Why Differentiate?

Why Not? The only reason a teacher wouldn't want to differentiate is that they are not willing to put in the time and effort to understand the needs of learners and more specifically the needs of the actual students in their class. I was very impressed with the reading this week and there are many sections of the book that are marked up in my hot pink pen and orange highlighter. I felt that I was able to understand the content which is something I have been struggling with in some of my other readings. This book doesn't go over your head. The authors have, in a way, differentiated this text to their audience, potential teacher and teachers, and have made it interesting and easy for anyone who works with children to understand. We have been taught that if we want our students to do something or to exhibit a certain behaviors we need to first MODEL it. If the content in the classes that we as educators take are over our head, then what kind of example is being set for us as go into our own classroom... Not only was the information in the book at the level of the readers, but it was presented in an interesting way. My favorite section was where they had metaphors to guide thinking about instruction. I learn so much better through metaphors. I remember in my EDEL 1010 class we presented metaphors for our journey through the class and I felt that I learned more in that one assignment than through the entire semester because of the reflecting and the perspectives of other students. The metaphors included in this book also helped to deepen my understanding of what differentiation really is. Now I have a visuals in my mind and explanations connected to them-- the taming of the fox, the three interrelated and interdependent cogs, and another one that I picked up on, was that the elements of differentiation will be our compass and guide us in our decisions. As I continued reading another metaphor caught my eye, that offering differentiated instruction activities to teachers is like giving them a cookbook. Once they have used up all the activities there is nothing left to do, or without understanding with they are doing they might tweak the recipe in such a way that would completely ruin it. In cooking you have to have a knowledge and understanding of the many ingredients and the way they are used together to be able to make the recipe your own. The same is true with differentiated teaching. No two activities for any number of teachers or students will be exactly the same. It all depends on who the teacher and the student are and where they have come from and then a huge emphasis on the teachers understanding of what differentiation really is, the nitty gritty way of applying strategies and being about the modify things they have learned to fit their style and their students way of learning. Metaphors always help me to expand my thinking and help me to draw connections to other areas of my life and experience. Now as I continue through this class I will be able to reflect on the metaphors explained in the reading and I will be able to continue to create my own metaphors for what differentiation really is and why it is applicable to me. I want to differentiate because I want to have that connection with my students that bond of the 'taming'. I want my students to feel the way that I feel right now that things are connecting and make sense, but if they don't, they eventually will and that no matter what the circumstance that I won't give up on them, that like we talked about in class, that I will offer work and opportunities where they are challenged and validated no matter where they are and they will be able to get the support that they need.

*Sorry for the long run on paragraph- I didn't realize I had so much to say, but I'm glad that I was able to get out some of the ideas that I was thinking and make better sense of what I'm learning.