Week 2

The topic I hope to focus on for the next couple of weeks for the simulation exercise is differentiated in the classroom. The curriculum and standards-based learning is essential to student learning. This is required by school districts as to exactly what to teach. Students learn at different paces and different levels. Therefore, differentiated instruction allows us, as teachers, to effectively teach all students the same curriculum in different ways for each student to understand. Considering that there are students with special needs, language learners with English as their second language, and developmental differences in one’s classroom, a teacher must effectively reach all students. “Differentiation can show us how to teach the same standard to a range of learners by employing a variety of teaching and learning modes” (Tomlinson, 2000). As far as using differentiation in the classroom, I will describe two differentiated activities and the students targeted, insights I gained about differentiated instruction, and further information I would like to learn about differentiation. One activity I think would be great for differentiation would be an assignment on health and exercise. Children at the age group I plan to teach are more auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. I would allow each student to write how they would want to go about demonstrating the effects of a healthy diet and exercise. The choices would be either to write a creative story, come up with a song or rap, or a presentation with images drawn or cut out on poster board. By doing the activity this way, I am incorporating a majority of the learning styles: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, sounds, the effective intake of subject matter, and individual/cooperative participation and learning. These three choices allow students to work in groups and collaborate, but at the same time have individual roles. In the story, each student will have their own character or section to tell of the story. Each student can sing or rap their verse or lyrics. Each student can present information during the presentation. “Learners with different styles bring their natural abilities to be practical and creative to the group” (Gregory & Chapman, 2007). This quote from the course text can be an example for both activities I have discussed and demonstrated.

            Although there are many things to know and learn about differentiation instruction, such as concepts and effectively using the technique in the classroom, I have gained quite a few insights. The process of using differentiation is and will continue to be a challenge. It is going to take a lot of self learning, patients, and thinking. Applying different strategies to one lesson is going to be time consuming, but invigorating. I know that when differentiation instruction is used in the classroom effectively, it is going to be rewarding in the end, because all of my students will have the essential knowledge needed to go further in school and in their studies.

Reference

Gregory, G. H., & Chapman, C. (2007). Differentiated instructional strategies: One size     doesn’t fit all (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.