Differentiation is the buzzward of the week it seems. But what is it? Everyone seems to have a different definition. I was talking with a co-worker today, and I was shocked to find out that some teachers believe that differentiation means a different lesson plan for each student. This couldn't be further from the truth.
Differentiation is simply put, a different way to meet student needs based on their unique ability level and needs.
Most teachers are already doing this. They may have a student who needs visual or auditory re-enforcement. This is a differentiation technique. The difference now is that administration wants us to document what we have done on a regular basis to show how we differentiated for the students.
Can you share your ideas on differentiation and how we must document it?
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Having been in the classroom for several years, I felt a little out of the loop when "differentiation" became the big buzz word. Then a younger administrator was in my room for an observation and his comment to me was, "If your room is like that on a regular basis, you have the truest form of differentiation." Awesome, but I still wasn't sure what it meant. I agree--all of a sudden it is important to have our differentiation efforts documented, its just too bad there isn't a common, accepted definition for the term. Most teachers who are doing their jobs are definitely differentiating--who doesn't try to make the delivery of instruction something that works for their students? Thanks for the post--good discussion starter.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely going to post about this next week. Differentiation can be so scary to a teacher who doesn't realize not only the power in it, but also the ease in which it can occur. We must engage every student we have regardless of ability or ethnicity or economic status. None of those descriptors matter - all that matters is getting every single student to think and think deeply...every day they're with us.
ReplyDeleteK. M. Walton: All I need to say is AMEN!!
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