1. The chapter lists 17 skills of learning to differentiate instruction. With which of those are you the most comfortable in your teaching? With which are you least comfortable? Why?
2. How would you modify the list of guidelines for differentiation at the end of Chapter 3?
I might modify the very last guideline which states that there should be a balance between student-selected and teacher- assigned tasks", simply because I believe that students would select their tasks from a list of teacher assignments. Recently, I've fallen beck into the one-size-fits-most routine, believing students will be engaged in what I say is engaging. I need to offer more choice, especially since school choice has differentiated the makeup of my classroom.
ReplyDeleteStudent choice can be offered with little planning, yet I know we sometimes forget how easy it can be to differentiate in this manner. I think teachers, for the most part, are “control freaks.” What we fail to realize sometimes, though, is that in offering student choice, we are controlling behavior and motivation within parameters that we have set. However, the students don’t realize that! They just know they get to choose! Lee Ann
ReplyDeleteI think that students appreciate teachers who give them an opportunity to choose their task. There are times when they do not notice they are learning material because they are so enthused with having a decision to make. We work with students who are anxious to be older. With age comes responsibility. What better place to start than with an assignment. The students think you are cool and differentiation is taking place. Aleicia
ReplyDeleteI am a control freak! It has been hard to give up the control, but offering the students choices is not a control issue. I am still controlling the choices students have. Kara
ReplyDelete