Gila County News Spotlight
$90K Differentiated Instruction Grant

The Gila County Education Service Agency is providing professional development opportunities for teachers from six school districts through a three-year federal Title II differentiated instruction grant totaling $90,000.  Twenty-four teachers from San Carlos, Miami, Globe, Payson, Pine, and Tonto Basin each receive a $500 stipend to attend four Saturdays in the areas of writing, science, or math and six Friday sessions focusing on differentiated instructional practices.  Dr. Linda O’Dell, Gila County School Superintendent, is the Project Director.

According to Da’Niel Fresquez, who leads the grant for the GESA, each participant will also receive 84 contact hours that includes the Saturday content sessions, Differentiated Instruction classes, participation and attendance at the annual TriCoTA held in Safford, AZ, as well as 2 hours a month with an instructional coach in his or her selected content strand.  The coaching component of the DI grant provides dynamic feedback and follow-up to the participants. Teachers have chosen a math, science, or writing strand as their focus for the three-year program.  The five instructional coaches working with the participants are:  Da’Niel Fresquez, Ricky Reed, Gail Gory, Karen Wartick, and Maurilee Walker.  Ms. Fresquez noted that, “A teacher’s own learning style is exceptionally related to preferred lesson presentation, and a teacher’s lesson presentation possibilities are expanded through differentiated instruction techniques.”

            Da'Niel Fresquez (left), leads the  GESA Differentiated Instruction Grant

In addition to the commitment to Saturday and Friday sessions, teacher participants will present two mini-workshops in their respective districts and a 90 minute presentation at the professional development TriCoTA in Safford this June, 2010.

DI Grant participants at the Globe Education Center learn enhanced lesson possibilities with new techniques.