Essential Question: How do you effectively reach EVERY student in a heterogeneous environment?

Chapter 1 Reflection: Because students have always differed within any classroom, there has always been a need to develop routines and procedures for attending to those differences. With your current knowledge of what we call "differentiation," how is it similar to and different from other approaches to dealing with student differences that you're aware of?

Chapter 2 Reflection: The chapter makes three assertions about differentiation 1. Students of a given age or grade are not standardized. 2. There is no substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction. 3. Even with high-quality curriculum & instruction, students don't all learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding. In what ways do you agree or disagree with those statements based on your classroom experience?

Chapter 3 Reflection: Agree or disagree with the statement that differentiation is a key feature of high-quality teaching. What implications does the statement suggest for our schools?

Chapter 4 Reflection: How would you help students move from defining "fair" as treating everyone alike to defining it as making sure everyone gets what he or she needs to grow and succeed? What challenges might you face along the way? How would you address them?

Chapter 5 Reflection: Based on your ideas and experiences, what would be a logical and feasible next step for you to take in crafting your classroom to be more effective in addressing the needs of academically diverse learners?

Chapter 6 Reflection: What do you see as the most important "next steps" for you to take in making your classroom more academically responsive? What support would be helpful to you in that pro cess?

Chapter 8 Reflection: What are the implications for students when tasks consistently under-challenge them? Over-challenge them? Answer these questions in regard to a period of days, weeks, months, and years?

Chapter 9 Reflection: Reflect on a time in your life when an adult acknowledged and tapped into your interests. What were the benefits for you as a learner and as a person?

Chapter 10 Reflection: Think about the students you teach. In what ways do you see gender influencing how students respond in the classroom? In what ways do you see culture influence learning? Be sure to think about both majority and minority cultures.

Chapter 11 Reflection: Describe some times in your classroom when you see the need to differentiate what you teach students. Describe some times when you see a need to vary how students get access to what you want them to learn? How do you distinguish between the two?

Chapter 12 Reflection: What is the potential difference between an "activity" and a "sense making activity"? Why is it important to make sure you're differentiating a sense making activity rather than just an activity?

Chapter 13 Reflection: Think about your most effective product assignment. Analyze the assignment by using Figure 13.1 and the accompanying explanation. What are the areas of "match" between your product assignment and the guidelines? Areas of mismatch? What insights does this analysis give you about the product assignment? About the guidelines?

Chapter 14 Reflection: Think about how grades work for a student who has a learning disability, who speaks little English, who finds many school subjects very difficult. Now, think about that student over a period of years. What positive and negative roles are grades likely to play in that student's development as a learner and a person?