DI Resources

Differentiation and the Brain, by David Sousa and Carol Ann Tomlinson (ISBN 978-1-935249-59-7)

The book explored multiple implementation issues with DI. However, I found Chapter 2 - Mindset, Learning Environment, and Differentiation, and Chapter 8 - Managing a Differentiated Classroom to be the most useful.

Specifically, Chapter 2 stressed the importance of having a supportive classroom environment towards student individuality. More importantly, the book reveals how to ensure that students have a sense of ownership in their learning in delivering DI. Ultimately, the authors stressed that teachers need to expect high levels of achievement in order to drive students towards academic success within their potential.

Chapter 8 provided a different perspective on classroom management in order to support DI. Rather than managing a classroom, we should use the approach of leading a classroom. Ultimately this means focus on students as being human beings rather subordinates. Also, we need to stress a vision for learning in all aspects of teaching and celebrate success when that vision is achieved by the students. Lastly, the text demonstrates how to establish a flexible learning environment in using the classroom management philosophy.