Excellence in Education: Flexible Grouping
In overseeing
special education, I’m blessed to see many examples of flexible grouping, but
this isn’t a strategy that is limited to special education classes.
Most teachers
deliver information in a consistent manner that usually involves whole class,
small group and individual student opportunities. Recognizing that each student
is different, flexible grouping allows teachers to match students and their
instructional needs.*
Advantages to
flexible grouping:
- Differentiates and individualizes learning
- Motivates students because students are placed in groups where they can be successful and through peer influences
- Addresses social needs
- Promotes student collaboration
- Provides different experiences with different outcomes
Some Flexible
Grouping Strategies
Group Pass: The teacher poses a question (this could be factual recall or an
open-ended statement) and each student responds by writing an answer down.
Students then pass the paper to a peer who checks the answer. The process is
then repeated. In using this with factual/recall information type questions,
students can be grouped with similar ability students and different questions
can be asked to different groups, or students can be grouped in differing
ability groups where stronger students help struggling students.
Student vote: A question is posed to the group with
different possible answers. In a history class this could be an opinion
question with strongly agree-agree-disagree-strongly disagree answers. In a
math class a question can be posed with different answers or solving strategies
and in another class this might be would you like to learn more / read about
topic A, B, C, D. Each student then goes to one of the corresponding four
corners. This can be used to group students by interest.
Readiness: Students are grouped by proficiency.
Administrative Notes
Flex
tomorrow.
Learning
Walks on Wednesday.
Positive Referral
Link: http://goo.gl/s0KXRB
Work Order Request
Form: http://goo.gl/H7hFwK
Comment Box: http://goo.gl/forms/KAHNoGf5D2
Some upcoming dates:
April 18: Prom
April 30: Honor Breakfast (Top
Decile)
May 17: Scholarship Banquet
May 18: Senior Picnic
May 26/27: Now sent in
stone: Senior Exams
May 29 @ 6pm: Graduation
Some upcoming edcamps
(opt-out credit can be earned):
May
9: Edcamp MetroDC (Potomac, MD)
Worth Your Time
An
Open Letter to My High School Self
This might be worth sharing with your students.
Tweet of the Week
This has been
circulating on Twitter for a while. I think it’s a great idea and worth
sharing.
Give your students an opportunity to complete
this statement, “I wish my teacher knew…”