Academic Differentiation (prepared for 4/18/11 board meeting/presentation)
As with all public schools, Endeavor Charter School serves students with a variety of academic strengths and needs. We feel strongly that students should be given the opportunity to work at their level of readiness whenever possible. To support this, teachers seek opportunities to engage all students within the regular classroom setting every day. Students are organized for reading instruction based on achievement in reading skills beginning in kindergarten. By third grade, students begin switching to leveled reading classes. In math, students are supported in the whole class setting in kindergarten and first grade through whole class instruction and skill-based math centers targeting specific learners with specific strengths and needs. By second grade, students switch to leveled math classes. In grades 2-6, students take a math pre-test prior to each unit of study. Students and teachers are sorted into groups with similar needs. These groups may vary significantly as new units are assessed. Beginning in grade 7, students are enrolled in different math courses, so there is less transition between classes. At this level, students may be enrolled in Pre-Algebra or Algebra I. In grade 8, our students enroll in Algebra I or Geometry.
Our students with identified academic needs are served through our Exceptional Children’s program working in conjunction with the classroom teachers. Our EC teachers follow a primarily push-in model, working with the classroom teacher in the regular classroom setting. The regular classroom teacher is responsible for meeting all IEP goals and differentiating the academic expectations from the standard course of study at the grade level.
We have many students with a wide array of academic gifts. We appreciate and applaud those gifts. However, we do not identify our students as “AG” or “academically gifted.” Instead, we continually strive to serve students at their academic level. This is key to our program. However, because our teachers do this differentiation flawlessly, parents may not realize the amount of specific ability-based instruction and support their students are receiving.
For example…
· Students are grouped primarily according to readiness in math by their performance on pretests.
· Students are grouped primarily according to readiness in reading based on their lexile score.
· Classroom reading material is arranged by lexile and fits a wide range of reading abilities allowing all students to have books appropriate for their level.
· Small group instruction for reading and writing to meet the needs of each student
· Flexible pacing to meet student readiness.
· Enrichment math menus to allow students that are mastering basic content quickly to expand their knowledge through various higher level thinking skills.
· Extension projects
· Book clubs that stress high level skills and promote an active discussion among students
· Individual student conferencing
· Curriculum Coordinators support differentiation through various push in and pullout activities.
· Differentiated learning centers for reading and math (various grade levels)
· Pushing students to make connections across curriculum to see how the pieces fit together
· Assignment depth, content, and difficulty vary depending on student readiness in all grades
For students to be identified according to traditional models as “academically gifted” they must demonstrate ability in either math or reading. In many local school systems, 3rd grade students can be identified as AG by taking 2 standardized tests – the COGAT and if the COGAT score is high enough, the Iowa; also there are other less formal factors such as work samples that may be taken into consideration. Based on their scores from these assessments, students are categorized as not gifted, having moderate gifts, strong gifts, or very strong gifts. These assessments identify strengths in reading and math only.
Individual schools determine how best to serve these students. Often only those students identified with strong or very strong gifts are served through a pull-out program. All others are served within their classroom through differentiated assignments. Those who qualify are served by a resource teacher in math and/or reading. Individual schools create a plan for this resource teacher to serve these students, often once a week in a pull-out environment.
Our students do not wait until the third grade to have their strengths recognized and receive differentiated instruction on a daily based. Their strengths may be recognized in any area, not only in reading or math. Endeavor Charter School firmly believes that consistent, meaningful differentiation through the regular classroom best supports our students of all needs. We truly believe that immersing students in a differentiated environment serves them in a far superior way compared to an isolated pullout program.
Traditional public schools in North Carolina are required to identify and serve AG students. As a charter school, we are not required to identify students, although we value, recognize, and serve our students’ gifts on a daily basis through the regular classroom environment. Students previously identified as AG are still identified, but are considered currently inactive by the state. However, our students whether previously identified as gifted or not, are anything but inactive. They are, in fact, participating in a program which seeks to recognize and expand strengths in any academic area at any age.
