When "covering information" becomes the driving goal in a classroom, the students get "left behind." Without somehow assessing the student readiness before launching into new topics, the teacher is unaware of any important gaps in the student's background knowledge that is necessary for understanding and retaining information. Or students who are ready to "go deeper" are not challenged. Another problem could be that students might become disinterested in learning with the same approach each and every time, not allowing their "own" ideas to be explored. Finally, without a variety of ways for the students to express what they have learned, it might come across as if the students have not understood and/or retained the "covered information."
Skills I am most comfortable in my teaching:
*scrounging for a wide range of materials
*hunting for insights about individuals
*peeling back first impressions, looking beyond actions, erasing stereotypes
*organizing materials and space
*giving directions
*teaching for success
*building a sense of community in the classroom
Least comfortable with:
*sharing responsibility for teaching and learning with students, ensuring that students are prepared for the shared roles
*keeping track of student proximity to and growth toward personal and group benchmarks
Chapter 3 addresses ways teachers can lead a differentiated classroom. After reading the chapter please address the following in your post:
- When "covering information" becomes the driving goal in a classroom, what happens to learners' needs? Why?
- The chapter lists 17 skills of learning to differentiate instruction. With which of these are you most comfortable in your teaching? With which are you least comfortable?
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