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Are You Teaching Up?
Differentiation in the Classroom
Differentiation in the Classroom
Differentiation requires teachers to assess and adjust the content, process and product to meet their students’ needs. It may sound daunting, but with a few fresh examples and guidance, it can be a powerfully effective tool for reaching all students. Our course, Differentiation in the Classroom provide tips, strategies, resources and ideas for teachers to use right away. One of the strategies highlighted in the course is called Teaching Up. Are you Teaching Up? Check below to find out!
Teaching Up
I’m pretty sure that Carol Ann Tomlinson would have given me this advice: “You should enjoy your summer vacation, don’t work on changing your curriculum, enjoy your time at the beach- don’t even think about school until next fall!” Well, maybe not quite that advice. But I can guess that she would not have wanted me to spend any time watering down my curriculum or adjusting for students who may be struggling. In fact, she refers to the practice as “Teaching Up.” Teaching up involves planning a lesson that is challenging for high-end learners and then differentiating for others by providing support as needed. It’s important to check that your lessons are already planned (or differentiated) for advanced students. Here are a few things to check if you are incorporating upper-level experiences for your students in your class. Look at this check list and note the things you are already doing or might start doing soon to “teach-up.”
Teaching-Up Checklist:
Sometimes I…
- Offer difficult concepts first
- Provide challenging reading materials
- Identify patterns and themes before details and facts
- Study problems that don’t have obvious solutions
- Provide learning centers that focus on different skills and provide opportunity for individual growth
- Group my students in a variety of ways: pairs, individual, levels, interests, etc.
- Reward the risk takers
- Provide a variety of products to show learning has taken place
- Appreciate humor and creativity
For more great strategies, tips, examples and resources on differentiating in your class, check out Differentiation in the Classroom.
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