Teaching in today's heterogenous classrooms requires creative assignments and alternative assessments that offer students of different abilities appropriate challenge.
Evaluating Students
Grades in any subject should always represent a student's ability or area of weakness. For instance, a science grade should represent a child's knowledge of core objectives in science and a math grade should acknowledge mastery of mathematical skills. Simple, right? Not always.
What of the gifted child who does the bare minimum but still "aces the test"? What of the LD child who can tell you all about a subject but who can't spell any of his science terms? How about that student who can explain mathematical concepts but whose handwriting difficulties or documented dysgraphia causes him to make errors on most of his problems.
Differentiated Instruction
Our standards-based public schools may have government mandated content, but this should not be a hindrance to creative teaching and assessments. In fact, effective differentiation effectively motivates students of all learning styles and ability levels to meet and exceed basic standards.
In order to get the best out of all students, teachers need to master differentiation, or teaching in a way that allows all students to learn and present knowledge in a way that best fits their interest and learning style. In Teaching Beyond the Test, authors Phil Schlemmer, M.Ed. and Dori Schlemmer suggest a project-based approach in which teachers "carefully (develop) projects that focus on key learning expectations, and taking into account the range of learning needs."
A teacher who effectively utilizes classroom differentiation will:
- Introduce new ideas using a variety of classroom, small group and individual activities.
- Use a variety of visual and hands-on learning activities and projects that allow choice while meeting important core standards.
- Use Alternative Assessment activities so to evaluate students using a variety of modalities.
- Take into consideration readiness levels, individual interests and learning styles.
