One Size Fits All?

I appreciated this week’s video lesson. Firstly, it was inspiring to see the students actively engaged in Ms. Maronpot’s classroom. Student engagement is pertinent to their success. With that being said, this is what makes differentiated instruction so imperative. It is important that all the students are involved so that they are all able to benefit from the material as was pointed out in the video. However, it is easier said than done. When one finds oneself standing in front of a classroom of thirty young minds, it may very well be intimidating and, if I am honest, overwhelming. How can one be sure that all of the students learn the material and are able to apply what they learned when it comes time to assess them? How can one be sure to reach the many levels that are sure to be present amongst a mixed multitude of learners when all children need to be challenged? Differentiated instruction. Whether the students are on the gifted/honors level or have special needs and learning disabilities, by differentiating instruction, teachers are able to reach both ends of the spectrum.

While watching the video lesson, I learned that inclusion is a huge part of differentiated instruction. As was mentioned, research has proven that students best learn via social interaction. I observed how the classroom was composed of special needs students and high achievers. It was nice to see how the children who may be a lot slower to learn were included in the classroom activities. They were not tucked off on one side of the room, but were dispersed and given the opportunity to work with those students who achieved at a higher level. I appreciated the fact that Ms. Maronpot did not dumb down her lesson as that would not have been beneficial for the high achievers. Instead, she made the lesson more relative so that those who may have not been proficient readers were also able to grasp the various science concepts. For example, she had key questions for each individual student. They were then able to think critically and give a response based on where they were on the spectrum. This is the basis and overall objective of differentiated instruction. It is all about providing task that are tailored to meet the individual needs of students. 

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