Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/everyday-differentiation/5022712/
Most early childhood administrators differentiate every day in their supervisory practices. For example, a new teacher in a toddler room may need practical suggestions for managing the transition from lunch to nap, while a veteran preschool teacher may need a responsive sounding board as she reflects on her latest emergent curriculum project. When administrators individualize their approach to staff supervision, they are modeling differentiation strategies that are among the hallmarks of excellent teaching.
What is Differentiation?
Differentiation means adjusting or changing instructional practices, plans, or materials to meet the individual needs of each learner. The term ‘differentiation’ is often used in special education or in gifted education to describe the ways teachers adapt activities or assignments to meet the unique needs of struggling or advanced students. But even among a general population of typically-developing young learners, differentiation of instructional practices, as well as of curriculum and materials, results in a richer and deeper learning experience for all.
Differentiation vs. Individualization
In early childhood education, we often use the word ‘individualization’ instead of differentiation, at least in terms of the physical care and social-emotional support of each child. We strive to get to know each child and her family, to build trusting relationships. Most teachers and ...