Most middle school teachers have at least one complaining student in their class.  This may be a grave understatement due to the moans, groans, and eye rolling that I observed in many classrooms.  The students don’t see the world through their teacher’s eyes.  Teachers strive to meet high standards, garner good test scores, and have positive learning environment.  With an increasingly diverse population with multiple levels of needs and abilities they have their work cut out for them.

The foundation of differentiated instruction is the concept that instructional approaches should vary and should be adapted in relation to individual and diverse students in classrooms (Tomlinson, 2001).  When differentiating instruction, teachers can successfully meet the needs of their students.  Differentiated instruction individualizes teaching for each student based on three main factors: learning profiles (how the student learns), abilities (exceptionalities, English as Second Language students, and the typical student), and interests (what the student finds intriguing) (Hipsky, 2006a).  This article focuses on four common frustrations that may be overheard from their students and provides solutions based on specific differentiating techniques.

 

“I’m bored.  I finished all my work. 

I have nothing to do.”

 

Students who tend to quickly grasp material can find themselves whizzing through assignments.  They can become easily bored and can constantly be at the teacher’s side or have their hands up in the air asking for the next step.  Teachers who differentiate rely on anchor activities to support the needs of these students.  Anchor activities can be found in personalized folders in the desks, learning stations, or at centers around the

room.  These activities are geared toward the student’s developmental and academic goals and abilities.

 

“I am so good at presenting projects.  I can’t stand the idea of writing another essay.”

 

Student’s different learning profiles differ based on their learning styles and who they are as individuals.  Learning contracts can bridge this gap and provide students with some learning autonomy.  Creating a contract that teaches students to take responsibility for their own learning can help them to gain some independence.

In order to plan a learning contract, Gregory & Kuzmich (2005) created a list of questions for this mode of differentiating instruction:

Æ How will the student demonstrate what was learned (i.e. record work, use a computer, or work with a partner)?

Æ What type of time and work would help the student to finish the assignment (i.e. extra time, fewer items, and/or new work)?

Æ What type of resources and materials does the student need (i.e. extra help from my teacher, use the internet, and/or use different materials)?

What else does the student need to be successful? In response to that last question, the student would write or draw what is needed (Hipsky, 2006b).

After the teacher and students agree upon the contract it is signed by both parties.  Then the student is held accountable for his own learning with the guidance of the teacher.

 

“It’s not fair.  Just because I know this stuff,

I always get all this extra busy work.”

 

The “fairness issue” has to be an up front discussion in any class that utilizes differentiated

Squelch Middle School Griping and Grumbling with Differentiated Instruction

By Dr. Shellie Hipsky