Real Problem Faced By School Leader
What strategies can be used to address needs of different levels of students in a classroom? Has anyone tried breaking the class into groups for differentiated instruction/learning?
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Responses obtained from members of the ICSL LEAD the Change Whatsapp Group
We have class-libraries in primary classes. When a bright child completes his/her work we allow the child to pick up a book and read till the time average children complete their work. The teacher is also able to explain the topic to the ones’ who still have not understood the concept. We also stay back for 2 hrs twice a week for remedial classes for each subject. We set up ATAL tinkering lab and students are allowed to go there if they finish their class work.
Priyadarshini Kelkar
Our problems are a bit more as we have level 0 to level 4 in 30 government schools. We are trying level wise worksheets. It is hard work for our fellows.
Anjali Gupte
We follow a process of having tracking sheets and rubrics. It has helped immensely in gathering various data points. Click to download the presentation “Differentiation in a Data Driven School”.
We have incorporated differentiated learning in the lesson plans. I trained the teachers on different ways to differentiate, how to measure impact. However, we were struggling with the enrichment, so this year we started working on base level for enrichment, HOTS and worksheets. It all still boils down to outcome and their measurements.
Namrita K Rathee
Children who need extra attention are made to sit in the front. Extra attention and additional teaching are imparted to them. Extra work is also given as a homework and remedial classes are also available for them.
Kesar Patel
Differentiated learning requires detailed planning and teacher’s readiness. Differentiation can be done on any basis, like child's MI quotient, child's IQ, Similar hobbies, etc.
Priya Handa
Without making it obvious to students, the class is divided into 4 mix groups who compliment each other and learn. We also use concept of block period for revision of concepts usually once a week. For final exam revisions, we allot rooms subject wise and allow kids to study freely as per their own schedules from any teacher in those rooms.
Rashmi Malik
I feel it is equally significant to assess learning through multiple methods and techniques. In addition to differentiated instructions of content, Teachers need to incorporate different process to accommodate learning styles.
Mridul Jain
Our class size is between 25 to 31 students. We decide our teaching methods for different types of learning styles - auditory, visual, kinesthetics and those who learn by doing.
The curriculum involves 4 types of activities - Classroom, Field visit, Audio-Video, and Project. Our students are in classrooms for at most 3 hrs out of 7 hrs. They are constantly moving around doing variety of activities. Minimum 10 field trips per year per class are conducted.
Half of a classroom has benches while other half is empty for students to sit on the floor or perform a group activity. Teachers use 15 minutes to introduce and explain the activity. Then students sit on the floor in groups/ circles to perform the activity.
We have more than 10 clubs to teach beyond textbook activities.
We reserve one week per month for competitions. Subject teachers conduct weekly intraclass-competition for their subjects. As the competition period is mentioned in our monthly planner every subject teacher, students and parents are aware about it. We have printed formats of parameters which subject teacher has to collect from coordinators. For ex. English teachers conduct elocution, spelling, story writing, storytelling, PPT presentations, paper presentations. Maths teachers conduct quiz contests, formulae writing, table recitation, etc.
The monthly chronicle/house bulletin is published and distributed to parents. Every teacher eagerly submits her class reports along with student’s photos and description of the activity.
Vijayalaxmi Manerikar
About the Author
Dr. Atul Nischal is the Founder of the International Council for School Leadership (ICSL) and serves as the Program Director of ReSET, the 3 week online certificate program for educators.
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