B1+FIAE+Chapter+1

Kaite Bukauskas (Abstract and Synthesis)
//Abstract:// The first chapter of //Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessing and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom// by Rick Wormeli is an overview of differentiated instruction and backwards design and the ways in which it can be applied in the classroom. This chapter simplifies the concept of differentiated instruction by explaining that it involves doing what is fair for students, which may not always be equal when it comes to the forms in which lessons and assessments are taking place. A teacher who strides to use differentiated instruction is one who is creating a learning environment that is fair to all students by supplying the tools needed to reach academic success for each individual. This does not mean that the learning process is made easier or ‘dumbed down’ for any students, but that efforts are made to reach the learning styles and interests of the students to encourage them to work towards academic challenges. An example from the text that helps the concept to hit home is the idea of two students at equal distance from a board trying to read from the board to take notes. If one of the students has functional vision, while the other is nearsighted, glasses would be a helpful tool to help the nearsighted student have a chance to be able to read the board for his or her notes, which is a common example of differentiated instruction that we may take for granted if unfamiliar with the concept. Another purpose of DI is to equip the students in becoming advocates for their own learning. Students who are entering higher education, such as college, would benefit from knowing their strengths and weaknesses and ways in which they would best benefit and understand information in the learning process so that they can purposefully create their own successful learning environment.

//Synthesis:// The simplicity of this chapter cleared some intimidation for many of us in practicum as it demonstrated that it would be quite attainable for us to use differentiated instruction as teachers. At the same time, this chapter raised the question for several students of how the ideas of differentiated instruction could be worked into the everyday lessons and assessments in a classroom. Many examples of differentiated instruction were brought up from the text that we think about and have experienced already without being aware that they would be labeled as differentiated instruction strategies, including audio versions of books being played for students, breaking up classwork into class discussions, group work, paired-up partners, and individual work, and seating a class in a particular way to benefit students in an effort to optimize their attention needs. Further examples can be as simple as extending a deadline, offering an alternative assignment or a variety of assignments, and providing multiple examples when explaining an idea within a lesson. Having the insight to know that actions such as these, despite if they are big or small, can make a difference in the quality of education that students are recieving can make a big difference in the effectiveness of a teacher. [|Resources about differentiating instruction] can be researched and utilized when a teacher finds that he or she is having difficulty reaching out to a student or group’s needs. With the constant changes in technology and student needs, the process of thinking about, researching, and planning with differentiated instruction is ongoing.

Paul Santamore
toc FIAE starts off the same as the other two books, talking about differentiation and backwards design. I think it is different in one perspective though, it really focuses on our previous experiences as students rather than solely addressing what we should do as we become teachers. By doing this, I think that FIAE struck closer to home with me. Since my teachers were always so effective at changing strategies, working to serve my particular needs, and also helping other individuals meet their goals; I am inspired to create a classroom environment of the same caliber. The basic fact of teaching, as exhibited by FIAE is that the educator must first create a fair learning environment where all needs can be met. Differentiating instruction is the pillar of this fair classroom, but how do we incorporate the findings of research in this content area to the classroom? I think that through reading, hard work, and experimentation, teachers can incorporate many different theories. Ultimately a teacher can never avoid differentiation, because it is something that makes learning and teaching easier, and all people want to learn how to make life in general easier. I will continually attempt to differentiate my instruction by using sources and research available to me. With the ever-immerging field of technology I will surely have all of these resources at my fingertips. Therefore I should always be able to adapt my classroom to the needs of the students within it at any given time. Differentiation does not end with instruction, it continues into assessment and displaying the students’ progress overall.

Leigh Welch
The first chapter of __Fair Isn’t Always Equal__ was basically an introduction to differentiated instruction and how it can help not only in a classroom setting but also in real life. The chapter asked questions and then answered them, some of which being, does differentiated instruction make learning easier, will students become dependent on differentiated instruction in order to learn, what if students never had differentiated instruction, etc. This approach was effective because it answered your questions before you had time to ask them, making the chapter very informative and rather easy to read. This information influenced me because I am going to have to teach with differentiated instruction on some lessons. I liked that the book specified that, as a teacher, you will not have to use differentiated instruction for every lesson (I was a little confused, and nervous about that), this way students will gain the most from the times you do use differentiated instruction. The analogy of taking a student’s glasses away was kind of eye opening. I never thought of using glasses as differentiated instruction until the book brought it up, along with listening to a textbook on tape instead of reading it, using graph paper to line up numbers in math, using a focus frame to help stay focused in reading and a number of other things. I also liked that the chapter opened in a math classroom, and the author was analyzing all the differentiated instruction that was happening. I thought half of those things did not even count as differentiated instruction, so it made me a little less nervous.

Bianca Stoutamyer
“Differentiated instruction is doing what’s fair for students,” though a vague statement it holds great merit (Page 3). Doing what is fair but not what is always equal is a concept I did not think of in terms of education until now. Reading this chapter I learned that there are many ways to include differentiated instruction into the classroom including simple activities of letting the students get together into small groups to discuss the previous nights homework or giving students graphic organizers to help them organize their notes during class. I would use this in my classroom without knowing it was called differentiated instruction but knowing that this is actually a teaching strategy is a relief to me because it lets me know that I am already thinking like a teacher even if I did not know it. The quote from above however is a different take on what I have always known. The example given in the book about the nearsighted student and the student who does not require glasses both trying to read a board on the opposite side of the classroom and take notes was interesting. Before reading that paragraph I would not have thought how the student's glasses act as a type of differentiated instruction. The students glasses were a tool for him to be successful and though only the one student needed glasses making the activity unequal the activity would have been fair if the student had been allowed to use his glasses. This was a completely new way of looking at differentiated instruction for me and is something I would use in my classroom it is about giving my students the tools to succeed not about making the lessons easier for the student.

Jason B
Every good teacher uses differentiated instruction in his or her classroom. An example of a teacher who does not use differentiated instruction in his or her classroom would be a teacher who has a one size fits all teaching strategy. Differentiated instruction can include, but is not limited to: extending a deadline, providing extra examples, or retaking a test. Most teachers do some of these differentiated things, plus a variety of others. Differentiated instruction does not mean that the teacher must make learning easier for the students. Instead it provides the appropriate opportunity that allows the student to accept the challenge and thrive. Differentiated instruction is not always equal though. For example, the book used the example of a student with glasses versus a student without glasses. The student with glasses needed the glasses so that he or she could copy down whatever was on the board. The student without glasses did not need glasses to copy down some notes. It is fair that both students were able to copy the notes down, however because the student with glasses used a tool, it was not necessarily equal. Some other representations of “fair, but not equal” include giving the students who need a visual representation a graphic organizer, or providing graphing paper to those students who need to graph to do a problem. As a teacher, I will be sure to incorporate differentiated instruction in my classroom. For example, I will be sure to give extra examples to those students who need it.

Carinne Haigis
This chapter sets out to establish exactly what differentiated instruction is, why it’s important, and how crucial it is to each and every student’s individual success. At one point in the chapter, the author explains the sort of students that can result from a successfully differentiated classroom. Of these students, Wormeli writes: “Students for whom teachers have differentiated instruction learn well; they’re competent. They understand themselves as learners, and…are better equipped to advocate for themselves. They see classmates as being at different points on the same journey; and differences from their own point…are not seen as weak—just different” (Wormeli 4). This quote shows how differentiated instruction can change a student’s mindset for the better. Differentiated instruction educates a student about how they learn best and what they need in order to get the most out of his or her education. I strongly believe that all students should be trained to become advocates for themselves. Eventually in life, everyone has to learn to take care of his or her own interests as there are not always going to be adults to be caretakers. Differentiated instruction is not about ‘babying’ students and catering to their every need and whim, instead, it is about teaching students different routes for reaching the same goals and understandings as the rest of their classmates. By educating students about differentiated instruction as well as using this technique in planning and executing lesson plans, teachers have the ability to help students to better understand themselves and their capabilities so that they can become advocates for themselves in the future, and also in the present.

Allison Reynolds
When reading this chapter, I could not help but smile. All the things I wanted to bring to my classroom where all listed as great ways to differentiate a classroom. I thought that this process would be much more complex, but with a definition as simple as “doing what is fair for the students”, I feel much more confident differentiating my classroom. I fully agree that when teachers differentiate, it gives students the tools to learn. I am not making the subject easier or dumbed down. I am giving them different ways to learn so that when they are tested on it later, they know the information. This method is meant to help students learn, not memorize. So many of my teachers would not let us try assignments a different way and I saw students struggle. They tried to memorize and regurgitate later, which is a shame. It is responsive, it is helpful, and it is a great way to teach. I think that, although it should transcend through grades and it doesn’t, this method does help students build a platform in order to take the next step. My favorite idea though is that a student learns through his or her own actions. They take naturally take charge of their education, as they should. So, we as educators should give them the chance to make the choices they want to about an assignment or a lesson or what they want to learn. I think that the simple step of changing the assignment to use music or movement helps a student tremendously. I am ready to use this thinking in my classroom.

Kellie Sanborn
This chapter struck me as very straight to the point. I think that it is very obvious that differentiated instruction is nearly always used in some way, whether it is referred to by that name or not. What I didn’t understand, though, was why the author continued to talk about ways to make things “easier” (but not really easier, just adjusted) for students, but never really mentioned that differentiated instruction can go the other way as well. I think that it is important to remember, when talking about differentiated instruction, that for some students learning is inhibited by the fact that they are advanced beyond their classmates’ abilities and instruction must be differentiated in order to meet their needs as well. I really liked the different examples he gave of how the real world is differentiated. I had never really thought of the military as being differentiated, but after reading what he had to say about it, I can see the differentiation. One qualm I had with it, though, is that college, in a lot of cases, is not differentiated. In most college courses, there is a set syllabus and a set way of teaching that is followed semester after semester regardless of the learning styles of the students in the class. I do agree, though, with Wormeli’s point that in order to be successful in further education or in the real world, one just needs the base knowledge leading up to that point, so students who have been in classes with differentiated instruction up until that point will be better off because they will have the base knowledge and will know themselves well enough as learners to differentiate to their own needs and advocate for themselves.

Megan Hoffman
The main focus of chapter 1 is to explain what a differentiated classroom is and why it is important in the education system. Differentiated instruction can be the simplest thing, from extending a deadline to giving alternate assignments. It is offering students methods of leaning based on their capacity for leaning and how they learn best. The goal of this is to challenge them just enough so they can build knowledge and skills, without overwhelming them with things they cannot do. What many teachers do not realize is how this simple thing can impact a student’s learning greatly in either a positive or a negative way. My examples from my own life prove that this is an important concept to grasp as a pre-service teacher. When I was in high school I excelled in many subjects, especially history. My senior history class was full of students who constantly complained that they hated history. My teacher made all of his assignments easy, just for them. But I didn’t want easy assignments, I wanted to learn more than I already knew, not just rehash things that had already been etched in my memory from previous classes. This is an example of how not to run a differentiated classroom. My favorite example of a successful differentiated assignment, that I would really like to use someday, was from my sophomore world history class. My teacher had us do a research paper, but instead of letting us decide the topic he wrote dozens of topics on slips of paper, some easy and some more difficult and had us pick 3. We then had to do a little bit of research on each and choose which one we’d like to do. This assignment was awesome because we all learned about something new regardless of which one we chose to do.

Mel Christensen
Differentiating Instruction is a practice I wish I had seen more of in my classes. However, more and more I recognize elements of it, especially in the examples given by Wormelli in the first chapter. In many classrooms varying the structure of classes and providing extra resources for students who need them is common, but it seems that creating an environment where true differentiation is the norm requires dedication from the teacher and an invested desire to succeed on the part of the student. Wormelli advocates that students in a differentiated classroom will not feel marginalized or discriminated against if they are working at a different level than other students or the class because they are comfortable with themselves as learners and want to succeed. I think this is a great attitude to have towards learning and I would love to one day have a class of students who works this way. Nevertheless, I envision having some students who do not accept differentiation as well as Wormelli anticipates, especially in secondary education where many students are concerned about what their peers think of them and learning may not be their top priority. Some students may have difficulty recognizing the fairness in differentiation and notice only the differences between students. Realistically, I think this is a challenge that I will have to face when trying to establish a supportive, differentiated learning environment in my classroom. I think that it is true that students will be more responsive to learning when their teacher actively works with them to keep them on track and make sure they are challenged.

Kaite Bukauskas
Differentiated instruction is a simple concept that can be explained in simple terms as it is in this first chapter. This chapter re-explained the definition which aligned with that of the other texts, however it also added that differentiated instruction often means ‘whatever works to advance the students’. This could mean assigning various types of homework, assigning different seating arrangements to benefit students with attention problems, having a teacher who moves closer to certain students to help them stay on task, grouping desks together for small discussion groups, and dividing work time between individual work, group work, and class discussions. All of these are ways in which a teacher attempts to teach in a fair way to meet the development and learning styles of all students. What I found interesting about this text was the exploration of differentiated instruction possibly being a way to cater to students to a point where it hinders their ability to grow into independent adults. The texts raises the question of what would happen to a student if his or her teachers were to differentiate instruction every single time he or she needed it from kindergarden to 12th grade, and what type of student would he or she be when it came time to graduate? It is interesting to read this and think that perhaps differentiated instruction, if misused to an extreme degree, could create a generation of students who would be ill-prepared for the real world as they are used to an environment that caters to their own style of work and learning. The text assures that this would not happen, and that differentiated instruction would produce students who are independent thinkers, tolerant of others, creative, and willing to take risks. The difference is that a teacher properly using differentiated instruction is not attempting to make learning easier for a student, but is attempting to provide the resources and tools to challenge a student in way that encourages he or she to thrive.

Chris Whitney
Chapter one of Fair Isn’t Always Equal talks about the importance of differentiated instruction and how important it is that teachers use it to help students. It is noted that differentiated instruction is more than just extending a deadline for a student; it is a mindset that is crucial to a student’s success. By use differentiated instruction, more responsibility is put on the student because they realize that they have the tools to succeed. This is explained by a metaphor of a student who needs glasses. The student knows he needs the glasses to see. When a teacher takes away, or does not give a student the glasses, this student has a way out of learning. He realizes he does not have the necessary tools and cannot learn, so he won’t. However when a students does get his glasses, he is made more responsible for his learning. It is true now more than ever that students enter the classroom with widely diverse situations. Culture, religion, socioeconomic status, interests all differ in students, so to an extent, the instruction should as well. It is also noted in this chapter the need for a teacher to be able to change and adapt. Education is an ever changing process with new techniques and methods developing all the time. The teacher needs to be open to new ideas and methods to implement in the classroom and do what is best for the students.

Ashton Carmichael
Throughout the chapter, the author uses the phrase “real world” situations. I found this distracting because I do not see myself teaching students in a fake world with fake situations. I feel like the information we are assessing the students on is not hypothetical information that they may or may not need in their post-secondary lives, rather it is information that they will be using throughout high school and on.

In the section The Wisdom of Formative Assessment Wormeli discusses how educators spend time forming a final assessment over the material. He goes on to discuss how this is ineffective and how we should be spending time designing multiple forms of assessment throughout the teaching of the material. I like this type of teaching better because, like he said, we would be able to give positive feedback along the way and help them better understand --using all four forms of understand discussed in Understanding by Design -- the material they are learning.

In Wormeli’s section Be Substantive he addresses the problem of having students with lower abilities doing assignments that are not useful. Giving students busy work that is not going to help them better understand the material is a waste of time for both the students and the educator. By having the students do this, we are not teaching them, but instead baby sitting them. Forming fluff assignments seems like a way to fill up time, but not really teach material.

I do not agree with just having special education students attempt the work. I would want all of my students to understand what I am teaching instead of just having them attempt the work. I want to hold all of my students to the same standard, differentiating as needed.