First, I want to apologize for my incredible tardiness on my posts. I was out of the state last week, in a cabin that was supposed to have internet but did not, and I didn’t know my phone wasn’t updating Blackboard. I got home late this weekend and panicked a bit over catching up! That said, I will be more timely in the future.

Back to the regularly scheduled programming…

I love the idea of differentiated instruction; some of my more memorable formative education moments revolved around differentiation of some sort. Given that, I know how important it can be to allow students those opportunities to grow, seek, and explore along their lines of interest. I think though, like Cherie, Gerald, Mariah, and others, it’s a frustrating mark to hit. I love that Mariah called it “a golden ticket that [seems] unobtainable.” In an ideal world, with all the time, support, and equipment necessary, I would love to have a classroom where students are engaged every day in meaning-making. As a teacher, I was getting there about the time I left to get my Masters and I’ve found my way back to it in my professional career and now working on my PhD. (My dissertation focus is on the creation of interactive modules that allow for learner directed learning around historical primary sources.) I have a feeling this class will make me miss teaching more than I anticipated!

I also really enjoyed Jule’s comment that “Fair isn’t always equal” – I think, in the “everyone gets a trophy age” we’ve lost sight of the fact that sometimes you need a bigger stool to stand on so everyone has the same view. Great post and a great graphic to make it stick!