Fair Isn't Always Equal: The Differentiated Instruction Mind-Set
This chapter covered the basics of Differentiated Instruction (DI) and how it’s defined and why it is successful in the classroom. Differentiated Instruction is anything that a teacher adjusts in order to conform to a student’s needs. It requires the teacher to accommodate the learning needs of every student. Students that have been taught with DI will become independent, creative and well-prepared. DI is meant to be fair to all students because it is not changing the students work load; it is helping them to all reach the same goal through different paths. It allows students to learn at levels appropriate for them but does not make the learning any easier. The teacher must be able to adapt their lessons to children’s skills and learning styles to get them interested in the topic at hand. DI could be something as simple as a teacher rephrasing a question that class does not understand, or allowing a student to redo a project or a test. It’s not just the instruction that can be changed to best suit the class but also being able to move desks around or even take the class outside. The expected results of differentiated learning are to have every student master the subject at hand and do well on the test. DI also helps to prepare students for assessment testing. Students are prepared for assessments test because they have successfully learned through DI. The differentiated approach accommodates the needs of all students individually and allows them to identify with who they are and achieve more throughout their time in school.
As a whole the class agreed with the Differentiated Instruction technique. Not only does it help all students to learn but it also helps the teacher to develop different and unique learning styles to keep the class engaged. DI allows for many new ideas and activities in the classroom. Not all students learn the same way, so it makes sense that we teach in different ways. Each student needs different tools to learn and it is up to the teacher to help them discover and use the tools they need. Equality is not the same thing as fair and education is meant to help ALL students find the tools they need to succeed. Many students have had experiences in school where their teachers did not use Differentiated Instruction in the classroom and their classes just consisted of lectures and note-taking. I think that the whole class would agree with saying that this is something we plan on using in our classrooms someday.
6 comments:
Beth,
I really like your first link. It is a good resource for teachers that want to integrate technology into their classroom but have minimal experience. I like how there are even sample lesson plans on the site. Good job :)
I really liked your first link. There were a lot of good resources, especially the pages listed in the notes section of the page.
I really liked the second link. They used an image of learning as an escalator and not a stairway because a student's learning should be smooth and continuous.
your first link was really great. It was helpful to see strategies on how to differentiate after learning what differentiation actually is. Great choice in links
your first link was really awesome! very informative and a great resource!
I really liked your first link. I feel that it was not only informative but it also was an eye opener. Not everything is going to go as planned, so being prepared for whatever may come and being flexable (knowing how to adapt at the drop of a hat) is important.
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