Weekend Workshop with Bill and Ochan Powell – Differentiation Workshop at Hokkaido

Weekend Workshop with Bill and Ochan Powell Differentiation Workshop at Hokkaido International School October 11-12, 2008

Hokkaido International School had been gearing up for Bill and Ochan Powell’s workshop since Bambi Betts introduced them to us with the statement, “When it comes to differentiation, nobody can do it better than Bill and Ochan.”

H.I.S. began working closely with Bill and Ochan right from the start. Their book, Making the Difference: Differentiation in International Schools, became the focus of our professional reading plus we started our own blog site where we could respond to specifi c questions that Bill and Ochan had prepared.(http://hokkaidointernational.edublogs.org/) This thoughtful means of collaboration prepared the groundwork for their workshop.

We began the year with our fi rst fumbled attempts at differentiation so Bill and Ochan’s workshop really connected with us as a teaching team. The Powells teased out our strengths and built on them, taking some of our head and heart knowledge and opening possibilities for a more refi ned practice of differentiation. A 25-year veteran of teaching stated that this experience has been the most systematic and continuing professional development she has ever experienced at any school.

Barry Ratzliff, Deputy-Headmaster Hokkaido International School

L-R: Betsy Greenway (HIS), Troy Decoff (Hong Kong Academy), Terrance Wilson (HIS), Sandra Caswell (Hong Kong Academy) Sara Arno (HIS) and David Piazza (HIS) in small group reading and discussion group during the EARCOS Weekend Workshop at Hokkaido International School at which Bill and Ochan Powell presented on Differentiation in the International School.

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