Even though he’s in the Duplo age range, my kid is simply more interested in Lego. And it’s always more effective, more respectful, and simply easier to start with a kid’s interests rather than what’s “age-appropriate.”
Tagged WithDifferentiation
Differentiate Math: Getting Started
Working with a student who is bored in math? Quickly finishing lessons? Needs something more? Here are three ways you can get started differentiating in math.
Why “Challenging” Isn’t Quite The Right Goal
“I want to challenge my students” is just about the most common goal out there. Unfortunately, I think it’s not quite the right word…
Choice Menus: Quality or Mere Quantity?
I used to create extension menus, thinking they were an essential tool for differentiation. Overtime, I’ve changed my thinking. Here’s why.
Standards Are The Minimum, Not The Maximum
One of the most significant barriers to differentiating for gifted learners is a misunderstanding of the purpose of grade-level standards. People see grade-level standards as a maximum. The truth is the complete opposite.
Where Do I Start Differentiating for Gifted Students?
I get lots of questions from overwhelmed folks who have suddenly landed in a new job in gifted ed and have had little training. “Where do I even start!?” is a very common cry. Here are three places to begin differentiating for gifted kids.
How many students are already ready (already) for next year?
In a climate where we focus on who’s below-level, how many students are already ready for next year (and beyond)? Research from Johns Hopkins sheds light on the (truly) shocking number of above-level kids out there.
The Real Problem With Early Finishers
Wondering what to do with your early finishers? This is probably the wrong question!
What Differentiation Does NOT Look Like
There’s lots of faux-differentiation out there. In this article, I catalog a few anti-patterns: tactics that look like differentiation, but are actually quite the opposite.
What Textbooks Think “Differentiated Instruction” Looks Like
In a time when teachers feel prohibited from writing their own lessons, many are limited by what their textbooks offer. So what, exactly, do textbooks offer in terms of differentiation for gifted learners?