Blog #4

Part A: Read through the 12 Hallmarks (or principles) of Differentiation (again). Choose any 2 of them you wish, and for those two, do the following:

Re-state the # of the hallmark from your "golden ticket," and the bolded words of the hallmark.

Create (make up) and describe a brief scenario of good instruction that does NOT specifically "adhere" to this hallmark.

Then create (make up) and describe a brief scenario of differentiated instruction that DOES specifically "adhere" to this hallmark.

Hallmark # 5: Shared responsibility for the classroom is between teacher and students, in the goal of making it work for everyone.
One way that would not adhere to this hallmark is for a teacher to dictate and enforce classroom rules for the students. Then the teacher would run the classroom somewhat like a drill sergeant. fulfilling each day with boring lectures and routine worksheets.
In order to adhere to this hallmark, the teacher would act as a facilitator in guiding everyone to discuss and implement agreements for the classroom. This would instill a feeling of community and since everyone participated, most would be willing to keep them.

Hallmark # 7: Respectful and engaging work for all students.
A teacher would not be adhering to this hallmark by dictating to students with boring lectures and providing dull routine worksheets that are really just busy work for the students.
An example of a way to promote this hallmark is by providing interesting and worthwhile instruction that promotes individual learning and problem solving through activities and open-ended questions.

Part B: B-3: Which "additional strategy" discussed on pages 78-87 are you most interested in learning more about? Explain.

Most of the strategies appealed to me and I plan to implement them in my teaching, but one that stood out to me as being important and I would like to learn more about is Take a "no excuses" stance. I really liked the definition from the author as " A no-excuses teacher is formed with one part Mother Superior and one part Marine Drill Sergeant at the core". One the outside, our students need to know we care for them and their education and have respect and dignity for them as individuals, but underneath, we need to be firm in our efforts to help them understand that they are responsible for their education and prepare them for a lifetime of being respectable citizens who should not expect exceptions for their best effort. I also particularly loved the quote " A great classroom conveys to all students, 'This is hard, but you can do hard things, and I am not willing to let you settle for less'". We must first and foremost help students to become knowledgeable citizens who take responsibility for themselves and to contribute to their community in a dignified manner. After all, life is not easy or fair and we must prepare them for this reality but do so in an equitable way.