18

I have learned a lot about differentiation from observing different classrooms and from different classes i have been to. I think the most important thing that I took from these experiences was that I need to be aware of students specific needs int he classroom. Every child deserves to be cared about and they each deserve a good education. There are many, many different strategies to help children get a good education but they all deserve the same things from their teachers. If students feel that they are cared about and if they feel challenged and like they have purpose in the classroom, I think they are a lot more likely to want to succeed in school and in life.

17

The last post I focused more on the fast finishers in classrooms but I have also noticed a need for remediating content for those students who are behind. I do think that putting them in reading groups and having them read on lower levels is great. I see a need for more subjects in classrooms to be differentiated for those who are on lower levels. I think spelling, science, writing, and math should also be differentiated for those who need extra help completing assignments. I don't think it makes any sense to just give the whole class the same spelling list and expect them all to do well on it. It is not realistic to expect that to happen either. I have never been a teacher but it also seems like a challenge to find the time to make all the different subjects differentiated and meet all the needs of all the students. I think there needs to be a happy medium for teachers as well. I have asked a few teachers about how they meet the needs of every student and a lot of them think it is idealistic to plan three different activities for one lesson. Maybe I will just have to experience the real thing to understand how it is done.

Post 16

I think it is so important that students learn what they should be learning in a subject. The learning should also be on their level. As I have watched some classes in the last few years of being in school, i realized how much time has been wasted. I think that it is important to challenge students in subjects that they excel in. I have seen too many classrooms that have the children who are ahead of others just fill their extra time completing tasks that are not worthwhile just so the other children can catch up to them. I think kids need to be challenged and they should not have their time wasted either. Having some sort of differentiated assignments, especially in math and english, would help the students who are fast finishers learn more and not get bored or waste valuable time.