got to read and write.”

So what does Schmoker propose? “Three simple things matter more than all else if we want better schools,” he says:

• A coherent, content-rich, guaranteed curriculum, so that the subject matter and intellectual skills that are taught in each classroom “don’t depend on which teacher a student happens to get.”

• Students reading, discussing, arguing, and writing about what they read every day, across the curriculum. “We aren’t even close to that now,” says Schmoker.

• Well-taught lessons, which include a clear, curriculum-based objective, a quick diagnostic assessment, and several cycles of instruction, guided practice, checks for understanding, and ongoing adjustments to instruction. “Solid research demonstrates that students learn as much as four times as quickly from such lessons,” says Schmoker.

These three basics are what we should be focusing on in classrooms, he concludes. “They should… be education’s near-exclusive focus, our highest priority for at least a period of years – or until they are satisfactorily and routinely implemented. Then we can innovate – judiciously – starting with pilots and sensible monitoring before we expand promiscuously on the basis of superficial appeal.”

 

“When Pedagogic Fads Trump Priorities” by Mike Schmoker in Education Week, Sept. 29, 2010 (Vol. 30, #5, p. 22-23),

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/09/29/05schmoker.h30.html

[lapsetmom]

Inlight of your topic I thought you might find this interesting:

 

Is Differentiation Undermining Effective Curriculum and Instruction? In this trenchant Education Week commentary article, author/consultant Mike Schmoker takes on one of the current shibboleths of American education – differentiation. He says that several years ago he asked a differentiation guru for evidence that differentiation is effective, and after numerous requests, she conceded there was no solid research or school data backing it up. Schmoker says this is why differentiation isn’t on any research-based lists of effective educational practices or interventions.

What exactly is differentiation? Schmoker says it’s based on the belief that students learn best when they are grouped by ability, personal interests, or “learning styles.” Eminent researchers (Bryan Goodwin of McREL, John Hattie of New Zealand, and Daniel Willingham of the University of Virginia) and hundreds of studies have shown that this premise is fundamentally wrong, says Schmoker. Differentiation has become one of the most widely adopted instructional orthodoxies of our time based “largely on enthusiasm and a certain superficial logic.”

As Schmoker has visited classrooms around the country, he has seen differentiation causing problems for teachers. “In every case,” he says, “it seemed to complicate teachers’ work, requiring them to procure and assemble multiple sets of materials. I saw frustrated teachers trying to provide materials that matched each student’s or group’s presumed ability level, interest, preferred ‘modality,’ and learning style. The attempt often devolved into a frantically assembled collection of worksheets, coloring exercises, and specious ‘kinesthetic’ activities… With so many groups to teach, instructors found it almost impossible to provide sustained, properly executed lessons for every child or group…”

Most disturbingly, Schmoker has seen differentiation insidiously reducing expectations for some students. “In English, ‘creative’ students made things or drew pictures,” he says. “‘Analytic’ students got to read and write.”

So what does Schmoker propose? “Three simple things matter more than all else if we want better schools,” he says:

• A coherent, content-rich, guaranteed curriculum, so that the subject matter and intellectual skills that are taught in each classroom “don’t depend on which teacher a student happens to get.”

• Students reading, discussing, arguing, and writing about what they read every day, across the curriculum. “We aren’t even close to that now,” says Schmoker.

• Well-taught lessons, which include a clear, curriculum-based objective, a quick diagnostic assessment, and several cycles of instruction, guided practice, checks for understanding, and ongoing adjustments to instruction. “Solid research demonstrates that students learn as much as four times as quickly from such lessons,” says Schmoker.

These three basics are what we should be focusing on in classrooms, he concludes. “They should… be education’s near-exclusive focus, our highest priority for at least a period of years – or until they are satisfactorily and routinely implemented. Then we can innovate – judiciously – starting with pilots and sensible monitoring before we expand promiscuously on the basis of superficial appeal.”

 

“When Pedagogic Fads Trump Priorities” by Mike Schmoker in Education Week, Sept. 29, 2010 (Vol. 30, #5, p. 22-23),

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/09/29/05schmoker.h30.html

What is funny is that I just came across this article earlier this evening! I think he touches on something important, but I feel that he wrongly associates differentiated instruction as part of the problem. I believe the real problem is when educational theory is superficially applied or it is applied without the basis and foundation of good educational practice. With all my research into differentiation so far, I've discovered that differentiation is really in the realm of experienced teachers and can only be applied well when automaticity has been developed with good instructional skills and classroom management. Without that automaticity in the delivery of those basics of a good education (which is what I believe classical education is about), the flexibility needed for differentiated instruction will not be there. Too many teachers, due to a combination of inexperience, lack of knowledge, lack of administrative support, or time contraints, try to implement DI in a piecemeal, superficial fashion that undermines good teaching. That gap in theory and implementation is a huge factor I've come across in my research, and yet I was unsure how to turn that into a narrow research topic.

Edited November 7, 2010 by lapsetmom
clarity and grammar