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Differentiation

Christina Tucker

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 495 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2020

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Introduction

Differentiation is necessary for students to succeed. No student is the same as another

and there will always be sections, especially in math, that some students need more time and/or

instruction to master. In order to differentiate instruction, many strategies can be used. Strategies

such as ‘think, pair, share’ are questioning strategies “which do not require a traditional ‘hands-

up’ approach can be powerful in terms of keeping everyone on their toes, and for creating the

expectation/culture that everyone has something to offer” (Ollerton, 2014, p. 45). Small groups

and optional tools are also good strategies for differentiated instruction.

Rationale for Selection of Artifacts

My first artifact is a lesson plan where I reviewed for the consumer math unit for the test.

Each student was given a worksheet and a green graphic organizer that was put in a SmartPal, a

tool so that the students can write on the paper, but it can be reused for each class. The students

were to classify each question in the graphic organizer before solving the problem. Most students

were having trouble knowing which process to use because all the problems in this section are

word problems. Some of the students didn’t need to use the graphic organizer to help them

comprehend the problem. The students were able to choose whether they wanted to use the

graphic organizer on the test. This is a form of differentiation because not all students needed the

tool, but they were all allowed to use it. Some students chose not to use it because they had

better reading comprehension. The students who needed the tool positively benefitted from

putting questions into categories.

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My second artifact is a lesson plan where I reviewed content from the previous unit.

There were a few SOL strands that students scored lower on the unit 3 test, so these students

were put into small groups. There were multiple small groups per the 3 SOL strands and 2-4

teachers/tutors in each bell. The students in the small group had to fill out a sheet of notes and

questions with the teacher and then complete an IXL and an exit quiz in order to move on to

their next lowest scoring section. This is differentiation because of the use of small groups to

target specific students and the student centered activities. Students had the power to look at their

mastery charts and determine what skill they wanted to work on through IXL’s.

Reflection on Theory and Practice

Differentiation can help students to take control of their own learning. When I let the

students look at their mastery chart and determine what skill they felt they needed to work on

most, it gave them power over their learning. “If teachers continually make choices for students

rather than guiding them in making judicious choices, then students leave school without an

essential life skill … teachers should strike a balance between their role as diagnostician and

prescriber and the students’ role in taking charge of their learning” (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013,

p. 14).

Differentiated instruction means that classroom structures will all look different. This

will affect the classroom culture and the actual schedule of the classroom. Boerger (2005) points

out that differentiated classrooms are not just direct instruction to the entire class, but “it may

include direct instruction to all students on one day, followed by small group work the next day,

and individual and pair work the day after” (p. 4). In my second lesson plan, we had no direct
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instruction for the whole class but had a small lesson in each small group because the content

had been taught previously. Sometimes students respond better to a guided exploratory learning

activity rather than always lecturing or using direct instruction. Varied instruction helps to

differentiate for students who have different learning styles.

As a Christian, I know that each student has been uniquely made and views the world in a

different way. Students each have different gifts and will catch on to certain things faster than

others. Because of this, it’s important to differentiate instruction and to form relationships with

students. This way, I will be more understanding of what kind of instruction strategies my class

needs. I will know how to group them and what kinds of activities to assign.
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References

Boerger, M. V. (2005). Differentiated instruction in the middle school math classroom: A case

study (Order No. 1430034). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.

(305368548). Retrieved from http://eres.regent.edu:2048/login?url=https://search-

proquest-com.ezproxy.regent.edu/docview/305368548?accountid=13479.

Ollerton, M. (2014). Differentiation in mathematics classrooms. Mathematics Teaching, (240),

43-46, 4. Retrieved from http://eres.regent.edu:2048/login?url=https://search-proquest-

com.ezproxy.regent.edu/docview/1534501101?accountid=13479.

Tomlinson, C. & Moon, T. (2013). Differentiation: An Overview. Assessment and Student

Success in a Differentiated Classroom, chapter 1.