Differentiation in Practice-Part II

Choosing 2
#2- What plants Need-A Science Unit on the Functions of Plant Parts
#3- We're All in It Together- A Social Studies unit on Needs, Wants, and Community Helpers
Being Familiar with the Objectives
#2
After this unit is taught the students will know:

• The different parts of a plant
• What a plant needs to stay alive

After this unit is taught the students will understand:

• Why plants are important for people

After this unit is taught the students will be able to:

• Explain what a plant needs to stay alive
• Identify and explain specific parts of the plant

#3

After this unit is taught the students will know:

• The different roles people play within the community

After this unit is taught the students will understand:

• All people have responsibilities within their community
• All people have needs that are met by people in the community

After this unit is taught the students will be able to:

• Compare and contrast and evaluate community roles

The Strategies Used

#2

• Gardner's multiple intelligences
• Jig saw groups
• Small group work

#3

• Tiered assignments
• Differentiated writing prompts

How does this apply to me?

**These units are just a small example of what we can do as future educators to teach using differentiation. There are many ideas given to show that meeting the needs of all your students takes time, but is worth it.

Fullfilling the Promise, Pages 120-162

What Is It All About?
This reading gave great examples to creating a differentiated classroom. There are so many ways to make all your students in your classroom feel welcome, safe, and loved in your classroom and meeting all of your students needs. This chapter gave many ways to help students learn no matter what level they are on.

What Did I Like Most?
I especially like the idea of Tiering. We had talked a lot about this in class, but it was hard for me to grasp the concept. Tiering helps student who are on different readiness levels work on a level of difficulty that is appropriately challenging for them as an individual. Tiering helps the teacher to find progress in each student and how far they have come. Tiering helps the student to work at their own level and at their own pace.

How It Applies To Me
So much from this chapter is useful to a future teacher. I want to be able to use each of these strategies to help meet the needs of all my students.

Fullfilling the Promise, Chapter 7

Chapter 7-The Simple, hard Truth About Teaching

• What is essential in learners is difficult for teachers to see.
• People learn better when they feel valued and supported.
• Teaching is more efficient and effective when it matches learner needs.
• It's hard to care for some of our students.
• Learn to fall in love with what we do.

So, how does this apply to me?

I have always known that teaching is not going to be easy. Teachers literally work longer and harder then any profession, and we sill hardly even get paid. But teaching shouldn't be all about the money, teaching should be about changing the lives of our students. Teaching should be about: showing our students we truly care about them, helping our students succeed, and helping our students become who they really want to be.