Why Differentiate?

"Effective differentiation begins with awareness and understanding of basic student needs. It progresses as teachers become more and more adept at understanding how those basic needs are manifested in the classroom and how each facet of classroom experiences meets a learner's need - or missed the mark for that learner." Carol Ann Tomlinson, "Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom", ASCD, 2003.

Differentiation of Instruction is a complex process. The many facets that are involved in meeting the needs of all learners can seem overwhelming and impossible. In fact, students are very much like the facets of a diamond - multidimensional and constantly changing in the light. Yet, in order to provide meaningful instruction for all students in our classes, we must differentiate. Here are some pieces of advice for starting on the journey of differentiation: Start small. Choose one strategy that appeals to you and try it with a few lessons or classes. If you only differentiate one lesson a week, you will have more that 30 at the end of the year! Don't reinvent the wheel when you don't have to. Use resources available to you when planning your lessons. A search on the internet for Tiered Lessons can get you to a bank of lessons already prepared. Initial planning for differentiation is time consuming. Formalize the lessons in some way so you have them for next year.The payoff comes from students' ability to understand, know and do what you taught them in a deeper and quicker manner! Get students on board with differentiation. Explain the philosophy to them. Let them discuss why it would be important for them. Get parents on board. Parents may tend to complain when they see differences going on in the classroom because they are in the protective mode. They initially see it as a "fairness" issue. When they know the basis for the differences, they value what you are doing. SEP conference times and disclosure statements are great ways to educate parents. Get a Differentiation Buddy. Don't try to do this alone! Share lesson ideas, ask a colleague to look at what you have done with the strategy, ask a specialist for advice and coaching. Take time to reflect. Give students time to adjust to the new look, feel and taste of the classroom. Change is hard for most of us and even if we don't particularly like a system, we may still be resistive to change. Keep a dialog open with your students. Suggestion boxes are a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of your classroom.