Get 'ERR Done!!!

Okay, so raise your hand if you can possibly see the light at the end of the tunnel...?

(I raised my hand)

So now we are in our third week of SSED307 and I am happy to say that I am no longer afraid. Has anything changed- the workload, content, or teacher? No. But it is very comforting to know that, in the mist of it all, we have a teacher that is going to do everything he can to ensure that we are prepared, paced, and successful. I really appreciate it. Thanks Dr. Parker.

Now on to the good stuff. In the mist of us doing a million and one task, we have been involved in the google community-- where we have been doing a lot of discussing about differentiation. Differentiation, as a term, is new to me, but the concept was something that I had been doing all along.From experience, I know that all students do not learn the same.In my own classroom, I would sit students together based off skills/academics and give each group a color (which specified their levels). Through differentiating, I have allowed my students to sometimes choose learning task, I have learned different ways of assessing students, and kept my assessments ongoing. 

Of course, my way of differentiating was no where as in depth than what I have been learning from my degree program. I did not even know that the little I was doing had a name. Now, I am enjoying this continuous discussion about what differentiation is, what it looks like, and how to implement it within instruction.

So what does differentiation mean to me? 

• Knowing my students and how they learn
• Providing my students with RICH instruction that maximizes learning
• Using a variety teaching strategies and resources
• Using a variety of assessments to show learning.
• Grouping (to allow peer to peer learning and collaboration) 

In addition to differentiated instruction, Ben and David provided an article in the google community on differentiation in reading.It introduced us to some valuable information on practices that will helps to make reading differentiation successful in our classrooms. I plan to continue to use all that I am learning about differentiation in my pre-k classroom as well as my future classroom.

How Does This Connect to the Teacher Candidate Standards?
 Standard 4: Teachers Facilitate Students Learning connects well with differentiation. Specifically, sub-standards 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4e, all work together to explain why teachers should use differentiation or any other strategy that  may enhance students learning. Teachers can create learning experiences  by knowing their students,planning, using a variety of teaching methods, and promoting critical thinking.