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Magazine

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December 2022

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FALL

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This months feature: Reaching Every Student Through Differentiation

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special

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Teacher's

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DIGEST

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INSIDE

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THEORIES ● CONNECTIONS ● DIFFERENTIATION ● WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ● TEACHER TIPS

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Welcome

TO MAGAZINE

This edition is all about differentiation within the classroom! Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and frustrated when your students have a hard time engaging with a lesson? I'm here to support you as we dive into how differentiation is important for all students. Readers can look forward to seeing real teachers classrooms and perspectives on what differentiation within the classroom means to them. We even have a special interview with a local teacher within Fairfield, CT and what differentiation looks like in their classroom. Remember as educators we continue to learn, grow, and inspire.

Kindergarten Teacher

Enjoy!
Noelle Lacerenza

04

What's

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INSIDE

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04. Theories
Dive into the theories and theorists behind differentiation.


06. Differentiation
What does it mean? What does it look like?


08. Teacher Tips
How can you support your students.


10. Interview w/ Noelle Lacerenza
Kindergarten teacher Noelle Lacerenza (Stamford, CT) gives us a peek into her classroom.

A DEEP DIVE INTO DIFFERENTIATION

Differentiation, with respect to instruction, means tailoring it to meet individual needs of the students. Teachers can differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction. Teachers differentiate the four classroom elements based on student readiness, interest, or learning profile. (Tomlinson 2000). Differentiated instruction can be known as an organizing framework in teaching and learning which calls for a major restructuring in the classroom and syllabus, if done in the proper way, its benefits will transgress the costs. According to Tomlinson (2004), Differentiated instruction is a philosophy of teaching that is based on the premise that students learn best when their teachers accommodate the differences in their readiness levels, interests and learning profiles.

In accordance with Piaget’s theory, the learner interacts with objects and events available in the physical and social environment and therefore comprehends the objects or events using the process of assimilation, accommodation and equilibration. The learners, therefore, construct their own conceptualizations and use them to generate solutions to problems. This theory also suggests that humans create and construct knowledge as they try to bring meaning to their experiences. In the differentiated classroom, teachers should facilitate the learning process by organizing learning activities and using variety of aid material according to the level of students’ cognitive structure.

Stations or centers might be teacher-led if new knowledge is to be given or student-led if mastery is to be obtained on the information given by the teacher. Project-based is another strategy and one of the best ways to differentiate instruction due to the students’ needs and styles are addressed. Projects internalize help and support among students beside some academic skills.

Differentiation, with respect to instruction, means tailoring it to meet individual needs of the students. Teachers can differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, the use of ongoing assessment and flexible grouping makes this a successful approach to instruction. Teachers differentiate the four classroom elements based on student readiness, interest, or learning profile. (Tomlinson 2000). Differentiated instruction can be known as an organizing framework in teaching and learning which calls for a major restructuring in the classroom and syllabus, if done in the proper way, its benefits will transgress the costs. According to Tomlinson (2004), Differentiated instruction is a philosophy of teaching that is based on the premise that students learn best when their teachers accommodate the differences in their readiness levels, interests and learning profiles.

In accordance with Piaget’s theory, the learner interacts with objects and events available in the physical and social environment and therefore comprehends the objects or events using the process of assimilation, accommodation and equilibration. The learners, therefore, construct their own conceptualizations and use them to generate solutions to problems. This theory also suggests that humans create and construct knowledge as they try to bring meaning to their experiences. In the differentiated classroom, teachers should facilitate the learning process by organizing learning activities and using variety of aid material according to the level of students’ cognitive structure.

Stations or centers might be teacher-led if new knowledge is to be given or student-led if mastery is to be obtained on the information given by the teacher. Project-based is another strategy and one of the best ways to differentiate instruction due to the students’ needs and styles are addressed. Projects internalize help and support among students beside some academic skills.

Theories

and

Theorists

Differentiation

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?












WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

Differentiated instruction (or differentiation) is a teaching method that involves tailoring lessons to individual student need. Typically, differentiated instruction is provided at the classroom level. Differentiation can be established by dividing a classroom’s students into appropriate groups or can even entail unique assignments and assessments for each student. Differentiation can also be self-selected by students (by aligning assignment topics with student interests), rather than imposed by the teacher. The factors typically considered when creating groupings for differentiation include students’ prior knowledge, interests, cultural backgrounds, and fluency in the classroom’s standard teaching language.

There are many pieces that make up a differentiated classroom—it is not the implementation of one strategy or idea. … Gregory and Chapman (2007) describe the following six elements of a differentiated classroom.

The climate is growth oriented...
The teacher knows the learner...
Assessment is part of the process...
Assignments are adjustable...
Instructional strategies are varied...
A variety of curricular models are used...