Differentiating the Learning Environment
"The tone of any classroom greatly affects those who inhabit it and the learning that takes place there. Classroom environment in a setting that strives for differentiation is, if anything, even more of a factor in shaping success. A differentiated classroom should support, and is supported by, an evolving community of learners. What that means is that the teacher leads his students in developing the sorts of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that would characterize a really good neighborhood." (Tomlinson 2001) |
"DIFFERENTIATING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT INCLUDES:
• Groupings which are fluid and flexible and approximate real-life situations
• Access to various materials and resources
• An atmosphere which encourages expression of new ideas, acceptance of diversity, and exploration
• Experiences reflecting learner interests and ideas
• Honoring the dignity of all learners"
(Taken from Differentiated Classroom 101 written by Dr. Scott Goldberg)
Look at the picture on the top right hand side above. Go through each of the listed categories for differentiating the learning environment and write down how you see each displayed in the picture. Is there anything else you would include in the picture?
NEXT: Watch the video called "tips for configuring your classroom for differentiation" by Carol Tomlinson in the following link:
http://inservice.ascd.org/tips-for-configuring-your-classroom-for-differentiation/
Follow up questions to the video:
1)How can a teacher set up their classroom to support differentiated instruction?
2)How can we best facilitate learning using the environment?
Watch this next video (below) called "Differentiated Instruction-Learning Environment"and answer the following questions:
1)How are the desks set up in this teachers classroom? Why is this important?
2)Why is the way the teacher greets students coming into the classroom important?
3)The teacher in this video tells us that building respect in the classroom works both ways- for students as well as for the teacher. How can we build respect for our students in the classroom?
4)She talks about the importance giving students ownership over their work as well as predictability with expectations. Can you come up with some of your own examples for students that would create the feelings of ownership and predictability in the students?
• Groupings which are fluid and flexible and approximate real-life situations
• Access to various materials and resources
• An atmosphere which encourages expression of new ideas, acceptance of diversity, and exploration
• Experiences reflecting learner interests and ideas
• Honoring the dignity of all learners"
(Taken from Differentiated Classroom 101 written by Dr. Scott Goldberg)
Look at the picture on the top right hand side above. Go through each of the listed categories for differentiating the learning environment and write down how you see each displayed in the picture. Is there anything else you would include in the picture?
NEXT: Watch the video called "tips for configuring your classroom for differentiation" by Carol Tomlinson in the following link:
http://inservice.ascd.org/tips-for-configuring-your-classroom-for-differentiation/
Follow up questions to the video:
1)How can a teacher set up their classroom to support differentiated instruction?
2)How can we best facilitate learning using the environment?
Watch this next video (below) called "Differentiated Instruction-Learning Environment"and answer the following questions:
1)How are the desks set up in this teachers classroom? Why is this important?
2)Why is the way the teacher greets students coming into the classroom important?
3)The teacher in this video tells us that building respect in the classroom works both ways- for students as well as for the teacher. How can we build respect for our students in the classroom?
4)She talks about the importance giving students ownership over their work as well as predictability with expectations. Can you come up with some of your own examples for students that would create the feelings of ownership and predictability in the students?
This next video "Flexible Learning environments" is very cool! Watch it and image this type of arrangement in your own classroom. How do you think it would play out? What would be the challenges with the concept? How will it help students learn more effectively?
The following video called "Collective Wisdom: Creating an Effective Learning Environment" asks teachers the question: What would you do to create an effective learning environment? Many ideas, and you will see, reflect concepts that would be included in differentiated instruction. Think of three of your own answers.
The following video below is eye-opening. After watching, answer the following questions:
What do you think of the idea presented in the video?
Do we really need to totally re-vamp education for the 21st century?
What do you think of the idea presented in the video?
Do we really need to totally re-vamp education for the 21st century?
For more information regarding how to differentiate the learning environment, and valuable information about differentiation in general, read Carol Tomlinson's book The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition Tomlinson, C. A.(2014)