These are, as I said, understandable concerns. We want our students to feel comfortable in our classrooms. But we can't let these concerns prevent us from delivering effective instruction to all students.
Carol Tomlinson, noted DI expert and a personal academic crush of mine, recommends bringing our students into a conversation about differentiation in order to establish a classroom culture conducive to and accepting of DI. Here are some questions she suggests (from her book, Leading and Managing a Differentiated Classroom, co-authored with M.B. Imbeau, 2010) teachers pose to begin this kind of dialogue with students:
O Who
are you as learners? (Are you all alike or are there important differences?)
O Given
the differences we see, how should I teach you?
O If
our classroom is going to work for all of us, what will it be like? (How will
it need to function? What roles will each of us play?)
O How
can I learn more about your starting points, interests, & best ways of
learning?
O If we
have a differentiated classroom, can it be fair? (What will “fair” mean in this
room?)
O What
will success in this class mean? (How will I know if you’re succeeding? How
will you know?)
Think about the students you had this past year. How would they respond to these questions? In my
experience, students recognize and understand the need for DI much more than we think they might.
So, if you're planning on including DI in your classes next year, think about beginning the school
year with this kind of conversation with your students -- be upfront with them, bring them on board.
It should lead to smoother sailing for all of you when the time comes for some differentiated lessons.
Shameless plug alert: The above is just a slice of what my summer workshop will offer this year. You
can still sign up -- let me know if you're interested and/or have questions!
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