Promoting Connectedness and Relevance

The worse thing we can do is become Charlie Brown’s teacher! Subject matter that is irrelevant and meaningless (“whaa-whaa-whaa”) is easily ignored as simply…noise. If you are not connected with your students and they feel your subject matter has no relevance in their lives, you will feel as Sisyphus did at the end of every school day. The good news is that we teach you how to end the “myth of the struggle.”

By creating relevant points your students have a chance to attach meaning and value to what you teach which is critical in helping them care about what is being taught and to embrace the knowledge for themselves! Strategies that help students find their voice and explore your subjects are extremely valuable. Synectics, connecting relevant terms through visual and auditory methods, are some of the ways we help our students attach value and meaning to what we teach.

Differentiated Instruction Benefits for Administrators

 

  • Differentiated Instruction allows administrators to know that teachers are deeply covering the standards in their content or grade level so that students have a deep and solid understanding of the material.
  • Administrators in Differentiated Instruction schools know that each student is a part of an appropriately challenging and rigorous learning environment that will benefit them now and in the future!
  • Administrators have the tools to support their teachers and focus on instructional leadership!
Student Engagement Take-Aways Graphic

Teachers will know...

...practical methods to build interest with students

...how to motivate the unmotivated

...how to use Storytelling for Project-Based Learning

...how to grab and keep student interest

...how to incorporate fun and divergent ways of learning

...how to develop critical thinking in the student’s approach to learning

...how this can be modified for all kids and communities

...how to become real to their students

...how to use human graphing to get immediate feedback from students

...how to quickly assess how effective their lesson is going

Jeff Sommerfeld