Differentiation Week 3

I loved chapter two and how it went into depth about what the student seeks. Just like the book says, if I want the student to "come play my game," I must connect with the student. I must assist each student with self-esteem issues, or affirmation. I must make sure that the student sees he/she is worthwhile. I must make my student feel powerful so he/she will come back for more power. I must truly give my student a purpose in what he/she does, making it known that it does make a difference in the world. And in order for my student to grow, I must challenge him/her. One of the most rewarding parts of teaching is when I see a student accomplish a task that he/she once felt was too difficult to accomplish. Watching this satisfaction in students faces always brings me joy!

I understand that establishing a tie with each of my students will be a difficult thing, but it is still something I will always strive for. I feel that each student deserves an equal opportunity to learn. Each and every student is too important to just slide by. I like how the book says in order to have a differentiated classroom, I must build lives collectively and individually. To me this means I must value the class as a whole but also appreciate the uniqueness of each student.

I am beginning to see how differentiation is definitely a response to the students needs. I can plan lessons but I must also plan to be flexible so that I can accommodate the differences in my classroom.