The Importance Of A Differentiated Education

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Being a teacher is far more complicated than I ever imagined. The long hours, loads of paper work and the high stress environment of a school system is not for the weak. Teachers are the most dedicated professionals all due to losing ourselves in the service of others. Controlling our classrooms is only one of the numerous obstacles we face daily. I have many coworkers who find themselves juggling responsibilities in high demand situations every day. We must find balance for everyone, not matter what this balance may consist of, in order to be a successful teacher and in order for our students to be successful. The school district I currently work for is the Houston School District, in the small town of Houston, Mississippi. There are …show more content…
The amount of diverse learners is increasing more rapidly every day. The traditional method of teaching no longer meets the needs of all classroom students and can sometimes be ineffective. When teachers address each individual student’s needs, and interest, the students are more likely to learn or will likely be motivated to learn. While responding to those needs, the term differentiated instruction arises. Differentiated instruction’s main objective is taking full advantage of each student’s ability to learn. Tomlinson (2000) stated that, “differentiation is not just an instructional strategy, nor is it a recipe for teaching; rather it is an innovative way of thinking about teaching and …show more content…
In this environment, students are valued for their unique strengths, while being offered opportunities to demonstrate skills through a variety of assessment techniques. Students learn best when they are taught in a way that includes their strengths and interest. Their interest can become a tool that the teacher can utilize in the classroom. Most importantly, teachers should get to know the child and create a strong bond with them in order to tap into their field of interest. Subban includes a direct quote from Lawrence-Brown, 2004 that states, “Allowing for student interests within the learning community, ensures that even marginalized students find a place” (p. 941). Teachers can meet the needs of every student by creating lessons, or task, that challenge the gifted, help master a disabled child’s goal and improve English as a second language student’s ability all

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