Sunday, April 22, 2012
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?
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I agree that even with high quality curriculum and instruction not all students will learn at the same level or pace. This is because you have advanced learners and struggling learners. Advanced learners have theit own set of issues. They can become mentally lazy and feel unchallenged if the the work is not on their level. They may become grade or praise oriented and not take intellectual risks. From the fact that these learners are not used to failure, this can lead to compulsive behavior. The advanced learner may fail to develop study skills, so when the work becomes truly challenging, these students may not know how to cope with it.
ReplyDeleteThe struggling learner may carry the label of lazy. In fact a struggling learner may be a hard worker qand this student's problems may stem from a learning disability or home problems. The bottom line is that despite the fact that you may have superior curriculum and instruction, you are going to have different students with different abilities and intellectual challenges.
Jack Sague
Statement #1) I agree 100% with this assertion. Much of the need for differentiation, in my estimation, arises from the fact that age and grade level are not indicative of a child's actual or latent learning ability. Talent, readiness, aptitude, and ability to retain and apply, all of which are ways a student can show success at school, are not age or grade level-dependent. The vast intellectual ability of the students in the class (where age and grade level determine what they're learning) seems to create the huge need for differentiation.
ReplyDelete#2) I agree. I actually think high-quality instruction is slightly more important than high-quality curriculum. A teacher can "make or break" a student's educational experience by their depth of knowledge and skill at teaching.
#3) The 3rd assertion, which I agree with, is very powerful because a student's knowledge and ability have to be brought out and shown. If the teacher knows how to make the students connect to it somehow, then the nerve endings in the brain literally come alive and create a new connection.
Statement1: I completely agree with this statement. Not all students of the same age or grade will be at the same level. Depending on your class profile, you may have student at, below and above grade level in terms of fluency and comprehension.
ReplyDeleteStatement 2: I feel you can have a high-quality curriculum and instruction, but in order for learning to take place, knowledge must be clearly and effectively organized, students must be active and engaged in the learning process, assessments should be rich and varied, and the student must feel safe and comfortable to express him/herself in the classroom.
Statement 3: True…..because of this a teacher must be flexible and differentiate instruction so that she can meet each student’s needs. The teacher must identify the level and specific needs of the learner in order to be effective. Most importantly, you must be able to engage and challenge all students without pushing them to the point where they become frustrated, give-up, and learning stops.
I agree with the first statement because there will always be differences in any group of learners. Even within the subgroups of advanced and struggling learners, students need to develop different skills. I also agree with the statement that even with high-quality curriculum and instruction students don't all learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding. In my ESOL classes, I have students that have very different levels of English proficiency. At the same time, their learning profiles are different. D.I. is a MUST!
ReplyDeleteClaudia Ocampo
I agree with the statement, because a student can be in the third grade, but reading on a 1st grade level and on the other hand you can have a student in the same third grade class that is reading on a 5th grade level. When looking at an honors class or AP class, you will still have students that are on different levels and will learn at a different pace. Some student s can catch information the first time they read/ hear it as other students need to read/hear something more than once. I also agree that the curriculum should not be lowered and it needs to be high, as that is how students continue to learn. Students are always willing to rise to the level that is set before them. When I am doing my classroom evaluations I have noticed that each student works at his or own pace and it does not matter if they are in a Resource Room or an AP class.
ReplyDeleteMerrissa Bailey
One size can never fit all in regards to education. Therefore, I agree that neither age nor grade is standardized. Students come into the classroom with different levels of knowledge, different experiences, and different learning styles. I agree with “there is no substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction,” however, for that statement to be true, classrooms must be well organized, learners have to be actively involved in the learning process, and assessments have to be presented in a variety of ways. I agree with the fact that even with high-quality curriculum and instruction, students don't all learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding because we are individuals with different learning modalities, interests, and mental capacities.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the statement that students of a given age or grade are not standardized. Not every child is at the same level and that is the reason why we are talking about differentiated instruction today. We are aware that not every child is learning the same way, and why are we assessing in one particular way? Also, I do believe that there is no substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction. But, you also must have an excellent instructor to teach that excellent curriculum. If the teacher cannot teach the high-quality curriculum will not have any effect on students learning. Learning takes place most effectively in classrooms where knowledge is clearly and powerfully organized, students are highly active in the learning process, with no classroom management issues. Yes, even with high-quality curriculum & instruction, students don't all learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding. We must scaffold the students so each one can perform at the same level at the end. Differentiate instruction is the key for a successful learning environment.
ReplyDeleteReflection #2
ReplyDeleteI am of the same opinion as statement #1 Age and grade level are not indicative of a child's learning ability. As teachers we know just because they are placed in a certain grade level, doesn’t at all mean they are performing ON grade level. I too agree with statement #2 High quality curriculum and instruction are vital. I believe both are equally important. Learning takes place when the knowledge taught is clear, organized, highly active, and relevant.
#3 Even when knowledge is presented as stated above in #2, students all make meaning of what is taught differently and at different times. Classrooms today, are comprised of DIVERSE students. Opportunities no matter how big or small have to be given to each and every student… only then will we be able to recognize their true potential. As teachers we also have to be equipped to utilize multi-sensory approaches for each our learners.
-Blanca Gonzalez
A good education helps students maximize their capacity as learners. Students learn based on prior knowledge, interest, beliefs and understanding. True knowledge is imparted in a well-organized manner. Learning occurs when the student is challenged beyond their independent level. Students must be motivated to learn new things, not only what interest them. I’ve noticed in my class during whole-group instruction that there were always a
ReplyDeletegroup of students that were unable to fully understand what was being taught due to the lack of introducing the lesson on their individual instructional level. I’ve said to myself, but I explained it this way and that way, but had not modeled various ways to approach the assignment. All students do not learn the same. Teachers must survey their classes and sort students in categories; academically diverse categories. Teachers must also make the necessary adjustment for their advance learners. One of my intensive Language classes consisted of 21 students; from level 1 ESOL to level 2 FCAT students. The Language program does not allow teachers to teach on 2 different levels, for example books A, B or C, D. Due to having ESOL students in the class, I had to teach from the lowest level. The more advanced learners FCAT scores suffered. Not enough DI instruction took place. Advance learners must constantly receive learning experiences designed to fit them. Continually raise the ceiling of expectations so that advanced learners are competing with their own possibilities rather than with a norm. Also raise the support system. The needs of struggling learners need to be understood as well by looking for the positives in the student strengths. Powerful learning should consist of the student learning the big ideas, key concepts and governing principles of the subject at hand.
Audrey Bullock
I totally agree with all three assertions. The first assertion basically states that they are all sorts of students and learning styles. Therefore, we cannot take a standardized approach. Differentiated Instruction has to be utilized with fidelity. Differentiated Instruction encompasses many different sorts of students, if used properly, the readiness of academically diverse learners and the range of needs they bring to school will be addressed. The second assertion suggests that there’s no substitution for high-quality curriculum and instruction. That is truth; however we can implement instruction that will eventually aid the students to comprehend high-quality instruction. The third assertion proposes that even with high-quality instruction, students will always have various learning styles and comprehension. In my classroom and classrooms across the nation educators can start closing the gap through differentiated instruction.
ReplyDeletePatreece Perry-Pelt
Based on my classroom experience, I can agree with all three of these assertions. Students of a certain grade or age are not and should not be viewed as standardized and it is very much true that students do not learn at the same pace or level. High curriculum and instruction are main components toward making learning happen. These three assertions must be accepted by a teacher in order to truly provide effective differentiation in the classroom. Students also need our flexibility, energy, and peace of mind knowing that we do not compare them to each other but rather view them as individuals.
ReplyDelete-Jessica Collado
I Agree with the three statements. The first statement is proven in the case of siblings taking the same class, they don't necessarily share the same learning style, motivation to learn, goals, etc. On the second statement I totally agree there is no substitute for high quality curriculum and instruction although when reading this, it came to my mind those life lessons that are learned from curiousness, observation, contemplation,that of some religious or native people, for example. And the third statement is related to the previous two, where I reinstate the example of siblings raised in the same house, same setting, values system, and receiving the same high quality instruction in the same classroom won't necessarily learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding.
ReplyDeleteTHere is no doubt that the three assetions mentioned above have a certain truth to them. I whole heartly agree that Differentiation is a must in todays class environment, especialy with ESOL students. If I didn't use D.I., my kids and I for that matter would be lost, frustrated and not learning/teaching effectively. As far as the second assertion; "There is no substitute for a high-quality curriculum and instruction", is true but it needs D.I. in order to balance the scale. The C&I could be good but if the students don't have certain background knowledge or certain skills the C&I then has failed them. Therefore the third assertion is also quite true because of the varity the students offer and their skills or lack there of. So in my classroom is about great C&I combined with D.I. with a mix of love, compassion, understanding and flexablility. Without this we all loose. Efrem Figueredo
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above statements. Teachers must be aware how students learn, what effects the learning environment and be sensitive to all students’ need, interest. A high quality differentiated instruction curriculum is where learning takes place most effectively in classroom where instruction are clear and organized and student are active in learning at their own pace.
DeleteLarry Williams
I agree with all 3 assertions. Students come from diffent backgrounds and households often enter schools on different levels. All students need a high-quality curriculum conducted by a high-quality instructor. In addition to the cirricula, teachers need to know how to implement differentiated instructions.
ReplyDeletePamela Robinson
There is no unique formula, or profile that can describe, or prescribe student performance. We cannot place students in a specific group, and expect learning to occur. The curriculum must be designed to meet the needs of all learners, and there is no substitute for a high quality curriculum of instructions, academic diversity is the main focus and assessing, and reassessing is vital to providing adequate instructions, for all learners. All students have deficits. Our roles as facilitators should embrace drawing on student’s strengths and interest. This process will strengthen the positives, and alleviate the negatives. Designing activities that are initiated by students input is the key. The task is to make an honest effort to depict learning as a global task in order to maximize learning for all students regardless of their ability levels.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Harris
I also agree with all three. Just because a child is in the 10th grade doesn’t mean that he/she is reading on the 10th grade level. He/she could be reading on an 11th or 12th grade level. There grade level should not standardize their intelligence. No matter how much computers help us and teach us they cannot compare to a teacher. And a teacher with a high-quality curriculum is unbeatable! We are individuals – not machines. Therefore, we do not all learn the same way or at the same rate.
ReplyDeleteSusan Castleman
1. Students of a given age or grade are not standardized.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this statement. Based on my classroom experience, each tenth grade period is totally different from each other. Maturity levels, the importance of education, interest in reading and writing, and age all vary in each of these grade ten classes.
2. There is no substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction.
I agree with this statement. My students can tell the difference between a well planned and thought out lesson from that of a quickly put together one. If they sense that their assignments are 'busy work', they will not put a lot of effort into their product. However, if there is clear explanation and instruction, they will be more likely to be more engaged in the overall lesson.
3. Even with high-quality curriculum & instruction, students don't all learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding.
I agree. This is where identifying students' learning modalities are so important. Although written responses work for some students, other students understand better by creating a thinking map to represent what they learned. Some students enjoy giving a very response to their classmates, while others prefer to write in their journals. It is important for instructors to learn our students, to understand their pace of learning and level of understanding. This, combined with their learning modalities will offer the best environment for the most learning to take place.
I agree with the three assertions. We need to understand and respond to students’ differences and learning styles/capabilities. The chapter discusses effective ways to implement strategies in the DI classroom for Advanced Learners (AL) and Struggling Learners (SL). The intent of DI is to maximize capacity and offer advanced learning opportunities to ALs because they may become lazy and their priorities may shift from making new discoveries and taking intellectual risks to thinking more about their grades or being praised. Praise and successful experiences foster ALs’ self-esteem, but they lack self-efficacy. Many ALs get good grades without working hard and they succeed without learning to study, but when they are faced with challenging work they may get frustrated and resentful. With the SLs, the learning profile may shift over time. Professionals may overlook talents in slow learners and not offer tasks that are more difficult than what they can accomplish. They need to feel accomplishment with a task they believed was beyond their learning capability. SLs should learn key concepts and principles of a particular subject because they cannot learn everything. Teaching English Language Learners has been an eye-opener because I have so many different levels that planning for Differentiated Instruction is very time consuming, however, every effective when the routine is in place.
ReplyDeleteMaria Santiago-Parreno
I agree with the three assertions stated in this chapter.
ReplyDelete#1- Each student comes to our classrooms with all sorts of experiences and baggage that makes them the unique individual that they are. Chronological age has no importance when it comes to how the type of student that they are.
#2- High quality instruction is just as important as the research-based curriculum that is mandated. We can have the best curriculum but if our teachers aren’t meeting students’ needs through differentiated instruction, it really won’t make a difference for the majority of our students.
#3- Students don’t all learn at the same pace or same level of understanding. This is evident in the amount of students that are not meeting state standards. Every student has their own learning style as well as other issues that make it impossible to all be at the same level.
Zina Berman
I absolutely agree with all three of these statements starting with the first one. Standardize doesn't mean we will all comprehend at the same pace due to our different learning styles and prior knowledge.Secondly, while their maybe no substitute for high quality curriculum and instruction but how we execute or deliver the instruction is key to students comprehending, no matter what age or grade level. Thirdly I agree that bridges or gaps between the learner and learning must be built in order to be more effective which is mainly what we as educators strive to be. We must always seek ways to connect our students.Karen Smith
ReplyDeleteI understand that these three are the engine that drives effective differentiation, and I agree with all the three assertions that are given about differentiation and instructions. It is known that all students do not learn at the same time, or engulf information quite the same.In teaching the same lesson to a class of students, all will not understand the concept of the lesson because the way it process the given information. This is why we have differentiating classrooms and instruction to be able to teach those in different ways. And the way we teach is what makes learning for all students happen.When I am teaching a lesson, and looking at the level of students that I teaching, it takes quite some time for them, to grasp the concept, and I give all that I can to make sure that they do understand through baby steps.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher, planning is very important before you introduce a lesson to the class. Gathering information from different resources and knowing what you want to teach in all aspects of that lesson can be very critical to students. If students see that you are not prepare to teach, than they are not prepared to learn, and this what make a student who wants to learn if the material and knowledge is there to be presented. Students are hungry for knowledge, so we as teachers should be prepare to give it in a way were students can comprehend it.
Publish by Carolyn collins
DeleteAs a counselor, I have seen teachers praise "Gifted Students" and forget to recognize "Non Gifted Students". In my opinion, every student does some things relatively well. It's important to recognize the positives of non gifted students as well, to ensure they learn to maximize their potential. It's important for teachers to encourage non gifted students by providing support, so they can achieve their needs. Tony Casas
ReplyDeleteHi! Just testing this out!
ReplyDeletehelp
ReplyDeleteI agree with all 3 statements.The role of an educator is to build bridges between learning and a learner. it doesn't matter who you teach advanced learners or struggling learners because we as educators must provide the avenues needed to build understanding and reach set goals for each learner and always teach up for each student to accomplish the goal of success. There is no substitute for a high quality currculum. For that reason DI should be an intregal part to every classroom.
ReplyDeleteAs to this respect, I have to say that I honestly agree with these three assertions about this so famous, updated, and to some extend, debatable approach known "DI". For me it is really and approach like any other approach towards English Language Teaching.
ReplyDeleteDI comprises students' previous knowledge background, students' learning styles, students' multiple intelligences, as well as socio economical and cultural issues. As an ESOL teacher and former EFL language teacher, I have faced the experience to consider all these issues in my teaching. I had to take into account since the first class of a given unit until the last assessment of this unit by providing my students with open-ended answers, questions about their needs and weak ELL skills as well as questions based on their academic learning even in their first language.
Based on my classroom experience, I agree with these three assertions. Students are individuals - they enter our classroom with varied background knowledge, experiences, strengths and weaknesses. These differences must be addressed. High-quality curriculum and instruction is one way to meet our students’ needs. A common curriculum assures that all students receive equitable content/information and effective delivery of the instruction assures student learning. But, that is only the beginning. There must be “multiple and varied avenues to learning.” Also, the pace in which students learn is another component of effective high-quality instruction. We must keep in mind that every learner is unique and that every learning situation varies from child to child. We should learn to embrace the differences we find in our students.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in responding to two statements made in the Chapter 2. The first is, “We know that learning happens best when a learning experience pushes the learner a bit beyond his or her independence level.” The second is, “… we know that motivation to learn increases when we feel a kinship with, interest in, or passion for what we are attempting to learn.”
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree, in theory, in a perfect world, or perhaps in fantasy land. I can say this because I knew myself as a student, and certainly nothing in my teaching experience has changed my mind. For this to work, we probably would have to get rid of “required courses,” because many students feel no kinship with many courses that educators think they need to be exposed to. If a teacher has to create the kinship for unmotivated students in large groups, and fifteen to twenty students do make up a large group, better students will certainly have to make some sacrifices. I never felt a “kinship” with Algebra, and despite the encouragement of a very good friend and a very talented sister, I just took my failing grades and went on with my life because I was in a very good school with very enlightened teachers who knew that we do not all have to like the same thing or be good at the same thing or want to do the same thing at the same point in our lives. My school averaged our grades, and as long as we had passing averages, they kept us around. Fortunately, I did well in language based subjects.
Interestingly, when I came to the US and was paying for my education and HAD to pass Algebra, I did. In other words, I was motivated either by punishment or reward, as I think most students are, since below 5 % actually have any type of learning disability. When I had to pass subjects I did not care to work at, I did pass them. Nothing a teacher could have done would have changed my attitude to Physics, Chemistry, Algebra, etc. Now that I am a teacher, I know that nothing I can do would encourage some students to read Shakespeare at age ten or eleven, which is the age at which I was required to read that poet.
Having said that, we now could ask, how much Algebra is enough? How much Shakespeare? The idea that we push people just “beyond their independence level” is, to me, an open admission to accept mediocrity. I was prepared to stop my Physics education at Boyle’s law. Some Shakespeare readers can’t get beyond the first act of most plays. And that is a measure of volume. At what point does Shakespeare become valuable? With the rhyming sections? The great speeches? For me, Shakespeare was about the human condition and conflict, about ideas to live by and die for. We read him analytically or not at all. How does a student who lacks the interest, desire or capability fit into a class of students in which 50% want to read and study Shakespeare? I can see it only in theory. And having met many students in universities who claim to find reading Shakespeare impossible, I would say, let’s concentrate on the students who want to pursue excellence in their subjects. I am all for exposing all students to all subjects for a time. From ages 16 to 18, I don’t think that students should be in classes where significant time is spent on DI. Real learning takes place in classrooms where teachers teach to the passions and interests of most of the students. Anything less is a recipe for mediocrity. (Maybe we in the US need to know more about how other countries organize their educational systems.)
I agree with the first statement because in a classroom not all students learn the same way.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between developing a routine and with dealing is routines give student’s stability and raises expectation for the instructor. Dealing with students that need differentiated instruction gives the instructor the opportunity to address the weaknesses that applies to each student. Differentiated Instruction is imperative to day’s classroom to be successful. Technology gives the instructor the ability to scrutinize the student’s problem. By utilizing the data, an instructor can focus on student’s weak area and build the student’s ability to understand the subject. When an instructor develops routing along with addressing student skills and the students will have a better quality of learning experience.
ReplyDeleteThe author makes valid points on differentiation. She holds that students of the same age are not the same. This stands to reason because age is just a number. Students have different motivations, learning preferences, and aims in life. This is true not only of students in the same class but in the same family. High quality education provides a higher probability that students will be taught a rigorous curriculum with instructional practices that a new and innovative, however, if individual needs are met the evidence of high quality curriculum and instruction may not be obvious.
ReplyDeleteAs a classroom teacher, one can take notice of students as they engage in learning activities; whether they prefer certain activities over others. When students gravitate to certain preferences, it behooves the teacher to pay attention. While it is more feasible and expedient for the teacher to assign one type of assignment, teachers could assign a generic task with the same goal or outcome but can be performed in different ways.
However, this teacher does not believe that heterogeneous classes should be abandoned. Instead, there should be a process by which teachers get to know their students in order to meet their needs. This may be as simple as an informal survey of students’ interests, learning preferences, background experience, and academic history. Armed with this knowledge teacher will have a good starting place in which they can get to know their students and begin addressing their needs.
Answer: It is my understanding that the standardized curriculum and instruction does not meet different group of learners. For the higher group or advanced /gifted learners, the level might be too low to bring out their intellectual capacities of learning and do not encourage their creative thinking. After a while they get used to the curriculum standardized level and get lazy to challenge themselves to be more self-worth to the rewards of schooling. In that case, the advanced learners sometimes only make little efforts since they have already being successful and are afraid of losing their top range of the learning titles.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the standardized curriculum and instruction is too high for those who are struggling learners together with the gifted learners. No matter how hard the slow learners are trying, if the standard is too high for them, they will not just get it. They are always on the list of “At-risk”. Their reasons are different from one to the other.
So I completely agree with this statement. Not all students of the same age or grade will be at the same level. You may have students at, below and above grade level in terms of fluency and comprehension. That is why we need to differentiated our groups of children to meet their needs.
Yunyan Chen
T. Junious
ReplyDeleteI do believe that all students learn differently. I don't know if I have to differentiate instruction for them to get the most out of their education, but I have learned that I do differentiate and most times I do it without knowing.
I beleive what is harmful are the standardized curriculum is what is actually hurting the students, not the instruction or the delivery of the instruction.
I agree: I have been teaching for ten years> Students with/out disabilities all students do learn at different pace and access learning process differently. The learning must be effective and clear for the student to gasp what is expected. The students will see right through non-plan lesson. When a teacher shows sarcasm, it differently turns the student off and the student will shut down and will not participate in class, so a student must feel safe and connected to this class. A teacher must be aware of two types of students advanced and struggling students. Advanced learner: need learning experience designed to fit them and balanced rigor. The struggling learner: focus on the strength/not weakness, group: chuck more difficulty activity and provide support.
ReplyDeleteI understood that I have to know who is an advance learner and who is a struggling learner in my class. I think that being an advance learner does not mean that the student is going to be advance in everything. There are students that are advance in one content and have difficulties in another content. So, these groups are going to be changing constantly. As I was reading the chapter, I realized that I have to be more organized and I need to have more time to plan. Planning is one of our priority. In addition, I need to develop skills to diagnose who is an advance student and who is struggling learner. I think that between those categories there are more "boxes" to diagnose students. When I was reading this chapter, I remembered that there are students that think they don't need to practice, but when they have to show their work and knowledge, we realize that they are wrong. Their character is another thing that influence learning.
ReplyDeleteYarenis Delgado
As I read this chapter after a long day of work, it reminded me of why I teach. It reminded me that not all "gifted children" are gifted in all areas. Not all "regular" kids learn at an average rate. Always look for the positive, NOT the negative and build on the positive!! This chapter also reminded me to accept children for who they are and PLAN, PLAN, PLAN.
ReplyDeleteBased on my classroom experience, I certainly agree that students are not standardized, that high-quality curriculum and instruction are extremely important, and that students do not all learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding. The student samples in this chapter demonstrate how students come to class with various needs, various experiences, and different levels of readiness. That is why varied and multiple avenues to learning are important in any classroom. Even within the so-called homogeneous grouping of advanced learners or struggling learners, there is a need for differentiated instruction because they are individuals who have different experiences and learn differently and at different rates.
ReplyDeleteLooking at my classroom and based on what I have read in Chapter 2, I would like to paraphrase what I believe are the most powerful conclusions about teaching and learning. While the image of a "standard issue" student is comfortable, it denies most of what we know about the wide variance that inevitably exists within any group of learners. As per my point of view, there is no substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction in classrooms. . Even in the presence of high-quality curriculum and instruction, we will fall woefully short of the goal of helping each learner build a good life through the power of education unless we build bridges between the learner and learning. We, as teacher need to differentiate advanced learners from struggled learners. However, they may be advanced in Math but not Reading, may be advanced in September and not in May...the primary intent of differentiated instruction is to maximize student capacity. In the end, all learners need our energy, our heart , and our mind. They all have that in common because they are young humans. As a teacher, I would think and plan in terms of multiple avenues to learning for varied needs, rather than in terms of normal and different. The goal for each student is maximum growth from his current learning position. The goal for me, is coming to understand more and more about that learning position so that learning matches my learners'
ReplyDeleteneed.
I agree that students of a given age or grade are not standardized. As a Kindergarten teacher, I believe I probably see this more often than most. My students come in at 5 or 6 years of age. I have had students come in to the classroom knowing their ABC's and 123's, writing their names and even reading. Then I get those that cannot even hold a pencil or write their name. Some are developmentally ready and some are not. Some have parents that are proactive and prepare their children and some just leave all up to the teacher to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I do believe that the gap could lessen if children started earlier in their learning and not begin when they step foot in their Kindergarten classroom. Secondly, I also agree that high quality curriculum and instruction is imperative for student success. But in reality has curriculum really changed much? We all have learned the same basic things that we are currently teaching our students. What is important is being able to diversify our instruction to reach all our students and to continue reaching them and helping them as they grow in their learning. Lastly, I students don't all learn at the same pace or at level of understanding, but neither do adults. Our advantage as adults is that we can figure out a way to make ourselves understand what we need to learn. That's the difference. That's what we as teachers strive to do for our students. We want our students to use their critical thinking skills. To use whatever "survivor" skills they have to be able to learn how to learn.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the statements. Not all students work at the same pace because as the chapter explained there are many different aspects to a student's profile. It makes me think of one of my middle school classes. As a French teacher with the IB program my students are usually classified as advanced and yet I see that a lot of my students have trouble reading in English. This means that the foundation I assumed was there might not be. For students to be expected to learn the same thing at the same pace is absurd, and yet I feel that a lot of the time I fall into that trap of trying to get them all to learn the same thing the same way. One thing that stood out from the chapter is how the assumptions we make about advanced students are not always accurate. It was to learn that some of this kids might fail to develop study skills or a sense of self-efficacy, because they are able to "succeed" in school without putting too much effort. As I reflect on my students, I see how this can happen to them.
ReplyDeleteI have taught middle and high school students for a number of years and it goes without saying that as diverse as the plants and trees that beautify our landscape, so too are the students that enter our classrooms. From what the book terms the "advanced learner" to the ubiquitous "at risk learner", there are many shades of gray in between. Students come to us with a wide array of experiences and abilities. These factors make standardization impossible. My first year teaching Gifted at Miami Northwestern Senior High was an interesting journey. From Romello Spears and Elier Villavicencio who both had IQ's that could rival any Ivy League aspirant to Antonio Guyton and Trenecia Naylor who seemed to struggle with each new assignment, it was quickly apparent to me that differentiation would not be an option, but a necessary instructional tool. The need for a high quality curriculum was definitely noticeable in this class which entailed a wide array of abilities and interests. I'll never forget my one-on-one conversation with Romello Spears during "Take Your Child to Work Day." Since no one showed up to class that, except Romello, we had a large window of time to discuss his penchant for not turning in my assignments and for me to learn about what truly motivated him. Romello, by all accounts, is a prodigy. That day, I understood the breadth of Romello's genius and was equipped with insight into what type of curriculum challenged him. In my 90-minute talk with Romello, I learned that he was a bible scholar who was forced to adhere to the tenets of Christianity despite his skepticism. He engaged me with a riveting question and answer session on those deeply-held beliefs most Christians cling to as the bedrock of their faith, but he had found dubious. It was at that point, I understood how to reach Romello. Despite this revelation, I recognized that I would have to scaffold for Trenecia and Antonio and learn their motivations as well to ensure their success. I am in total agreement with the author's assertions and feel that there needs to be more application of these theories so that our students don't continue to get lost in the sea of smiles.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all 3 statements. We are all different in many ways, therefore we all learn in different ways. Curriculum and instruction must of high quality but the instruction must match students learning styles and readiness. I see a huge problem in classrooms where some students are several years below grade level. This year, for example, I have a 5th grader who reads at a first grade level and in math, according the i-ready pre-test, he is at a kindergarten level. How do I teach and grade a student like this? Many of the ESOL students in this situation are promoted to the next grade level year after year. Because they are ESOL levels 1 or 2 teachers think it is a language problem. I have refered students, who are ESOL level 1, in first grade to SST. Children ususally learn English really fast. Teachers must use their best judgement and keep in mind that when an ESOL child is referred they start testing in the child's home language in order to really evaluate is it is a language problem or a learning disibillity.
ReplyDeleteA line that stood out to me from the final though section was, “some of us are drawn to teach struggling learners, some are natural champions of advanced learners, and some have an affinity for the sort of ‘standard’ student…” When reading the entirety of this chapter I reflected on my time as a student, a teacher, and my current role as a Literacy coach. I have always been drawn to the struggling learner, which leads me to agree with statement 2 and 3. In my time as a IR and IR+ teacher it was overwhelming obvious the different paces that students learn. It was also apparent how thirsty this population of students was for high quality instruction and curriculum (which I did not always feel equipped to give them). Through their eyes, as the text put it, differentiated instruction proved extremely necessary. For this same reason I feel compelled to ensure my teachers now are equipped with all the tools needed to meet ALL students needs. DI lets us do this in a natural way, ensuring that our students “maximize their capacity as learners.”
ReplyDeleteI can certainly agree with all three statement. I am strong believer that with love and understanding even a child that is struggling will try his/her very best to do well.
ReplyDeleteDifferentiate Instruction helps students maximize their capacity as a leaner which I agrre and it works a ladder to help Advance Learner and struggling learners to reach goals.In the process of learning I believe that DI helps the teacher understands the students gap Therefore it is the teacher task to be alert and understand their need. I strongly believe that DI is always looking emcopass many defferent sorts of students where they are struggling. Raising ceiling of expectation reach their goals and it is a good a skill to apply in their process of learning.
ReplyDeleteEvery student we encounter as educators is unique. They come from various cultural backgrounds. Their socioeconomic status and life circumstances differ. I believe that these differences influence how children learn. Diverse classroom demographics create classroom populations that are often composed of students with mixed abilities. The implementation of differentiated instruction is the best way to ensure that all students get their fair chance at receiving a decent education. I have tried my best to ensure that all of my students reach their highest potential while under my instruction. Unfortunately, I can not confidently say that they all have. After reading chapter 2, I now realize that I have not been challenging my advanced learners enough. Although this school year is approaching its end, I am certain that I will be ready for each and every pleasantly unique little munchkins I inherit next school year.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the statement that with high quality curriculum and instruction not all students will learn at the same pace. The struggling students need one on one instruction to show growth.
ReplyDeleteI agree with these statements.
ReplyDeletePrior to becoming a teacher i didn't see things as clear as i do today. Teachers for the most part are brought into the system believing that students should be able to do this , this and that by a certain age and grade; not much focus is given students that do not meet these standards/criteria. They are the ones being left behind.I believe that the bar should should be set high with creative engaging individualized instruction to assist all students in achieving success in the classroom.
I agree with the statements because insstruction should never be "one size fits all." In our classrooms we are surrounded by students of different backgrounds. We need to use those differences as gifts within our instruction. Students need buy in and how better than by making them a part of the curriculum by including their interests, learning styles and backgrounds as part of our lessons. Once they feel "included" in our insturction, we've "hooked" them.
ReplyDeleteChapter 2: I agree that all students do not learn the same way, however the concepts are taught many times in the same format, not taking into consideration the individual needs of the students. If we can do a variation in presentation or approaches per small group of students in the classroom we will be able to achieve a total instruction to all students.
ReplyDeleteChapter 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? I agree with all three assertions about differentiated instruction.Students do learn differently and at certain pace. I agree whole heartedly with this educational thought. All students learn differently and with different modalities. With differentiate instruction students can get high-quality curriculum and instruction.
ReplyDelete1. Students of a given age or grade are not standardized.-- This is true. I teach GED and even though I have students of the same age in class, they have different abilities and learning skills. Some comprehend at a 3rd grade level while others are at a 10th grade level.
ReplyDelete2. There is no substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction. --This is not true. High-quality curriculum and instruction if left to interpretation might mean a lesson driven by the teacher. Instead learning should come from the students. They should drive their own learning with the teacher's help. Our jobs as teachers are to act as coaches or facilitators.
3. Even with high-quality curriculum & instruction, students don't all learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding.--This is true. Even if we had a great lesson that allowed students to feel motivated to learn and achieve with a little help from the teacher, each student will have a different threshold of abilities and skills. Some will pick up the material quickly while others struggle with the key concepts. We're not all alike; therefore, we can't be expected to learn at the same pace as someone else.
In reference to the three assertions made in this chapter, there is ALWAYS a wide varianve within classroom of learners. This is based on many factors including economics, family exposure to educational material, family stability, second language acquisition, just to mention a few. There is no substitute for high quality curriculum and instruction. There are additions that can be made, such as travel and first hand experience, but good high quality curriculum and instruction cannot be replaced. Even when provided the essential tool for an education learners all contribute their own life experience and their own learning styles, thus no two learners can acquire knowledge and information at the same pace or utilizing the same method of instruction. Thus the presentation of material and information, methods of assessment and methods of presentation must constantly be being reassed to assure that students are indeed acquiring the concepts presented.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with the three assertions. Not all students come in at the same readiness level. You have students who are more advanced learners, then you have the students who struggle. You can't teach all the students the same way and expect them all to grasp it. While there really is no substitute for high quality curriculum and instruction, there also isn't just one model to use for high-quality instruction. As stated before students come to us with different backgrounds, learning styles and abilities, so we can't offer them one method of teaching. I do believe that being able to identify how your students learn and group them accordingly will be beneficial in the long run.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the first statement that students of a given age or grade are not standardized. Not every students is at the same level. That is the reason why we are talking about differentiated instruction. There will always be differences in any group of learners. Students need to develop different skills in order to learn. In a class you may have students at below and above grade levels in terms of fluency and comprehension. Different students-Different abilities and intellectual challanges.
ReplyDelete1. I agree students need to have differentiated instructions in order to be successful students are not all equal.
ReplyDelete2. I agree high quality curriculum and instruction has to occur to be able to reach all levels of students.
3. i agree students dont learn at the same pace so you have to be able to differentiate your instruction to reach all students.
Based on my classroom experience, I must agree with all three assertions:
ReplyDelete1) “Students of a given age or grade are not standardized.” On a regular basis, I am responsible for teaching a whole spectrum of levels ranging from very high to very low. There is no “single story.” On the one hand, I have students who remind me of my own two daughters. These have been labeled “gifted” or of advanced levels. These students are oftentimes burdened with behaviors that may encumber their academic progress. They may not feel challenged enough and lose interest consequently becoming lackadaisical, or not want to face failure and take the least challenging pathway. As a teacher in Miami, I of course am faced with students whose first language may not be English yet need to take and pass mandatory standardized assessments. These students experience their own unique set of frustrations as they acclimate to their newfound surroundings and struggle with language. On the other hand, I have students who are labeled under the Special Education program with an amalgamation of learning needs that need to be considered and addressed.
2) “There is no substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction.” “We cannot reach the mind we do not engage.” Plus, like a muscle, brain power can lose capacity and tone without use. Like a scale master, the teacher is faced with the task of raising expectations, without tipping the balance of rigor and joy in learning. All the while, the teacher must be a beacon of all that is positive. This is quite a feat and responsibility.
3) “Even with high-quality curriculum & instruction, students don't all learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding.” Every rainbow in the sky can be representative of the differences which are evident and should be celebrated in our classrooms. It is not how, but that one reaches the finish line and ultimately succeeds.
The ultimate goal of DI is to provide instruction using a variety of teaching strategies, modifications and accommodations in order to facilitate learning. Each individual student is at certain level of understanding of a particular concept or subject area. It is only through DI that we teachers can promote growth. So yes, I do agree with the three statements on question 2, since in education an only size does not fit everyone.
ReplyDeleteI agree that not all students learn at the same pace, at the same time and on the same level. There is no one right way of learning anything (for anyone). Therefore, DI plays an important role in accommodating he needs of the student learner. I agree with all of the statements.
ReplyDeleteDue to my professional classroom experience, I do not disagree with all three of these assertions. Students of a certain grade or age are not and should not be viewed as standardized We should be cognizant that students do not learn at the same rate, pace or level.to my understanding rigourous and well planned curriculum d instruction are the two main prerequisites for great learning to occur regardless of the student population . These three assertions must be accepted by a teacher in order to truly provide effective differentiation in the classroom. Our students also need our flexibility, energy, and even our own professional compassion as we compare them to each other for achievement purpose. They should be rather be appraised as individuals
ReplyDeleteThere are many philosophies on effective education. To put it simply, the classic ideology maintains that "good education is one that ensures that all students learn core information and master certain basic competencies". While the current and prevailing ideology maintains that "good education is one that helps students maximize their capacity as learners."
ReplyDeleteTo clearly state if I agree or disagree with the three claims requires a reflection on one's personal educational philosophies.
Claim 1: Students of a given age or grade are not standardized. I agree with this to the extent that each student is greatly "influenced by how [their] brains are wired, [their] culture,... [their] gender," their environment, and current technologies play a heavy role in their capacity as a learner. I disagree with this statement to the extent that I have experienced that many students in my classroom are the same age, gender, and come from the same environment and culture. These students have been with each other since a very young age and have demonstrated a very close learning capacity. However, when I take subtle variances into consideration (i.e. learning style / physiology / self esteem), I arrive at the conclusion that, while micro homogeneous groups can be and are effective, whole group instruction would benefit the few students that are in the middle of the bell curve and fail the lowest and highest students.
Claim2: There is no substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction. What can I say about this? I agree, agree, agree. This would include (but not limited to) organization, gradual release, and clearly defined objectives/goals.
Claim 3: Even with high-quality curriculum & instruction, students don't all learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding. I agree with the statement, I also feel it's possible to micro-organize (small group) your students to address this problem. This is the reason that D.I. is so necessary and important.
I agree with the above statements despite more often than not just feeeling frustrated when as an eduxator I do mot always meet those assertions.
ReplyDeleteWe do need to move away from or find a better way to formally assess thr student learning gains. It is not a "one-size-fits-all".
I also agree that there is no substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction. As a teacher, I struggle with makinf sure my students' needs are being met. Oftdntk, I find it difficult to use differentiated instruction every period nd every day. I do, however, try to be a high quality educator by searching, asking other eductor best practices and implementing them in class. I reflect and strive to give my students high-quality curiculum and instruction.
The third statement is true. This is where the planning profiles play an integral part in planning. This, however, can be very frustrating for both teachera and students. I often worry about this every time my students take the interim assessments and I then I see data. Consequently, I feel like a hamsyer in it's exercise wheel.
When teachers Differentiate Instruction, they are not only paying attention to the struggling readers, but to the advanced learners as well, because the advanced learners that some teachers might think that they don't need your help, well they can become mentally lazy, hooked on the trappings of success, may become perfectionists or may fail to develop a sense of self efficacy. I agree to the three statements, and specially that each student learn at a different pace, that's why we as teachers have to differentiate instruction based on the needs with the focus on their prior knowledge, interests, and background.
ReplyDeleteagree w/assertions in Chapter 2. You should not standardize lessons, otherwise frustration will result. Brains are not all top quality. Through DI, advanced and struggled learners needs must be MAXIMIZED. Look for strengths ,make lessons relevant to students' profiles which will optimize their future outlook on jobs. Teach big picture, encouraging self-efficacy. I agree that choices must be based on individual profiles, open ended lessons w/ variety . High quality instruction can be accomplished through continuous DI practice . DI is a mindset that I'm more aware of by participating in COMP 4 PD. Very relevant strategies! Am enjoying class mucho!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the first claim. If a teacher walked into the classroom at the beginning of the year with an established view of what a student at their grade level should or will look like, know or act like, the students will be a disadvantage. I have seen the effects of a teacher's mentality of "they should have learned that last year" or "but a student at this grade level should be able to do this". The problem that occurs is that the dissatisfaction of the teacher begins to negatively influence their learners. This can lead to the students giving up or becoming frustrated. Instead a teacher should create a learner profile and modify throughout the year, which should include what the student can do, their strengths, interests, and what the student needs to succeed.
ReplyDeleteRegarding claim 2, I believe there is no substitute for high quality curriculum. I think some teachers make the common mistake of dumbing or watering down the curriculum to meet the needs of struggling learners. These teachers need to change their way of thinking to ask themselves what tools can be provided to help these students accomplish the set goals and what scaffolding can be provided along the process and how can you differentiate the process to accommodate the various readiness and learning styles in the classroom.
Pertaining to claim 3, I agree all students do not learn at the same pace or level of understanding. For example, all advanced learners are not the same and should not be placed in a cookie cutter mold. I have experienced many things over the years. I have seen students in each leveled group work differently; some are meticulous, while others rush through the material. Even though the students in each group are classified in different categories of learners, they still need to be looked at on an individual level.
Charter 2 : Reflection : This chapter make three assertion about differentiation students of a given age or grade are not. Understanding in what ways do agree. I agree that high quantity curriculum and instruction not all the students will learn at the same level or pace. In my class I have students with deferent level, I have to create proactively plans a variety of ways to get at and express they are learning.
ReplyDeleteStudents do not need to learn the same things, the same way over the same time span. This is the image of a non-standard issued learner. However, the majority of the classrooms are constricted in to standardized testing, pacing guides and district mandated assessments. In light of this, we know as educators that the whole child does not necessary conform to the so called "norms" of assessments. So, I agree that students of a given age or grade are not standardized. I also agree that there is NO substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction. I also agree that even with the aforementioned that students don't all learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, in order to ensure that students of mixed-ability are engaged and active in an authentic learning experience it is necessary to be aware of the following:
* students bring into their classroom their own learning experiences each day
* instruction is most effective where knowledge is clearly & powerfully organized and communicated to the student
* students should be highly engaged and active participants where they are receiving, sharing and producing their own knowledge
* the learning environment pushes students to learn a bit beyond their independence level
* students that have a passion for the subject matter and working as a community will become engaged quicker and be more active
* students learn in ways that their brains are most receptive
Regarding the three assertions about differentition, I believe the following: Standardized by definition is to compare by the same standard, which requires one to believe that ALL things are equal. As an educator, I have found that every student is DIFFERENT as it relates to learning styles and ability, socio-economic backgrounds, personality, etc. To lump every child into one category is surely a set-up for failure on the part of the student and the teacher. I do agree that there is no substitution for high-quality curriculum and instruction. My profession requires that I provide a quality education to every learner and not just one particular group; however, as the teacher, I must be patient with the struggling learner and just as determined to move them forward as I am with those who may be percieved as easy to learn/teach because they are labeled as advanced or gifted. I can also see how important it is for me to adjust my teaching style to their learning style; in doing so, I can effectively teach in the language/style of the learner and not just my language/style of instructing/facilitating. I admit that this will be challenging for me, but in the BEST way!
ReplyDeleteBased on my classroom experience, all three assertions about differentiation are true. When I look at my student's data at the beginning of the year, even in Intensive Reading where all readers are either 1's or 2's, they are completely different in their needs to become better readers. Some are simply diffecent in comprehension, while others need serious work on fluency or phonemic awareness. Those needs must be addressed for that student to eventually gain mastery. The second assertion is probably the most important. There really is no substitute for high-quality curriculum and instruction. If you have a curriculum that doesn't address the needs of the students, and a teacher who doesn't understand or know how to meets the needs of the students, how are you able to impact those students deficiencies? They will probably get stuck where they are at, or even worse, regress. The third assertion is something I witness every year I teach, and that is not all students learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding. That is the one of the main reasons why we must differentiate our instruction. My first year of teaching I didn't really understand differentiation and mainly taught whole group. Most students were either bored, lost, or apathetic. Hardly any learning gains were met. Now as I understand and implement D.I. more effectively, I see more student engagement and my reading scores on the rise.
ReplyDeleteChapter 2:
ReplyDeleteI believe all three statements to be true in their own way. For the first statement, teachers who believe students should be at a certain reading level when they have an entire new classroom are putting the students already at a disadvantage in the beginning of the school year. Teachers should not go into the new school year thinking that every child has retained all the same information from the year before. Regarding the second statement I completely agree. High quality curriculum and instruction should be valued and used wisely in order to help the students out. Now the third statement is the one I agree the most with. From all of my years of teaching, the one thing that is relevant each and every year is that each and every child learns differently, and retains information differently. It does not matter, if all students were taught with the same high quality curriculum. most of them will have a different understanding of what was being taught and have completely different questions. The important thing is to always address questions and problems that those students struggling might have, patience is a strong virtue when teaching to children.
This chapter makes three assertions about differentiation. Based on my classroom experience, I agree with with the 1 and 3 assertions, the students of a given grade do not learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding. In a differentiated classroom the teacher plans in accordance to the students varied needs. In a differentiated classroom, whole-group, small groups, as well as individuals complete the teacher's tailored assignments.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the assertion 2. A well develop differentiated instruction is a high-quality instruction that goes beyond the pre-standarized curriculum and a recipe to teach in a classroom.
Chapter 2: I agree with all these statements because the students come to our classroom with different ways of learning, interests, prior understanding, believes and also different attitudes about themselves. In a differentiated classroom the teacher should look at the students through two categories, the advanced ones and the ones who are struggling. Both of them with their special needs and interests. The advanced students need help in developing their abilities and learning experiences designed to fit them. On the other hand when dealing with the student who struggle the teacher should be clear on what student must know, set important goals, help the students connect their lives with ideas and skills, plan teaching and learning through many different ways and let the student know that we belief in them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all three assertions. One size does not fit all, we all learn in different ways, we all have our own prior knowledge based on our experiences and our culture. A high quality curriculum and instruction is necessary to target all learning needs and understandings. We must use this high quality curriculum and differentiate based on our students. The first week of school, I focus on getting to know my students, their needs, interest, culture, background, learning styles and attitudes. I also try to meet their families to gain a better understanding of students backgrounds. I then focus my instructions on students abilities.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all three assertions as well. In my experience, I have never had any two students who learned in exactly the same way...even with my high performers. There always seems to be so many different variations of learning styles in my classroom. No one student ever seems to learn exactly like another. I agree that there is no substitution for high quality curriculum & instruction. I have seen evidence of this on days when i'm not feeling well. It seems that when I am not at my best and giving my all, neither are my students. I find that the lessons that I put the most time,effort, and energy into are the ones that the students get the most out of. I think that the students must feel invested in their learning and be engaged in order to maximize thier learning potential.
ReplyDeleteAna M.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, there is no substitute for high quality curriculum and no substitute for high quality instruction/instructor. However, even with that “high quality”, children do not learn at the same pace or at the same level of understanding.
With my knowledge or lack of it, I dare to say that to expect everyone to learn at the same rate and in the same way means lowering standards so all can succeed or not accepting individual differences. Students have different gifts and talents, abilities and disabilities, and diverse life experiences.
Maybe in a more homogenized, systematic society like in Japan, children may learn at the same pace, but I doubt it since I grew up in a homogenized educational system and there were advanced learners, struggling learners and the rest of us in between.
For a child to be successful, teachers need to accept that child for who s/he is and not establish standards that the child will never be able to reach. It does not mean to abandon educational standards, but to be more realistic. As stated in chapter 2, “good” education is to help students maximize their capacity as learners.
In our classrooms, we know about wide range of ability levels and that not every student will reach the same level at the same time. Not accepting differences will only present teachers with more problems in self-esteem and hurt each individual student, preventing those who could accomplish more from moving ahead. Not everyone can succeed educationally, but that does not mean they cannot succeed in life.
Reflection 2
ReplyDeleteRegarding the three assertions about Differentiation, I completely agree with all of them. Of course, all students come to our classrooms with different strengths and needs and this is why it is so important to assess them at the beginning both ways formally and informally to collect valuable information on them. Also, I agree that there is no substitution for high-quality curriculum and instruction. Students have performance/achievement Standards that have been defined by their District/State to meet.
As a teacher, I should be able to recognize how to push my students forward whether or not they are gifted, advanced, or struggle students. If I did my best to provide a high-quality education to each one of them without distinction, their needs will be addressed altogether and eventually gain mastery of their subject. If teachers want to provide high-quality instruction to their students, they need to use differentiate instruction in their classrooms because not all of the students can learn at the same rate. By pursuing the best ways to help them understand the Content, these students will be able to achieve their goals.
Since I do not believe in a normal classification I would have to say I do not agree with standardizing students based on their age or grade. I feel as though their are children that somewhere along the line got left behind and by standardizing the learning based on grades those students will be continuously behind. They are not taught the concept they do not know, but are expected to obtain the knowledge of that same concept at a higher level. By not having it standardize the students will be able to continue growing from the point that they are at as oppose the the point where they should be.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the second statement. If a student has the possibility to be challenged they should be able to obtain a high quality/ knowledge than that of his/her peers.
The third statement has some validation to it. Not all gifted students learn at the same pace. Some are fast than others, while some might be gifted in one area and not all. Every student is different and therefore has different learning that should be occurring.
The 3 assertions regarding differentiated instruction are accurate in my opinion based on my classroom experience. When students first enter our classrooms they come from various backgrounds with different skills and they all need to be assessed prior to any classroom instruction. I also agree that is no substitute for high quality curriculum and instruction. We as teachers must coach for growth and curriculum that's challenging help students reach their maximum potential. However, even with high quality curriculum and instruction, students don't all learn at the same pace. Our goal as teachers is to understand more about learning position so that learning matches learner need. I totally agree with the text, based on my experience as an ESOL teacher, "teachers need to think and plan in terms of 'multiple avenues to learning" for varied needs."
ReplyDeleteThe 3 assertions regarding differentiated instruction are accurate in my opinion based on my classroom experience. When students first enter our classrooms they come from various backgrounds with different skills and they all need to be assessed prior to any classroom instruction. I also agree that is no substitute for high quality curriculum and instruction. We as teachers must coach for growth and curriculum that's challenging help students reach their maximum potential. However, even with high quality curriculum and instruction, students don't all learn at the same pace. Our goal as teachers is to understand more about learning position so that learning matches learner need. I totally agree with the text, based on my experience as an ESOL teacher, "teachers need to think and plan in terms of 'multiple avenues to learning" for varied needs."
ReplyDeleteThe assertions are perfectly correct because there is no age or grade appropriate to standardize students. We all learn at different pace. Therefore, the lights can turn on at any time. Every child deserves a high quality curriculum that challenges him/her and helps him/her reaches his/her full potential. I have always worked with ESE and ESOL students. I take great proud when I see my students trying their best to complete their assignments. Yes, it might require a lot of effort from the teacher's side to develop lessons and activities that will meet the needs of the various students. But, the bottom line is worth-a-while.
ReplyDeleteI just recently started working with gifted students. It is not any different from my previous population. It is still required a lot of effort from the teacher's part because not one student learns the same way. I still have students that require special help. To conclude, different learners need different help. However, everyone can learn.
I agree with the statements. Not all students work at the same pace because as the chapter explained there are many different aspects to a student's profile. all students come to our classrooms with different strengths and needs and this is why it is so important to assess them at the beginning both ways formally and informally to collect valuable information on them. High quality instruction is just as important as the research-based curriculum that is mandated. We can have the best curriculum but if our teachers aren’t meeting students’ needs through differentiated instruction, it really won’t make a difference for the majority of our students.
ReplyDeleteThese statements are all correct. Human capital can never be truly standardized and teachers have to be willing to dig deeper to meet students where they are as a whole child. The academic will increase only if we take the time to nurture the social-emotional as well. High quality instruction includes closing individual student learning gaps and continuing enrichment. There will never be a time when all students are working at exactly the same pace in all areas of education and this is the excitement of teaching.
ReplyDeleteBased on my classroom experience, the three assertions about differentiation are correct. All students upon entering a grade level should be screened so that teachers can plan instruction accordingly. A high-quality curriculum is always needed to provide an appropriate education. In addition, all students learned differently. Many students are at different levels of performance. For instance, we encounter advanced students, low students, and medium average students. All of them require to learn in different ways. Therefore, it is our job as teachers to make sure we provide with a high quality instruction, research-based, and with opportunities to learn at different paces to meet the need of the students.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all three statements. As a teacher I try to keep in mind that my students although of the same age and grade level learn differently. What they have in common is their youth. As a teacher I strive to provide an environment where my students are highly engaged in rich and varied activities to keep their interest in the learning process.
ReplyDeleteBased on my classroom experience students are definitely not standardized, but our instruction usually is. This is based on the fact that students may not be standardized but they are expected to perform on standardized tests and curriculums. This is why it is so important to differentiate instruction. Students need to be instructed at grade level in order to prepare them for the standardized tests, but they also need to be instructed in the areas that they are weak. Those weak or missing skills need to be addressed. This is where DI comes in. Students that do not receive DI will not be able to close the gap of where they are and where they need to get to.
ReplyDeleteBased on my classroom experience and my time as a Reading Coach, I agree with all three statements. Students are not standardized; each student has their own way of learning. While the students are not standardized it is a shame that we have to teach to a standardized test. When working in a charter school, I saw many teachers “teaching to the test”, including myself. It wasn’t until I began differentiated my instruction to meet the student needs that I began seeing a change in learning gains and academic success. In order for a teacher to meet the needs of the students, high-quality curriculum and instruction is needed. Nothing can truly replace high quality instruction and curriculum because students need to be able to understand specific concepts, implicitly and explicitly. Even with high-quality instruction and curriculum, students do not all learn at the same pace and the same level of understanding. Some students are able to grasp specific concepts faster than others. In my classroom, I had a student that was very articulate and when answering questions, he was able to analyze stories beyond what is explicitly stated, however, when it came time to writing his ideas on paper he would struggle. Through differentiated instruction, I was able to work with him in a small group and I was able to see a huge difference from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year where he was having very little difficulty putting his ideas on paper. Differentiated Instruction has helped me personally take my classroom to the next level and help my students in their academics.
ReplyDeleteChapter 2:
ReplyDeleteAs my collegee stated above, working at school that DI is a must everyday, I have notice that how important it on a students educational growth. I agree with all three statement that not all students work at the same pace because as the chapter explained there are many different type of students. All children come to our classrooms with different strengths and needs and this is why it is so important to test them at the beginning both ways formally and informally to collect data on them. Research based curriculum that is mandated is just as important as high quality instruction. We can have the best lesson plans/curriculum but if our teachers aren’t meeting students’ needs through differentiated instruction we are not doing anything.
Vivian Marzall
Chapter (2) 1-.In my experience as a reading teacher in the past 3 years I completely agree with this statement that regardless of age and grade level not all the students are there, I presently have a 6th grader reading at a K level!!! I’m upset, frustrated and at the same time want to do all that I can to help this child fill in the gap but can I ? I’m going to try my best at least to have him get the phonics portion and start reading. My classes are all below level and they vary in fluency and comprehension levels.
ReplyDelete2- Definitely a high-quality curriculum and instruction is needed for learning to take place, but the educator as well as the learner must be active participants in this process. The teacher should be an expert in their area. Students need to feel that the teacher really cares and wants to help. The teacher has to be innovative in the delivery of the subject matter which most likely is challenging for the learner.
3-The teacher must first differentiate instruction so that she /he can try to meet each student’s needs. To be effective the teacher must first assess the student’s needs. The teacher has to keep the students interested therefore, learning does not stop while in this process.
Every student learns in different ways . They assimilate content and info in different ways. Each one can learn and has the ability to learn. You need energy and art. Balance rigor and joy. It's easy to crush hope and ambititoion. Challenge them even the smartest can lose from not having goals. Go for the general concepts for struggling learners.
ReplyDeleteChapter two talks about understanding the needs of both advanced and struggling learners. This chapters states that teachers should find a way to challenge advance learners so that they don't become mentally lazy. Advanced students need a balance of rigor and joy in learning. As teachers, we need to find a way to raise the ceiling of expectation and also raise the support system in order to have the advanced students reach their learning goals. Not only should we be supporting the advanced learners, but the struggling learners also need to know that they have strengths as well. Struggling learners needs teachers to focus on the big ideas and key concepts of the subject at hand while using many avenues of learning. For both advanced and struggling learners, the teacher needs to plan in terms of several avenues to learning for a variety of needs, rather than planning for "normal" or "different" students. All learners need their teacher, however, how they need them differs.
ReplyDeleteErica Galeano
Although it is not the teacher’s job to entertain students, it is vital to engage students in the learning process. Selecting a style that addresses the needs of diverse students at different learning levels begins with a personal inventory — a self-evaluation — of the teacher’s strengths and weaknesses. As they develop their teaching styles and integrate them with effective classroom management skills, teachers will learn what works best for their personalities and curriculum .
ReplyDeleteThese are in particular the teaching strategies that I use in class every day, I cannot separate them and when necessary I will use short lectures as well. My goal is to reach every single one students and make them an active part of the learning environment. The teaching strategies I use more frequently are:
Incorporates blended teaching styles that match the best techniques with the appropriate learning scenarios and students in an adaptive format.
Designs participatory learning activities and manages classroom projects while providing information and offering feedback to facilitate critical thinking.
Organizes group learning, observes students, provides consultation, and promotes interaction between groups and among individuals to achieve learning objectives.
Today days diversity create classroom whose student-focused differences necessitate instructional styles that embrace diverse classrooms for students at all learning levels and from various backgrounds without compromising the teacher’s strengths.
In a differentiated classroom ,the teacher assumes that different learners have different needs, hence we ,as educators need to make a lesson proactive and accessible for every single one in the classroom.
Based on my classroom experience, I’d say I agree with all the statements. I do believe that children are not standardized by age or grade. While there may be familiar characteristics and expectations for a specific developmental stage, each child grows and learns according to his own pace. Additionally, there are many other factors to consider when thinking about development. A child’s circumstance (i.e. home life, SES, parental support) will highly impact how and what students learn, regardless of the curriculum or instruction. I whole heartedly agree that quality instruction can’t be replaced. To me, quality instruction doesn’t only consist of the delivery of a lesson, but also understanding the needs of your students. In the chapter, it talks about “going for powerful learning” and “teaching up” to struggling students. Quality instruction means being clear on what students are expected to know and what they need to do in order to gain that knowledge. It also means helping students make personal connections with what they are learning.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the notion that students are not standardized, one size definitely does not fit all just because they are the same age or in the same class. In order to effectively reach students, their individual needs must be addressed. As for the second statement concerning high-quality instruction, there is absolutely no substitute for high-quality curriculum. The content should never be watered down in an attempt to meet the individual needs of students because in the end, you will be doing them a great disservice. Based on my classroom experience, students will rise to the expectations you set, no matter what level they are on, so it is in their best interest that the curriculum remain rigorous and engaging.
ReplyDeleteI agree with these statements regarding student learning. Students are not standardized; They are definitely different in every way, even how they learn. A high quality curriculum is paramount in the academic development of a student. It should absolutely be engaging and challenging in order to meet your expectations and their set goals.
ReplyDeleteElda
I definitely agree with the three statements. In the first one, I may say that because students are different, they learn at their own pace and in different ways. Some are more visual; they need to watch videos or see pictures. Others just learn by listening, and they understand really quick. However, there are other students who not only listen and see, but also they feel more confident taking notes to reinforce understanding. The second statement is absolutely correct. High quality curriculum and instruction is the key to success in teaching. Without a good lesson planning, not knowing or understanding the standards or curriculum, not being aware what really happens in the classroom environment would have a negative impact on the students education. The third and last is also correct because each student is different and unique. Consequently, DI plays an important role to help them achieve their specific goals.
ReplyDeleteEach student is different. They come from different backgrounds, culture and socioeconomic status. All of these facts made that every person learns different. For this reason, I agree with these statements. Not all students will be at the same level. You always have students in different level; below, average, and high progress. That is why differentiated instruction is really important every single day in our curriculum and lesson plan. It is the only way we can benefit to our group of children to meet their needs and our expectations. In addition, it must be effective for our learners. We also have to offer the secure environment and connected to this class. Such as: Advance: need learning experience designed to fit them and balanced rigor. Struggling learner: focus on the strengths/ not weakness, chuck more difficulty activity and provide support.
ReplyDeleteMaria Gonzalez
ReplyDeleteBased on my classroom experiences, I agree with all three of these assertions. I do believe that all students learn at different levels and/or pace. As teachers, we need to be aware of how our students learn and be sensitive to their needs and interest. In a classroom where instructions are clear and standards are set learning will be effective for all learners. The goal is to implement Differentiated Instruction to provide students' with experiences and tasks that will improve their learning.
ReplyDeleteLaura Espada
ReplyDeleteHow students best learn is basically influenced by their prior understandings, interests, beliefs, and attitudes.
Learning happens when we maximize the capacity of our students. Students need to feel the sense of safety and connection. Also learning will occur when the teachers push the learner a bit beyond his or her independence level.
Students need to be motivated, and teachers set students to realize they are capable of learn and know different avenues of leaning. Teachers need to look for the struggling learners. By encouraging, providing support, guiding, planning , and teaching using many avenues, students will find success in the task.
It is important to be clear what students must know, and how set the goal of each student, especially with the ones that struggle.
Teachers need to assign different assignments that challenge the student's effort.
I agree with these statements because the rationale behind differentiated instruction is derived from how people learn best. Using data that provides a clear view of where I want my students to end up by the end of the year helps me to provide high quality instruction. My students have varied abilities and interest and having the knowledge of these various nuances means that I have to use multiple and varied ways of engaging them. Even those students who require enrichment are engaged. Many of these students do have in my class do have problems with self-efficacy and lack effective study skills.
ReplyDeleteChapter 2...
ReplyDeleteBased on my years in the classroom...I believe all three statements to be true. Statement 1-not all students learn and retain the same information as the same time, therefore, they are not standardized. Teachers who don't agree with this are already doing a huge disservice to their students.
Statement 2- There is not substitute for high quality curriculum and instruction. It should be valued and used wisely in order to help the students succeed. Having said that...I feel one of the most important aspects of teaching is to always find a way to let your students know that you believe in them.
Statement 3- I agree the most with. Each and every child learns differently, and retains information differently. It does not matter, if all students were taught with the same high quality curriculum. You have see yourself to the eyes of the child and make instruction relevant to them. If not you lose them.
Based on my classroom experience, I do agree with the three assertions mentioned. #1 Just because a student is 7 years old or in second grade doesn't mean the student is reading on grade level. I have had students in my second grade class reading at a 3rd or 4th grade level while others are reading at a kindergarten level. #2 I believe the second assertion high quality curriculum and instruction have to go together. They are vital for learning to take place. I also agree with the 3rd assertion. It is imperative for the teacher to identify the different students' learning styles in order to engage them, to help them succeed and achieve their goals.
ReplyDeleteThe challenges of mix ability classroom by using Differentiated Instruction(D.I.) in regard to reediness and interest students can feel comfortable. Student learn at different speeds and are different in ability levels. In order to comprehend students’ differences D.I. becomes an important element in the teaching and learning process.
ReplyDeleteD.I. offers several pathways to learning, it is student centered. Managing many activities that go on in the classroom at the same time with a set of rule that students are accountable for implementing
D.I. is not teacher centered and the grouping are not fixed but accommodates flexible groupings to help the student success according to their needs. The bases of D.I. derives from assessment. It is proven that multiple approaches to teaching the content and process, the best way that students attain information and learn the content, as well as offering numerous alternatives for students to display the outcome or product of the lesson, lead to successful teaching and learning.
Research shows that students learn best, when we as teachers, take the time to understanding the students’ interest and beliefs. Before the teacher, sits or stands a person just like you, with preferred interests, believes, modes of learning and manner in which he/she displays what he knows or has learnt.
ReplyDeleteLearning occurs when the information is above the students’ independent level. Vygotsky provides us with a Social Cognitive Learning Theory that we can apply to education. Two critical concepts of his theory include the Zone of Proximal Development and Instructional scaffolding. The Zone of Proximal Development is a range of tasks that are within a child’s cognitive ability to learn with assistance that is, Instructional scaffolding.
The teacher needs to have a clear learning goals as to what the learning is to know, understand and be able to do at the end of the learn or unit.
We have to understand the needs of both advance and struggling learners to be able to meet their learning needs.
Based on my classroom experience, I agree with the statements listed above. In my four years of teaching, I have practiced differentiated instruction, as it was mandated, by my school, for the past two years. I find that one on one instruction is always the best option, however, very unrealistic when it comes to working with students because there are too many. Differentiated instruction allows for more personalized attention, not just for students who are struggling, but all learners in the classroom. The smaller groups tend to create a safer place for students, and as the teacher, I am better able to assess their levels of proficiency.
ReplyDeleteI did not always enjoy differentiated instruction in the classroom but after seeing tremendous gains in a number of students, I know it works. Although it requires more planning, it is very beneficial to the students and the teacher. Therefore, differentiated instruction is vital to student learning.
-Besnard Jean-Pierre
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