FIAE Chapter 1

This chapter was essentially about arguing for differentiation in the classroom. I learned that there has been many speculations about it because many people believe that it will cause students to become depended on others to make things easier for them. However, that is not what differentiation is about at all. I learned that differentiation can actually promote independent students if executed the right way. As a result of differentiated learning done the right way, students should know themselves as learners, and be able to advocate for themselves in the future. I particularly liked the example of the student with the glasses, and how it questioned if his work would reflect his true mastery of a subject without glasses. I think this example shows that differentiation isn’t making something easier, but it is bringing students to the same level so that they can learn the same material. The main goal of differentiation is that students learn what they need know, and it doesn’t really matter exactly how they learned it, as long as they are ready for the next level class. As a teacher this is incredibly important to me because I need to make sure that I am appropriately using differentiation in the classroom. I will not necessarily be giving out alternate assignments, but offering students the appropriate tools and skills they need to do certain assignments they struggle with. By executing differentiation appropriately I will have students who are engaged and who feel appropriately challenged. Lastly, one quote from this chapter that I think really captures the meaning behind differentiation is, “our goal as teachers is to be fair and developmentally appropriate, not one-size-fits-all equal.”