Differentiation

     First of all, I LOVE this video!!! Differentiation is a mindset!! Differentiation in a nutshell is just tailoring your instruction to meet the needs of ALL students. Differentiation gives all students with varying ability levels the best chance of learning. I like to think of differentiation as the Goldilocks Principle, not too hot and not too cold. The instruction needs to be just right for each student to learn. This could mean a change in content that is taught, the process in which it is taught, the end product, or the learning environment. It is our job as teachers to find what best suits each student to ensure success in and out of the classroom.

     Usually when you think of differentiation, your mind goes directly to your low performing students. These students may need added support in a foundational understanding of a concept. A large majority of under-performing students would benefit from a slight change in process. Imagine the success these kiddos could find from engaging in a hands-on activity, or an activity that suits their learning style. From my time in student teaching, I have seen differentiation that changes the way students show their knowledge. Students may be able to show they know a concept in a less traditional way. It is vital to show these students that they are valued without constantly feeling beaten down due to struggling in academics.  

     There are some students that are always forgotten when it comes to differentiation, and that is our average students and high performing students! All strategies that are used for under-performing students will benefit your average students as well. It is important for these guy to feel encouraged when sharing their voice in the classroom. Your higher students will need to be challenged more in the content area, because they tend to get bored. Other students that need to be tended to are your ELL students and unmotivated students, which was a group I didn’t even think of when it comes to differentiation. Bottom line, every student in your classroom has a different learning style, personality, and needs to be a successful learner, and teachers have the task of finding the methods and strategies that work for each particular child.

    A new app I learned about that sounds very interesting is GooseChase. With this app you can assign students to a mission. The students will be sent around the room to take pictures of specific things from the learning unit. It sounds super engaging, and would be beneficial to a large group of students with different needs.