As any parent knows, our children are not all the same, not even within the same family. Each has his or her own strengths and areas of challenge. As a Board member, I would advocate a move toward more differentiated instruction within our schools. This may sound like a tall order, given the nationwide calls for accountability and standardized testing, but it is vital for our children's development.
Through increased use of differentiated instruction methods in our schools we can target each child's learning to his or her learning style and pace. Differentiated instruction benefits all of our children by enabling them to learn in the ways best suited for them, thus decreasing frustration and boredom, both of which can negatively impact a child's educational experience. Differentiated instruction ensures that the students cover the same curriculum and meet or exceed the standards required by law. With differentiated instruction, adjustments are made in the way subjects are taught, how the students access the information, the types of activities chosen to engage students and facilitate learning, and the type of end product required to demonstrate student understanding. The increased availability of resources over the internet and via other technological means makes this easier to do now than ever.
I also advocate allowing the students to move through the material at their own pace. Thus, a child who demonstrates mastery of second grade math should be able to move on to third grade math the same year and not have to wait for a calendar change. More individualized instruction plans would also ensure that students master the material before moving on. In that way, students do not move on to something for which they are not ready simply because the rest of the class is ready. The No Child Left Behind Act requires that each child make "adequate yearly progress." A child spending a year covering material that he or she clearly mastered early on is not making "adequate yearly progress." Nor is a child who is pushed through material he or she does not understand making "adequate yearly progress," at least in terms of actually understanding. Students will remain interested and better engaged if able to proceed at their own pace. The student-led conferences that have been used at the elementary schools in our district demonstrate the value of this approach by including the students in setting individual goals.
Through increased use of differentiated instruction methods in our schools we can target each child's learning to his or her learning style and pace. Differentiated instruction benefits all of our children by enabling them to learn in the ways best suited for them, thus decreasing frustration and boredom, both of which can negatively impact a child's educational experience. Differentiated instruction ensures that the students cover the same curriculum and meet or exceed the standards required by law. With differentiated instruction, adjustments are made in the way subjects are taught, how the students access the information, the types of activities chosen to engage students and facilitate learning, and the type of end product required to demonstrate student understanding. The increased availability of resources over the internet and via other technological means makes this easier to do now than ever.
I also advocate allowing the students to move through the material at their own pace. Thus, a child who demonstrates mastery of second grade math should be able to move on to third grade math the same year and not have to wait for a calendar change. More individualized instruction plans would also ensure that students master the material before moving on. In that way, students do not move on to something for which they are not ready simply because the rest of the class is ready. The No Child Left Behind Act requires that each child make "adequate yearly progress." A child spending a year covering material that he or she clearly mastered early on is not making "adequate yearly progress." Nor is a child who is pushed through material he or she does not understand making "adequate yearly progress," at least in terms of actually understanding. Students will remain interested and better engaged if able to proceed at their own pace. The student-led conferences that have been used at the elementary schools in our district demonstrate the value of this approach by including the students in setting individual goals.
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