Introduction and Context
One of the most important lessons I have taken from both my graduate work and my classroom experience is that “differentiation,” as a general teaching approach, is vital to strong teaching in manifold ways. However, this was hardly a novel discovery; the true value of this experience for me was in understanding what differentiation truly means, and how as a teacher I can use it authentically and effectively to support the learning of all students in my classroom. For my final portfolio, I have decided to pull together some of these insights and explore the question of, “What classroom practices for differentiated instruction are effective across elementary grades?” The qualification of “across elementary grades” is important to me because, as a candidate for PreK-4 certification with student teaching experience in grades K and 3, I want to craft a reflection with conclusions that are relevant to anywhere within that age range.
As a teacher, my goal is to help all students learn important skills, habits, and content – and because of the use of the word “all” in that statement, differentiation is necessary in order to ensure that students can learn regardless of learning styles, personal context and background, disabilities, interests, prior experience and skills, native language, etc. In some cases, differentiation responds to specific, evident needs of diverse learners: specific accommodations for English language learners, students with disabilities, students with drastic differences in particular skills from their peers, and so on. However, I also find it important to draw upon the work of Gardner, whose theory of multiple intelligences argues that all students bring into the classroom “diverse learning profiles,” and that effective instruction requires a teacher to be aware of all these relevant dimensions of learning and to construct lessons that can support all students by tapping into a variety of intelligences.[i]
In the particular article cited above, “Orchestrating Multiple Intelligences” (2006), Gardner and his co-authors make an important distinction about differentiation: that the point of getting to know students’ individual intelligences is not to create additional work by forcing teachers to plan separate activities and lessons according to each of the various intelligences identified by Gardner; rather, teachers should try to construct their lessons and classroom strategies in ways that can connect with and support students in a variety of ways.
This approach will inform the content of my portfolio. Rather than spotlighting specific methods and techniques that can address particular student needs, my focus will be on three general areas of practice that can allow a teacher to construct a differentiated classroom, which truly promotes the learning of all students, while still constructing a classroom community that emphasizes working towards learning goals together rather than emphasizing student differences. I will draw heavily upon anecdotes and observations from my student teaching experience, as well as on readings and my graduate work, in order to inform and guide my writing. This is not intended to be a thorough review of practices for differentiation, nor is my personal research that informs it sufficient to claim conclusive evidence of efficacy. Rather, I will take it as my assumption that differentiation (when appropriately designed and implemented) is important, and use this portfolio to present and describe a variety of methods for promoting differentiation which I have seen used in the classroom. I will provide my own justifications for why I believe these practices can be seen as “effective” – either because of student outcomes, personal observations, or connection to the general principles of differentiation.
The first strategy I will discuss is Data and Assessment, which I believe is an essential precondition for effective differentiation because it helps the teacher construct and refine classroom approaches and goals in response to individual student learning needs and contexts. For the second strategy, I will discuss the Construction of Lessons and Tasks, with attention to certain planning practices to prepare for effective differentiation. Finally, I will discuss Facilitation, and the ways in which teachers can use specific facilitation tricks to extend differentiation practices into whole-group discussions and activities. Important artifacts of research drawn upon throughout the report will be gathered and annotated in the Appendix.
[i] Moran, S., Kornhaber, M., & Gardner, H. (2006). Orchestrating Multiple Intelligences. Educational Leadership, 64(1), 22-27.
As a teacher, my goal is to help all students learn important skills, habits, and content – and because of the use of the word “all” in that statement, differentiation is necessary in order to ensure that students can learn regardless of learning styles, personal context and background, disabilities, interests, prior experience and skills, native language, etc. In some cases, differentiation responds to specific, evident needs of diverse learners: specific accommodations for English language learners, students with disabilities, students with drastic differences in particular skills from their peers, and so on. However, I also find it important to draw upon the work of Gardner, whose theory of multiple intelligences argues that all students bring into the classroom “diverse learning profiles,” and that effective instruction requires a teacher to be aware of all these relevant dimensions of learning and to construct lessons that can support all students by tapping into a variety of intelligences.[i]
In the particular article cited above, “Orchestrating Multiple Intelligences” (2006), Gardner and his co-authors make an important distinction about differentiation: that the point of getting to know students’ individual intelligences is not to create additional work by forcing teachers to plan separate activities and lessons according to each of the various intelligences identified by Gardner; rather, teachers should try to construct their lessons and classroom strategies in ways that can connect with and support students in a variety of ways.
This approach will inform the content of my portfolio. Rather than spotlighting specific methods and techniques that can address particular student needs, my focus will be on three general areas of practice that can allow a teacher to construct a differentiated classroom, which truly promotes the learning of all students, while still constructing a classroom community that emphasizes working towards learning goals together rather than emphasizing student differences. I will draw heavily upon anecdotes and observations from my student teaching experience, as well as on readings and my graduate work, in order to inform and guide my writing. This is not intended to be a thorough review of practices for differentiation, nor is my personal research that informs it sufficient to claim conclusive evidence of efficacy. Rather, I will take it as my assumption that differentiation (when appropriately designed and implemented) is important, and use this portfolio to present and describe a variety of methods for promoting differentiation which I have seen used in the classroom. I will provide my own justifications for why I believe these practices can be seen as “effective” – either because of student outcomes, personal observations, or connection to the general principles of differentiation.
The first strategy I will discuss is Data and Assessment, which I believe is an essential precondition for effective differentiation because it helps the teacher construct and refine classroom approaches and goals in response to individual student learning needs and contexts. For the second strategy, I will discuss the Construction of Lessons and Tasks, with attention to certain planning practices to prepare for effective differentiation. Finally, I will discuss Facilitation, and the ways in which teachers can use specific facilitation tricks to extend differentiation practices into whole-group discussions and activities. Important artifacts of research drawn upon throughout the report will be gathered and annotated in the Appendix.
[i] Moran, S., Kornhaber, M., & Gardner, H. (2006). Orchestrating Multiple Intelligences. Educational Leadership, 64(1), 22-27.