Programs in Practice: Differentiated Instruction: Begin with Teachers!

In Oakwood City School District, differentiation is—and has been for a number of years—our primary academic goal. Perhaps it will not surprise you to learn that not all educators embraced the goal, as 35-year veteran Ron Givens [not his real name] exemplifies: “My knee-jerk reaction [to being required to differentiate instruction] was, ‘You can't make me.’ It was your standard, middle-aged, white guy rant.” Since then, not only has Ron oriented his instruction toward differentiation and integrated differentiation strategies into his instruction, but he also has led professional development for his peers on using online simulations as a way to differentiate. What led to this impressive transformation, and how can we bottle it and sell it?Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to Taylor & Francis's online edition of Kappa Delta Pi Record to view the following free supplemental resources: the Differentation Rubric; the Differentiation Choice Board; and the Professional Performance Plan for Phases I and II