Implementing Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction remains one of the prominent theories in education today. Progressive education promotes individualized learning, and therefore, differentiated instruction has taken root in our educational system. No longer just a strategy that applies to special education classrooms, differentiation aims to meet the learning needs of everyone and has become the standard in many education programs and schools. Kelly Hedrick (2014) describes how the Virgina Beach City Public Schools included differentiated instruction as part of teacher evaluations district wide.

            Adopting a standard of differentiated instruction is often met with resistance, especially if teachers have been successful teaching by “traditional” methods. The resistance is not due to a lack of knowledge on the topic but in a struggle of how to implement it effectively (Hedrick, 2014). Powell & Kusuma-Powell (2015) refer to implementation struggles as adaptive struggles. Adaptive struggles force teachers and administrators to reevaluate values and assumptions about learning. In other words, information on instructional strategies is not a sufficient solution; teachers and administrators must participate in transformation learning and reevaluate their subconscious beliefs about teaching.

            The Virgina Beach City Public Schools prepared their teachers for effective differentiated instruction through transformational learning that focused on the curricula, assessments, and pedagogy. The first step was the clearly define the curricula. In the wake of No Child Left Behind and Common Core Standards, teachers became consumed with meeting the standards; not developing a curriculum. Hedrick (2014) points out that standards are not designed to be a result, but rather a jumping-off point for curriculum. The curriculum must adapt to students’ needs and interests. This adaptation can be part of the planning stage, but it also occurs in the moment as the teacher identifies learning needs that were not planned for. (Parsons, Dodman, & Burrowbridge, 2013). Teachers who are willing to adapt material are more effective in their instruction. Hedrick (2014) also stresses the importance of a strong curriculum to effectively differentiate, pointing out that weak curriculum leads to “multiple versions of that same weak curriculum” (p. 396).A strong curriculum relies on assessment In order to adapt curricula during instruction, teachers must constantly be gathering formative data (Doubet, 2012).  By predetermined points to gather formative and summative data, studying the data, and adapting the material and instructional strategies as appropriate, differentiation becomes the foundation of the curriculum (Hedrick, 2014). Differentiation is more than an instructional strategy; it is an integral part of the curriculum.

            Since I teach small classes, differentiation is easier for me now than when I taught large classes. I have much more freedom to adapt the curriculum and can quickly analyze formative assessments. I could volunteer to teach a session at the beginning of the school year to inform the other teachers how to adapt their instructional strategies to address the technical struggles and encourage the principal to closely examine our school values to promote differentiation.

Although differentiated instruction is a philosophy closely tied to progressivism, I think that it is especially important for Christian educators. By differentiating instruction, teachers are acknowledging the diversity that God created. The body of Christ has different parts, and this can be applied to how individuals learn. Talents and interests are recognized outside of class, but they should be acknowledged inside the classroom as well.

References

Doubet, K. (2012). Formative assessment jump-starts a middle grades differentiation imitative: A school focuses on formative assessment to support its efforts to differentiate instruction. Middle School Journal, 43(3), 32-38.

Hedrick, K. (2014). Differentiation of instruction: A strategic response to student needs. School Administrator, 5(69), 26-30.

Parsons, S., Dodman, S., & Burrowbridge, S. (2013). Broadening the view of differentiated instruction. Phi Delta Kappan, 95(1), 38-42.

Powell, W., & Kusuma-Powell, O. (2015). Overcoming resistance to new ideas. Phi Delta Kappan, 96(8), 66-69