Article Analysis: "Differentiation of Instruction: A Strategic Response to Student Needs"

     Due to the diversity of students found in every classroom, differentiation of instruction is needed to ensure success in their educational journeys.  The article clearly answers four questions that teachers have concerning differentiated instruction.  The first question discusses the relationship between standards, curricula, and differentiated instruction.  Differentiated instruction take curricula and modifies it to engage every student.  Pham (2012) states that modified content must comply with student developmental progress and developmental range.  Pham also articulates the need for teachers to modify the instructional process, which will result in adding activities, techniques, and teaching strategies in the classroom.  Teachers need to know their students to accurately use differentiated instruction.  The standards are the foundation of curriculum and differentiated instruction.  The second question exposes the need for strong curriculum.  If teachers implement weak curriculum in their classrooms, then the student outcome will be weak and low.  In contract, if teachers use rich, supportive curriculum, the students will experience success in the classroom.  A strong curriculum is needed as teachers begin to implement various elements of differentiated instruction.  School leadership and administration must fervently examine curriculum to uncover its strengths and weaknesses.  Wu (2017) conducted an interview with Carolyn Callahan, who developed the CLEAR curriculum.  CLEAR curriculum is an example of rich curriculum because it provides step-by-step directions on how to use differentiated instruction and modified curriculum so all students can understand and explicit instructions on how to assess the students properly.
     The third question reveals the need for variety in instructional methods.  Because most colleges taught teachers how to teach in a traditional classroom setting, teachers are at a lost because they don’t know which elements and strategies of differentiated instruction to use.  The article suggested that schools provide development programs which will assist teachers as they implement differentiated instruction.  Advise, examples, hands-on experiences, and discussions will be part of the development program.  Assessment and evaluation are discussed in the fourth question.  Formative and summative assessments should be completed, and collaboration from colleagues and school leadership will provide guidance in knowing which assessments should receive grades or which assessments are used as evaluation. 
     Elementary classrooms need to be filled with a variety of learning activities, teaching strategies, and hands-on activities so all students will desire to learn.  Elementary students should be moving around the classroom, asking and answering questions, and provided with opportunities to learn per their learning style.  Elementary school leadership must zealously evaluate and research curriculum before it enters the classroom.  Teachers must take the curriculum and implement formative and summative assessments to provide grades and evaluations.  Elementary teachers should be provided with support from the school administration on how to properly implement differentiated instruction in the classroom.  Workshops, in-service meetings, and brainstorming sessions on differentiated instruction will benefit teachers.  Educational websites and blogs are excellent resources to use when exploring new strategies for differentiated learning.
     Differentiated instruction uses a variety of methods and teaching styles.  Christian educators should examine the teaching styles of Jesus during his earthly ministry.  Jesus used modeling (John 13:1-20), lecturing (Matt. 5), question/answering (Luke 9:18-20), storytelling (Matt. 7:24-27), and objects (Luke 9:23) while he taught this disciple and the multitudes.  Therefore, all methods should be implemented into the classroom instruction and setting to facilitate differentiated instruction.

References

Hedrick, K. A. (n.d.) Differentiation of instruction: A strategic response to student 

     needs. In Curriculum Leadership, 395-400.

Pham, H. L. (2012). Differentiated instruction and the need to integrate teaching and 

     practice. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 9 (1), 13-20.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2005). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Wu, E. H. (2017). Paving the way for differentiated instruction in rural classrooms 

     under common core state standards: An interview with Carolyn Callahan. Journal of 

     Advanced Academics, 28 (1), 51-65.