Differentiated Instruction

I know many will probably question my initial response to the concept of Differentiated Instruction. I hear the phrase and absolutely cringe. In the ten years I have been teaching, this is one concept that I just cannot get excited about. When I first started teaching (before NCLB was truly integrated) I worked with students who were placed in what was titled a "Basic" English class. These students were juniors who had not passed ISTEP and possessed a reading level equivalent of a third or fourth grader. I established a curriculum and pace that worked for these students. Right when I felt like I was making an impact with these students and their skill levels, the law forced all school districts to adhere to NCLB. These struggling readers and writers would no longer have the opportunity to move at one pace with the guidance of both a teacher and paraprofessional. The following semester meant that students were integrated into an academic setting with students who were stronger academically. I felt as if these students would become lost in the day to day activities and there would be little growth or academic success.

I was accurate with my prediction. Over the last seven years of my own teaching, students who need to move at a slower pace and need constant assistance are losing motivation. My problem with differentiated instruction, although it can be successful, is that students already feel defeated at the point I eventually have them in class. In high school they become content sitting in the background, avoiding interaction with other peers who are academically more advanced. Struggling students will feel inferior to those who are understanding the content and completing homewwork. When I have implemented differentiated instruction, I usually have to fight tooth and nail for my struggling students to work in groups and get them motivated to attempt to complete the work on their own. Struggling learners often need the most of my time, especially since paras have been taken out of the classroom and placed in a resource room. Once this hurdle is accomplished and the system becomes repetitive and familiar, then I think differentiated instruction starts to become a positive aspect of the classroom.

The guidelines provided in the article state objectives that make differentiation possible. I support the concept that we as teachers must emphasize critical and creative thinking as a goal in lesson design. This is one factor that I truly want my students to be able to develop so they can function as an individual that is able to think, predict, and make intelligent choices in life. I do support the concept that students should be given multiple resources and various forms of assessments-I do this consistently with my own academic classes. My major problem with differentiated instruction lies within the amount of time it takes for a teacher to prepare in order to meet the needs of every learner. I have created several units that had good intentions of using differentiated instruction and it ended up a wash-usually due to lack of planning time available or due to attendance issues with my students. This made it impossible to stay consistent with grouping.

I am not opposed to differentiated instruction--I just believe that in order for it to successfully work, teachers need to collaborate and work together which would help save time. Thankfully, within our department, we do have a literacy coach who has assisted all of us throughout the school year with tackling the concept of differentiated instruction. Although it has not been a flop, it also has not truly benefitted every student. It is a beginning though to meeting the needs of every student within the classroom.