Different Learners, Different Lessons

In differentiated classrooms, teachers...

• Begin where students are, not at the front of a curriculum guide
• Accept and build upon the premise that learners differ in important ways
• Accept and act on the premise that teachers must be ready to engage students through different learning modalities, by appealing to differing interests, and by using varied rates of instruction
• Ensure that a student competes against himself as he grows and develops, more than he competes against other students
• Provide specific ways for each individual to learn as deeply and quickly as possible
• Use time flexibly, call upon a range of instructional strategies and become partners with their students to see that both what is learned and the learning environment are shaped to the learner 
• Begin with a clear and solid sense of what constitutes powerful curriculum and engaging instruction 
• Accept, embrace, and plan for the fact that learners bring many commonalities to school, BUT that they also bring the essential differences that make them an individual. 

As I was reading the article Different Learners, Different Lessons the points above really stood out to me. I feel it's important to always keep in mind these points and to bring them into our future classrooms. We all want to be an effective differentiated teacher for our students. As we've heard many times over and over again that having great classroom management can help you a tremendous amount as a teacher, I also believe the same goes for differentiation. As I was thinking about it, at times the days may seem completely unbearable when trying to differentiate to all students' needs, but I know in the end, in will all be worth it. As a future teacher, I want to make sure I'm differentiating my instruction every day to my students. It's important to me that I help my students succeed in all they do in my classroom. I want to be that effective teacher that plays an impact on so many lives- because of the way I taught.