DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING

WHEN A STUDENT RAISES HIS OR HER HAND INDICATING THAT HE OR SHE NEEDS HELP, I ASK THE STUDENT TO GET OUT OF THEIR SEAT. I THEN TRY TO SEE THE OBJECT AS THEY SAW IT. LOOKING AT LINES I LIGHTLY SKETCH, THEY THEN RE-EXAMINE WHAT THEY SEE. THIS IS A TIME-HONORED TECHNIQUE IN HELPING ANYONE DRAW. INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION, DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING. IS IT THE SAME? I THINK THE LATTER TERM APPLIES HERE. I AM OFFERING ONE-ON-ONE HELP BUT IN ADDITION I AM GIVING MANY CHOICES AND MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS. WE HAVE ONE STOVE, 6 FANS AND 12 BOOTS. THREE KINDS OF THINGS BUT A FAIR AMOUNT OF VARIATION.
STUDENTS ARE NOT PRESSED TO DO A FIXED AMOUNT OF DRAWINGS OF ANY GIVEN OBJECT. IN THE SECOND WEEK OF THIS ACTIVITY MANY STUDENTS HAD DRAWN ALL THREE OBJECTS SEVERAL TIMES. INSTEAD OF SAYING, “I’M DONE.” THEY SAID, “CAN I DRAW THE STAPLER?” OR “CAN I DRAW THE ROLL OF TAPE?” IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE TURNED ON BY DRAWING. THE NEXT STEP WILL BE TO TRY DIFFERENT DRAWING MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES OF THESE OBJECTS. THE OBJECTS WILL BECOME THINGS NOT ONLY TO REPRESENT, BUT VEHICLES TO TRY NEW WAYS TO DRAW.
Like this:
Like Loading...