5 Ways To Differentiate Instruction At School

During a recent learning walk at the School of One in Manhattan

, T&L Blogger Lisa Nielsen found that differentiating instruction is not just a term; it is the way the school does business, and there are many lessons that can be learned from visiting the school. Here are five lessons she learned during the visit.

1. Use Renzulli Learning as a differentiation machine.

At the School of One, each child completes a Renzulli Learning profile. Each student's unique profile indicates how they like to learn, their interests, and their learning styles. Students are then tagged by their profile. When lessons (known as playlist selections at the school) are provided to the students, they are uniquely matched to the student's learning profile. Students are grouped for lessons by profile, which means that they may receive individual, small-group, peer, or whole-group instruction based on matching students with similar learning profiles.

2. Use data to differentiate instruction.

The School of One compiles the various data sets on each student to design instruction directly aligned to the student's needs based on performance indicators. This data is used to create a unique learning-needs assessment profile for each student, outlining areas of strength and weakness.

3. Tag lessons to allow for differentiation.

Lessons are aligned to each performance indicator and then tagged to various learning profile selections. This is done by placing lessons in a shared space where teachers can access them.

4. Use space to support differentiated instruction.

The School of One is thinking differently about the use of space and has converted the school library into a flexible learning center. Teachers can do the same within their classrooms, and by collaborating with other educators in the school. The learning center has areas for students to work independently, with peers, in small groups, and as a whole group. Classrooms can be designed differently to account for such flexible grouping and collaboration with others in the school.

5. Differentiate instruction by connecting with a variety of learning providers.

Differentiating instruction means saying goodbye to a one-size-fits (or provides success for) all curriculum. In a differentiated model, lessons are aligned specifically to data, standards, performance indicators and student learning profiles. At the School of One, there are opportunities such as educational games, online coursework from providers like Apex and Compass Learning, teacher created lessons, materials from various textbook providers, individual and peer tutoring from expert high school students and online tutors, and more.

The School of One learning walk provided a refreshing opportunity to see a school put many promising practices in place to result in a uniquely differentiated experience for each child.

by: Kevin Hogan

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