The factory model of education, which to a large degree still
remains prevalent in our classroom practices today, focuses on finding the most
efficient means to educate students on a large scale. It’s about looking
for that perfect lesson plan or the perfect classroom set-up that will finally
work for all students. We spend a great amount of time and energy constructing
those fool proof lessons that reach each of our students. Too often,
however, those plans fall far short of our hopeful goals. And that is why an
adaptive lesson or approach, also known as differentiation, can be very
effective.
The practice of
differentiating our curriculum and lessons is not easy. It’s time
consuming, and potentially counter productive. So, for this month’s
newsletter, let’s examine some ways that differentiation can be used within our
classrooms.
Let me begin by defining
differentiation as the practice of modifying curriculum in order to meet the
specific needs, values and strengths of a student or group. If
someone were to oversimplify the concept, they might say it is “lowering
expectations” for some students. However, this ignores both the purpose
of differentiation and the conditions under which it is best applied. If we
recognize that everyone is entering our classroom with a different level of
background knowledge, different experiences and different abilities and skills,
then we should recognize that the “zone of proximal development” (that
perfect level of discomfort where students are challenged just enough without
being overwhelmed) is going to be a little different for everyone. Since
my objective is to try to put as many students as possible into their zone of
proximal development, it will mean differentiation.
Here is what that can look
like.
Content.
Differentiating content means that we offer students various avenues for
accessing the ideas, concepts, and thinking we teach. It means offering
leveled readings so that even those who have lower reading levels can have the
chance to learn and understand. It means that we find alternative types of
texts, when possible, to offer students this information-- audio recordings or
video versions. I think of how hard English teachers sometimes work to
prevent students from seeing the movie versions of the books and plays we read,
when those movie versions offer some students a path to understanding the
content and participating in the dialogue that a vibrant classroom needs.
When possible, this might mean that we avoid books we read as a class in favor
of lit circles or choice novels, so that students can find something that not
only is appropriate to their reading level but that they find engaging.
Instruction. Beyond
just changing up the content, teachers can do more to differentiate the form
and structure of how they deliver that content. I recall the 1996
National Teacher of the Year Mary Beth Blegen (who had been a long time teacher
from Worthington, MN) talking about differentiating instruction in her
class. One day, she actually crawled under her table before class began
and waited for students to enter. Students were stunned. She used it as a
lesson that fit the specific piece of text they were studying, but she often
told this story to teachers to remind them that we need to always keep our
students guessing. If they can absolutely predict what is going to happen
at every minute in our classes, then we have forgotten that our classrooms
should be a place of adventure, excitement and awe. This means developing
a toolbox of activities that allows you to avoid deep patterns: walk-n-talks,
fishbowls, small group discussions, paired readings, group papers,
presentations, tea parties, read alouds, philosopher corners, walk the line, one
minute essays, silent discussions, padlets, stations, concept checks, tableaus,
back channeling, games, graffiti walls, word sorts. . . the list goes on and
on. Some of them are gimmicky but fun. For example, I have this
terminology rich activity where I’ve printed off about 20 terms on thick stock
paper. Before class, I tape the terms to the bottom of various chairs.
Then, during class, I have them reach down and look for the hidden word or
phrase. Then we do a class “group sort” as they bring them up to affix the term
on the board in various categories. The goal is to keep things different.
Assessment.
Too often we privilege just a few ways of demonstrating knowledge: tests,
essays, and speeches. While it is important that we help students develop
these academic literacies, we should be careful that we do not exclusively
depend on these assessments. It is okay to allow students to demonstrate
their knowledge through artwork, song, poetry, dance, and acting. I also
like to assess students by just allowing them to demonstrate their thinking
during an article. I use text with thought boxes and simply ask students
to show their thinking in the boxes. Whip Arounds are also a good
formative assessment that allows me to get a good snapshot of where a class
(and specific individuals) might be.
In a recent
lecture on “Avoiding Marginalization During Distance Learning,” Michael V.
Walker discussed the Law of Requisite Variety, which states that with more
options to demonstrate understanding, there are more opportunities for
success. That is the essence of differentiation.
See the full newsletter here.
