the moment we have all been waiting for
FINALLY, a fabulous article explaining the role of the teacher in a differentiated classroom.
The article, Mauritius: The role of the teacher in a differentiated classroom gives a brief and accurate description of the difference in roles between a teacher in a traditional classroom and a differentiated classroom.
The writer, Shardha Sandapen creates the following concise list:
“Teachers who differentiate instruction focus on their role as coach or mentor, and give students as much responsibility for learning as they can handle. These teachers grow in their ability to (1) assess student readiness through a variety of means, (2) “read” and interpret student clues about learning needs and preferences, (3) create a variety of ways students can gather information and ideas, (4) develop varied ways students can explore and “own” ideas, and (5) present varied channels through which students can express and expand understanding.”
The above list emulates the beliefs of Linda Christensen. In her book, Reading, Writing and Rising Up, it doesn’t mention too much about researched learning differences in her classroom but as readers we know that there are learning differences due to the situation of the students in their lives, respectively.
In my opinion, I believe every teacher should enter the classroom with the goal of being a differentiated teacher. From what I have read and experienced by focusing on the main ideas and concepts and promoting critical thinking, a student gains a much better understanding than when the student believes the teacher is “just trying to get through.”
At the end of the article Sandapen makes a statement that I would like to leave you with.
”…focusing on key concepts and generalisations can ensure that all learners gain powerful understandings that serve as building blocks for meaning and access to other knowledge.”
Mauritius: The role of the teacher in a differentiated classroom
Shardha Sandapen
October 16, 2007
