Differentiated Instruction Allows Students to Succeed

Hi Emily.
I am only a second year teacher, but I allow all students to complete do-overs. I do adjust their grades for these works and give half credit for the work they complete. I let them correct it only once, but then I give another test later on and most of my students pass the second time around. Most students who pass the first time do have a problem when the students that correct it get a higher grade than them, but I let everyone correct their tests and quizzes, so if they chose not to, then they have no-one to complain about but themself. I feel this is a fair method because it gives each student an equal chance to improve thier grade and understand the material better.

Molly

I agree with the post on the differentiation of student learning. I teach at the high school level in Ohio and have many students that are being brought to my class for inclusion. These students normally have some type of learning disorder or are a part of the special education program. I am a social studies teacher for freshman and sophomores and find that applying different strategies for the different learning abilities allows for all to learn. There was a point that was made about "treating all students fairly does not mean treating them all the same", and I feel that this is a great point. Each student comes into our class with various way of learning, whether it be auditory, visual or kinestetic there are many ways to incorporate all these ways of learning into your lessons. The trick is making sure that the activities and information that the students are either recieving(Teacher Directed) or discovering (Student Directed) are complying with or accomplishing the goals of that lesson. I would love to get some newer and more up to date strategies in which teachers around the U.S. are modifying their lessons to accomplish the goal of differentiated instruction. Any suggestions?

Response to Ben:
I saw your blog topic and I want to say that it is a very constructive read. You are very knowledgeable in your thoughts and I liked the different angles that you look at differentiation from. I like how you start out talking about the extremes of the classroom and the ones that may not get much attention because they are doing what is expected of them. This is a great viewpoint for me because I am still only a substitute teacher. I see those children in the classroom and feel bad that I cannot give them more attention and praise for doing the right thing because I am too busy correcting certain behaviors of each type of extreme.

Response to Emily:
I also like your share about “do-overs.” One of the articles that I read from my master’s degree materials was about having high expectations and making sure that all students were successful. (https://www.newslettersonline.com/user/user.fas/s=543/fp=3/tp=39) This article describes how one teacher never allows for students to accept a grade of C or lower. She has them do-over until the work is understood. A popular quote that the teacher stated was that she does not give a grade, rather that the students earn them. I admire how she drives them to earn the higher grades and encourages their personal success.
Thank you for sharing your example of do-overs. I like how you use points for progress as opposed to grades. Percentages can considerably drop the grade of children whose efforts are present, but the understanding is not. To Ben: I also like how you describe how you put feedback instead of a grade on certain assignments. These are both great ideas to help with allowing a more level playing field for different levels. This also encourages students to strive for better, whether they know the material and can gain extra edge with further correction and feedback or they are having trouble gasping and need a night to sleep on it with a follow up of extra help at another time.

QUESTIONS:
My question on do-overs arises for anyone:
When I read the article I listed, my question was based on this excerpt:
Mrs. Franklin had established a grading policy that any student-work earning a grade lower than a C must be done over. She emphatically pointed out that she did not give every student a C; instead, she insisted that every student earn a C or better. The students were fully aware that the teacher would not let them off the hook. But rather than resenting that fact, the students explained that they appreciated it.
For those with experience in do-overs,
- Would you adjust the grade of the “unacceptable work?”
- Do you leave off grades often and give feedback, like Ben suggests?
- What if a student who receives an acceptable grade does not think that it is fair for the student to “raise their grade” or “have a second chance?”
- Is it appropriate to encourage them that they are still doing the same amount of work that they are doing, only the classmate has to take additional time to make it acceptable?
How should this work:
- Should students with a high-earned grade be able to work towards higher? Like their co-parts?
- Do the students with the unacceptable grade earn a higher grade, earn up to a C (acceptable), or keep the grade they initially earned? If they kept the grade, would they understand “the point” of them working to fix their papers?

I want to be “fair” to the other students, and I do not want anyone to think that they can have a second shot at an assignment and “go through the motions” the first time. I do not want to discourage initial first attempt or lose the full effort. I am aware that some students may take advantage, but I hope to encourage all students that I believe that all of them can be successful and that’s why my expectations of them are so high. I hope that support will deter conniving attitudes. I want them to know that I care about them and hope that they can build pride in themselves with their own efforts. The ones who get the chance to make corrections, I hope, will appreciate the fact that I am concerned enough to make sure that they understand the material.

Please post your responses so that I may get an insight to what actual teachers thing of such do-overs.
Ben: Thank you for triggering this post.

I find this topic so interesting. As a special education teacher I am well aware of the challenges for the teacher to differentiate instruction. I find it to be very time consuming and overwhelming in the beginning from a classroom management stand point. However, I do believe it is worth it. Treating all students fairly does not mean treating all students the same. Some students do require more time than others, but hopefully every student is getting what they need. Teachers would never hesitate to assist a student with a physical limitation, such as being hard of hearing, or requiring a wheel chair, but for some reason they do not want to make accomodations for students with emotional or learning disabilities. Although, I understand the importance for differentiation, I am no expert and I would love to read more blogs from people about how they implement successful lessons.

The idea of differientiated instruction is awesome! Our school district strongly encourages this practice for our students to help them suceed in the classroom. Differientated instruction also provides helpful tools for teachers, new and experienced to incorportate various learning stratagies on a one unit lesson or plan in the classroom. At first, I was having a little difficulty with this approach, but with much practice and perserverence i'll be able to soon master it with my students. I do, however, see improvement in my students and myself since I started using this teacing method.

I agree that differentiated instruction in classrooms is crucial for student success. I teach kindergarten and I get students entering with a wide variety of academic levels, ranging from reading to knowing know letters and sounds. My program is considered an intervention program so I am constantly evaluating and assessing my students for each strategy or skill that is taught. I then use the data to BAME the students into flexible groupings. Using the academic standards I put them in a below, approaching, meeting, or exceeding group, then I develop lessons to re-teach the skills that each individual student needs until they are meeting in each area. Meeting and exceeding students get instruction where they are at. This allows me to teach each student the way they learn best. It is important for students to know what meeting standards are but how and when they get there is individualized. No two students are the same so how can we expect to have cookie cutter education.

I try to differentiate my instruction as much as possible. Obviously, giving students a choice of assignments is one way to do it. I have found, however, that sometimes very successful students will choose what they perceive to be the easiest assignment. They are able to complete it quickly because it was designed for struggling students. In fact, the "good" students will sometimes rush through such assignments, coming up with finished products far below their ability levels; they notice that their peers with lower abilities get acceptable grades on such work. What is the best way to continue to keep standards as high as possible for students at all ability levels when they can see the grades that others receive on their work?

I think it is very important for students to have as many "do-overs" as they need. I usually give my 3rd grade students math homework every night over the lesson that I taught that day in class. In the morning while they are doing their morning work, I try to look quickly over their homework. I give them up to 2 points for their homework because I think they will be better about doing it if they know that I am grading it. At the same time, if a student really doesn't get it, they are not being pentilized too much for not getting it. It also gives me a chance to know which students I need to work with in a small group to get a concept. My goal is for my students to get A's and B's on the final chapter test. That means that I have taught what I needed to and the kids have actually grasped the concept.

This is a very interesting conversation and a topic that I have wrestled with extensively this year. I am teaching 4th grade for the first time this year (this is only my 2nd year teaching) and chose to have differentiation as one of my professional goals.

I find myself feeling very guilty by spending so much time helping those who need the extra help that I neglect the ones who need more of a challenge. I made a plan, but I haven't found that balance yet. Working with small groups, different levels of assignments, different assessments, I am trying it all and quickly becoming frustrated with the amount of additional workload it adds and not being able to truly see immediate results. I know that I am doing something wrong, yet I haven't figured out what yet.

I am all about the re-do. Partly becuase I feel that I cannot say that student has met the required standard or objective until they can prove it to me. Again I question how to find the balance of making sure every kid "gets it" without letting them slip far behind the rest of the class. I also worry about my students as they move onto higher grades where re-do's are not allowed. I find my students get a great deal of pride from achieving the A. I always give them the choice, and they are always eager to take it on. From the beginning I've set very high expectations and I see that most of my students are starting to realize that they aren't bad in math,just becuase mom and dad are. If it means that much to them, I don't want to deny them that pride!

I've really learned a lot from this discussion and looking forward to reading the other blogs and investgating literature that may help me on my differtiation quest!

As a Kindergarten teacher differentiated instruction is very important. At this level the students are faced with new skills in all areas. As the teacher you are learning the students, their behavior and observing how they learn. After observing and learnig certain facts about the students. This will help you as the teacher to distinquish how your students learn. At this level you are going to need to used a lot of differentiated instruction to help meet the need or learnig style of your students.