Using Curriculum and Instruction to Responding to Student Needs

{"All children can learn" does not mean "all children are the same."}

--Reeves, 2002

The teacher should make a promise to their students to do their best to:

• teach and help the students learn what is truly important in a subject.
• spark curiosity about is being taught. The teacher should encourage the student to explore, capture their interest, and help them see satisfaction in learning.
• help their students see their full potential and the path to achieve it. 
• be a partner, coach, and mentor through their learning process. 

In response to students needs, teacher need to give instruction while differentiating, call on students personal experiences, making connections to those personal experiences, offering hands on experiences, and challenge them. All this needs to be done while scaffolding to help them achieve greatness. 

Remember to:

• Use tiered approaches
• Incorporate complex instruction
• Use a variety of rubrics to guide quality
• Provide learning contracts at appropriate times
• Aim high 
• Take a "no excuse" stance
• Become computer savvy
• Help students realize success in the result of effort (Help them recognize even the littlest success. As long as they did their best work, they should feel successful)
• Try thinkdots
• Directly teach strategies for working successfully with text
• Use think alouds
• Use small group instruction as a regular part of instructional cycles
• Promote language proficiency
• Team with resource specialists
• Make peer-review a regular part of class

***Don't underestimate what a student can accomplish***

I think it is really important to be aware of your students readiness. You need to know where they are coming from and don't limit their level of success. I love the idea of using the different approaches to spark the student's desire to learn. Finding a good "hook" will go a LONG way, especially for Elementary students. 

I want my students to feel like they are ready to learn and do anything. The greatest way to do this would be knowing where students are coming from and if they are ready to continue learning. Building upon their scheme and past experiences will be extremely beneficial. 

Photo: http://nccscurriculum.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/differentiation.jpg

Information for the book: Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, by: Carol Ann Tomlinson