The Ole Switcharoo: How to Differentiate Instruction in Our Classroom

Uno is one of my favorite games to play with my step daughter. The look on her face when she is about to reverse it back to herself and play a wild card is extremely predictable! The game of uno reminds me a lot about how we operate in our classroom. It isn't just pulling and placing down wildcards till our students can "win." Teaching takes certain strategies in order to help every student be successful.


This week I am adding differentiating my instruction to my tool box as a teacher. By learning my students and trying to teach to them as an individual within this group can be a challenge at times but, through my readings and lecture this coming week I am confident in my ability to be able to "read" my students like I can my step daughter when we are in the middle of a lesson. By reading them I can change how I teach certain things and add clarity in different ways.

3  ideas to take with me to Conrad Weiser: 

1. Providing opportunities for independence: Students need to know that I do not know everything or can solve any problems. I need to give students time to find answers to things and use their own brain to help solve problems or answer questions. This is achieved by letting students figure out how they learn best and encouraging/ creating a way for them to learn in that capacity. 
2. Helping students be curious: When I allow time for students to ask questions on a specific topic I am encouraging growth. These questions are not necessarily directly related to class but, questions that students want to inquire about to know more about a certain topic. This allows students to essentially "research" in an area they want to that isn't what I am mandating.Each student can do something completely different and then learn from each other.






3. Accommodating all types of learners: Is it practical for me to accommodate every single student in my class? Not at all but, I need to learn my students to try my best to reach every student. Knowing how my students learn, like to learn and interests can help me create a learning environment for all. This can come about in options of assessments or options for even reading an article but, I need to know how and when to make changes to engage everyone in learning

2 connections to a previous class:

1. In Education Psychology I remember having a whole week on differentiated instruction. My professor said we tend to identify our own learning styles and the solely teach that way. It is important to make sure we switch it up. If we feel uncomfortable and like we wouldn't be able to learn it that way then we have done our job. 
2. The reading talked about experiments and their value. This comes into play in my weekly lab for Methods of Teaching Agriculture Class. I get to be part of this real life "experiment" of using different methods we are discussing in class. We all are told to demonstrate a certain teaching method and all 9 of us take it in a different direction and then get to learn from one another. Our professor letting us run loose with Problem Solving approached allowed for us to try it in a safe space and to use it however we wanted to in order to learn how to use it in a classroom.

 Adding a resource:

 We are Teachers has an awesome reference for differentiated instruction. They discuss why and how we can switch up how we teach to help our students be successful! 

How do I differentiate my instruction enough to engage students on a who are on different sides of the learning curve?