What is Differentiation?

"If you become a teacher, by your pupils you'll be taught."

-The Kind and I

Differentiation is something that is very cool, and is something that is very important! This idea of differentiating instruction is made so that as teachers we can accommodate the different ways that students learn. Not only that, differentiated instruction is responsive instruction. This is something that comes with time, and it takes some work. This is something that will happen when a teacher gets to know their students as individual students, and actually understands them. 

How can this be done?

Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom by Carol Ann Tomlinson hits it right on the nose. (You really should read this book, it is amazing.)  In chapter one she lists a few ideas of how this can be accomplished. She states that if a student has great difficulty learning, for whatever reason, there should be provisions of some sort prepared to ensure that the student masters the essential knowledge and has an active support system, both to fill in the gaps in knowledge and so that they may move ahead. 

Remember when I mentioned that this is something that comes over time with teachers? Good, because now we are going back to that thought. I already mentioned that teachers need to understand who their students are, but there is more to it. A teacher must understand themselves and the meaning and structure of their disciplines that they are displaying. A teacher must also become an expert in being flexible in how they teach. They must be flexible so that they can match instruction to the students needs, with a goal of maximizing the amazing potential of each student in a given area. 

Keep in mind that each student is still different, and that there will be different traits in all learners...so let's narrow it down. There are four main traits that teachers will often address to ensure effective and efficient teaching.

Readiness

Interest

Learning Profile

Affect

In order to be successful in differentiation are there other things that we must do as teachers. Don't be frightened, it just involves what we do in our classroom, as in, our classroom elements. You want to start with content, process, product, and learning environment. 

Content

Do not be afraid to use graphic organizers in your classroom, I have seen them do wonders in all of the classrooms I have been in, and don't be afraid to use manipulatives...I wouldn't have retained as much knowledge if particular teachers hadn't let me use them. Heck, you can even use interactive notebooks!! You will actually be able to see your students minds at work!

Process

Class activities, and homework assignments are perfect examples.This will show you what students are making sense of. Once again, interactive notebook are great tools. You will be able to let your students use them to the best of their abilities and you can observe their understanding each day right out of their notebooks. 

Product

Right here, I am talking about assessments. Find ways to see what the students have come to know and understand. Find out what they are able to do, or do next. 

Learning Environment

"Learning environment is the "weather" that affects virtually everything that transpires in the classroom." (Tomlinson p.5)

This is everything from furniture to passing out papers. 

Why is this all so important? There are a few reasons.The first reason being that there are a lot more children that are English language learners, there are achievement gaps for minority learners, our special education learners are now moving more steadily towards inclusive instruction, and our brightest students may be losing motivation from not being challenged enough. 

Is there a philosophy of differentiation? Yes there is! In a nutshell, what WE bring to the school and into the classroom as learners matters in how WE learn. As teachers, or even as future teachers, we must understand that we must know who we are teaching and what we are teaching. You will not have a successful lesson if you do not know who or what you are teaching. You will not have a successful lesson if you do not plan actively or consistently. You must plan correctly in order to help each learner learn, and to allow them to move as far along as they possibly can. 

I took most of this information from the book that I mentioned earlier, Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom. I used it has a guide to introduce the subject of differentiation. I highly suggest you, as a teacher, parent, or future teacher, to begin reading along.

Stay tuned for more posts!!!!