Reflection And Educational Differences In The Educational Experience

In response to the varied student learning needs, differentiation will be a key component of this classroom. It is “designed to improve access to the general education curriculum by adapting instruction to each student’s diverse learning needs” (Smith, 2007). “Differentiation instruction means changing the pace, level, or kind of instruction you provide in response to individual learners’ needs, styles, or interest” (Heacox, 2012). Because each student comes to this 6th grade classroom with unique needs, differentiation will implemented frequently to ensure that each student receives the rigor needed to master the 6th grade curriculum. It will be relevant to your student and his/her needs. It will provide an appropriate level of challenge. It will be engaging and at times, it will offer choices. Delivery of differentiated instruction will frequently involve centered based learning activities and small group instruction. A list and description of some of the centers will be distributed to parents and is attached as Appendix

Differentiating instruction is a valuable instructional management and delivery tool, which can be used to assist teachers in meeting the needs of the diverse populations of students which they now find in their classrooms. In using these strategies, a teacher may use pre-assessments to determine the learning styles, interests and readiness of the students, prior to the introduction of a lesson or unit. After developing a learner profile, the teacher may then differentiate according to the readiness of the student, by process of delivery, and by the product which the student may produce to

After reviewing my self evaluation and working with both groups of fifth graders, I have determined a need to provide a wider range of differentiated instruction. I have worked in the past to try groupings that benefited the students, but I am seeing that this is not working as well with this group. These students communicate and respond well to each other and are willing to help each other but some of the learning gaps between them are significant.

Prior taking this RETELL class I thought differentiating meant “dummying down” work. I struggled with the concept of differentiating strategies because I thought it help students to be all they can be. Taking the class have given a clear understanding the meaning and the usage of differentiating teaching, matter of fact, some the strategies I use in class are similar to some of the strategies taught in the RETELL class. I realized that Differentiated instruction is about using teaching strategies that connect with individual student's learning strategies. The ultimate goal is to provide a learning environment that will maximize the potential for student success. The important thing to remember is to hold on to the effective teaching strategies that lead students to positive learning outcomes and to make adjustments when necessary. It's about being flexible and open to change. It's also about taking risks and trying teaching and learning strategies that you would have otherwise ignored. It's about managing instructional time in a way that meets the standards and also provides motivating, challenging, and meaningful experiences for school age

According to UNESCO (2004), teachers around the world are exerting efforts in trying out innovative teaching strategies. There were dedicated and committed teachers who make a difference to the students’ lives and even providing important learning opportunities in their communities. To meet the students’ diverse learning needs, teachers cater variety of learning opportunities and experiences. In an interview of Carol Ann Tomlinson, an American author and educator known for her works with techniques of differentiation in education, she described differentiation as shaking up the classroom to be more appropriate for the learners. Regarding the methods of instruction, there should be a variety of techniques for collecting and presenting the lesson considering the students’ needs, abilities, interests, and backgrounds of experience.

Differentiation can be guided by a teaching assistant. The teacher will plan guided reading sessions

Readingrockets.org defines differentiation as tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Differentiated instruction is a broad framework for supporting student differences by varying content, process, products, and learning environments based upon students strengths and weaknesses (Tomlinson, 2000).

All in all, differentiated instruction is a method used by teachers to accommodate all the different learning modalities, levels of learning, cultural and language barriers and special needs often integrated in one classroom with one lesson plan.

Chapter one “Defining How Differentiation Looks in Today’s Classroom,” is an outstanding way to introduce this Best Practice book because

Today, Ms. Laura Garner did a professional development on Differentiation. It was amazing! I’ve read professional articles and books on this topic, but never actually saw it up close as a participant. I was not just a participant but I was an active participant. I was engaged in the learning process. In fact, every teacher in the room was actively engaged in the learning process. Everyone was not doing the same activity, but the topic at hand was the same for all participants. Thus, instruction, in a classroom, should not be one size fits all. It should be catered so the needs of each student that enters into a classroom to learn are met and more importantly, students’ weaknesses are not highlighted for everyone in the classroom to

• Differentiation: With the understanding that all students are different the tutor will need to plan the lessons around these differences by using the various teaching methods available or acquiring the resources that will make the students learning experience a productive one.

Learning Differences: In order to support learning differences in the classroom, I will modify my lesson plans accordingly to meet the needs of every student. I will ensure that instructions are clear and easy to understand. I will break the learning into small steps, and supply quality feedback when needed. I will also model what needs to be done, to provide an example for my students. In order to support learning differences, as a Teacher I will modify my lesson plans.

Reflection is thought by linking recent experience with early experience to promote more complex and interrelated mental models or patterns. The thinking involves looking for commonalities, differences, and interrelations beyond their superficial elements. The goal is to develop higher order thinking skills.

When teachers develop differentiated instruction strategies for students they provide several different avenues for the student to achieve the same learning goal regardless of which path they choose. Student choice in which avenue they ultimately select creates a sense of ownership with the students and actively engages them in the lesson. The different avenues all lead to the same learning goal just as many roads might lead to one destination. Differentiated thinking empowers teachers to be responsive rather than reactive to the unique and individual personalities,

My educational experience is one amazing thing I would never forget. My parents gave me an experience of a lifetime that I would never let go and continue to expand. It was a gift of a great education I could have tossed away but instead I took advantage of it and it expanded my intellect and made me more independent. As a young girl my parents always told me, they wanted a great educational experience for me. They said no matter what it took to get me into good schools, to have a great education they will do it. My parents worked very hard to give me the opportunity to be in private school my whole life since pre-school. They always told me to work hard, be bright and be bold. The educational level I had being in private school my whole life was amazing. What was amazing about my education level is that I was able to take all college prep. classes, I took an AP Spanish class, my teachers were always on top of us to hand in work in time, essays in my English class were based on a college level writing. It was amazing because my school expanded my mind more on a college based level.