Differentiated Instructional Strategies:
                                     One Size Doesn't Fit All
When students are all taught the same way, individual needs and unique talents are often not tapped and a cap is put on potential. Teachers are always searching for workable tools to reach the divergent needs of their students. Differentiated instruction is the answer to personalized learning.

Participants explore tools and models for curriculum planning that will provide quality experiences in learning content. Research shows that the proactive, thinking classroom produces learners who problem solve. Teachers will lead students to take responsibility for their learning by being fully accountable and personally engaged. Students approach learning by being actively immersed in an experience of their choosing.

Differentiated instruction creates designs for learning tasks that are interesting, relevant, meaningful, and powerful. Examine various models of instruction to reach more students. These learning tools pull together the best approaches for an integrated curriculum, brain compatible classrooms, social communities, and independent reflection.

A great dilemma in teaching and learning is the conflict between teacher and student goals. Usually, the teacher is concerned with the amount of content learned, while students are more naturally concerned and interested in how the knowledge applies to their lives. There is more to learn than time to learn. The hands-on, stimulating classroom environment will make content come alive with meaning and purpose. The approaches to differentiated learning will spark the student's desire to know more and help pave the pathways created on their personal learning journey.

Participants will:

1.	Define and discover characteristics of differentiated instruction.
2.	Learn formal and informal pre-assessment tools for developing lesson plans for the diverse needs of students.
3.	Explore how the brain learns and retains information.
4.	Investigate adjusting lessons, compacting instruction, and using flexible grouping.
5.	Examine the effective uses of centers, projects, agendas, contracts, and problem-based learning as curriculum approaches.

Differentiated Assessment Strategies
                                     One Tool Doesn't Fit All
This course is designed to align assessment with differentiated instructional practices that promote assessment driven curriculum.   The course focus is on aligning the best assessment practices to meet the diverse needs of learners in today's classrooms.   Learn formal and informal assessment tools to use effectively before, during and after the learning.  By highlighting emerging assessment alternatives, such as logs and journals, teach observation check lists, video samples, and portfolios, this course will imbed assessment of the development of classroom standards and rubrics that set criteria for excellence in student performances.   Learn to fit sound instructional practices within the differentiated  framework, and also ensure that methods used are appropriate tools for improving what students learn and how it is assessed.

Differentiated Instructional Strategies
                                     for Reading in the Content Area
Many students in the middle and high schools do not comprehend what they read.  Remember, it is never too late!

This course presents reading skills and strategies to teach phonics, word attack skills, vocabulary development and comprehension using content materials.  Learn how to give students the tools they need to interpret, retain, recall and apply information in all subject areas.  Each activity is designed to be adapted to all subject areas.

Give your struggling readers the opportunities they need to become eager, fluent readers.  Move students from positions of hopelessness to empowerment with specific strategies they can use in all subjects.  They will enjoy the reading, gimmicks, tips and tricks.

There is no magic formula to use in developing effective, comprehending readers, however you can move students toward that goal.  Create magic in students' daily work each time they learn how to apply the unique reading skills and strategies.  The magic will be obvious in each successful reading experience.

Join us.  Visualize students who are eager to read their textbook.  You can make this vision a reality.  Don't pass up this opportunity to give your struggling readers and non-readers the gift of reading.

Differentiated Instructional Strategies
                                     for Writing in the Content Area
The written word is used more today than ever before.  Individuals are no longer passive, but active communicators using electronic tools including emails and faxes.  Writing is a key form of communication.  Students must know how to write.  It is essential.

Content area teachers are asked to infuse writing with subject instruction.  This course was designed to provide writing strategies and skills that can be used with textbook information and related sources.  Each activity can be used to assist students as they process content information for long-term memory, test success and everyday applications.

Participants will:

1.	Study the latest research on teaching writing from early intervention to adult literacy.
2.	Investigate ways to assess, diagnose, and prescribe solutions to problems that perform barriers to writers.
3.	Discover exciting ideas, activities, and strategies to develop reflective writers as comprehending readers.
4.	Learn stimulating tips to establish a quality climate for successful writers.
5.	Explore the implementation of the writing as a process for formal and informal writing across the genres.

The writing strategies in this course are designed to apply as writing tools to enhance thinking and learning.  The mission of this course is two-fold:  (1) To teach students how to use writing as an effective learning tool.  (2) To encourage and assist content area teachers in the use of writing as a valuable component of instruction.  These ideas are presented so that teachers are encouraged to teach subject information while developing successful, confident, enthusiastic writers.

Multiple Intelligences
                           If the Shoe Fits
Journey through the eight ways people learn! Experience practical ideas, activities, and workable strategies based on the Multiple Intelligences theory. Today's classroom requires educators to meet the diverse challenges of all students. When curriculum is designed to target the different intelligences, students are able to perform and retain more information. Educators can carry these strategies back and implement them right away. Attend this workshop and meet the needs of students in today's classroom.

Standards To Testing
                          in the Brain Compatible Classroom
There is a need for a paradigm shift related to testing in today's schools. Educators are establishing brain compatible classrooms with differentiated learning using authentic assessment tools. Standardized testing is here to stay, although it does not fit in this innovative scenario. This training will establish the bridge with standardized testing and lifelong learning. Learn to make the testing scene an exciting celebration of students demonstrating their true knowledge on the test.

Explore strategies, tips, and books to jog the memory so that students can retain and retrieve information learned. More information must be transferred from the thinking, problem-solving classrooms to the testing format.

Make test-taking skills an adventure in integrated learning throughout the school year. Use these practical, easy-to-implement skills so that your students will be able to apply them to other content areas, future tests, and life.

Acquire a toolbox of strategies and tools to make standardized testing a way to show yourself and others how much the students know and how well your school is preparing them to be productive life long learners.

Multiple Intelligences
                         Through Centers and Projects
Students need experiences to use what they learn and to expand on the information in a different dimension. Centers, stations, or labs are used in classrooms to invent, explore, discover, reteach, and enhance learning. By assigning projects that are developed by this workable eight step plan, students are responsible and accountable to the project process. Centers and projects provide experiences that make students responsible for their own learning.

Quality Teams at Work
Many people are asked to work effectively through teams in the workplace. With these tools and strategies, one can learn more about self and others, to better communicate and accomplish goals. Also, explore and participate in eight essential characteristics of Shared Decision Making that will make the difference in teaming. Communication is the Key!