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Hope for Differentiated Instruction


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One of the greatest challenges teachers face isdifferentiating instruction - providing individualized learning experiences asneeded for their students. Help is on the way.

Building on a model used by private tutoring services,software companies are designing apps to evaluate student’s learning needs andoffer suggestions for experiences and practice in developing skills. Case inpoint - New York City's School of One: The pilot program at Dr. Sun Yat SenMiddle School in Chinatown offered a five-week summer math program to incomingseventh graders. Students moved at their own pace through objectives forseventh grade math using a mix of whole class and personal instruction, softwareprograms and online study. Data on student progress was charted daily and usedto determine the next day’s instruction. San Diego is heavily invested in usingtechnology for differentiated instruction. Let’s hope they give us a good modelto follow.

Read about other approaches to individualization throughtechnology at:  
http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2010/02/03/02customlearning.h03.html

"Digital Tools Expand Options for Personalized Learning" By Kathleen Kennedy Manzo
Digital tools for defining and targeting students' strengthsand weaknesses could help build a kind of individualized education plan forevery student.



Thing Five


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Google, Inc. wrote “10 Things,” or guidingprinciples, for their business development. Corporate leaders revisit these ideas every couple of years tosee if they still hold true. (There’s a refreshing concept for educators aswell.)

How does this “thing” apply toeducation?
PrincipleNumber Five: You don’t need tobe at your desk to need an answer.
Wehave become a society that expects instant answers. No matter where we are, we anticipatethat we will have access to information.

It certainlymakes learning meaningful and engaging when a teacher and students can askquestions from a field location rather than waiting until they return to the classroom.Is the fish they just identified in an estuary a red drum or spotted seatrout?Pull out your tablet and have a look.

Are there otherways for your students to get answers while away from their desks?

Is Bigger Better for Education?



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There has been a move to consolidate school districts and buildlarger schools across the U.S. for several decades. As a young teacher Iremember the grief expressed by long-time teachers when they were forced tomove from their dilapidated, six-room country schoolhouse to the beautiful newfacility in our town. The size of the student body went from approximately 100to over 900. The grade levels switched from kindergarten through sixth grade tofourth through sixth. In spite of a spacious cafeteria (nonexistent before),large playing fields, and shiny new everything, teachers were dismayed.  Along with a larger building and student bodycame more regulations. There were no more Friday afternoons in the spring whenstudents of all ages rehearsed for musicals, or played softball in the sun. Dayto day activities and delivery of curriculum became systematized. Teachers losttheir autonomy, and thereby creativity in planning and carrying out lessons.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently supported astudy that found that high school students in NYC are more likely to graduateif they attend a school where there are fewer than 100 students per grade.During the time period of the study 67.9 percent of students from small highschools graduated after four years compared to 59.3 percent of students fromlarger schools. The results are the same across all races, income, and previoustesting achievement.

Co-author of the study, Howard Bloom, says, “It’s certainlynot just size, it’s how the size is used. These schools were organized from theground up in ways that would be extraordinarily unusual.”

Therein lies the answer to the argument. In a smallerenvironment, “where everybody knows your name,” a student can receive thedirection and services necessary to reach his potential. I know that’s theschool for me.