Addressing the Individual needs of Students.

Each student in my classroom has their own unique needs.  Here is a way pathway through differentiating a lesson to show you how I can address each of those needs.

• The first thing that I am going to do is assess my students on the subject matter being taught.  This allows me the chance to see what prior knowledge the students have about the topic we are going to be covering in the the unit.
• From the assessment I will be able to see the students that are going to need more of a challenge, additional help, or are my middle of the road students. 
• With the knowledge gained from my assessment I will be able to group students according to the level of scaffolding that they need.  I can do this based on interest level, or by ability level.
• Students will then work in groups to achieve the academic goals set forth by me.
• As the students work in their groups I will be able to monitor the classrooms progress and assist those that are struggling.

One thing I want my students to be doing is aiming high.  I don't want the students to underestimate what they can accomplish.  I also don't want them to assume that I gave them a level of work that they feel is the highest level of success that they can achieve.  It is vastly important as teachers to remember that with the right scaffolding students can achieve greatness.

I want my students to know that I am a no excuse teacher as well.  I want students to try there hardest each and everyday that they are in my class.  If students are working hard one day and goofing off the next, then they need to understand that it is not acceptable behavior for that to happen.  No excuse means homework turned in and completed the right way the first time.  When students know what is expected of them then they will realize their potential and do it the right way, and overall be successful.

There is a saying on the wall in a classroom that I have worked in "We can do hard things".  I loved weeing this each day, not only was it a reminder to each of the students in the room, but I used it as a reminder to myself that when the going got tough that I could also do hard things.  Students need to know that teachers believe in them and that sign of motivation is there to help them not only to point out that sometimes things are going to be hard, but that all things are possible.