Choices make the world go 'round!

Over the past few years at Saint Mary there has been a lot of talk about Differentiated Instruction (DI). As teachers we can differentiate the delivery of instruction, the content of the lesson and even the way that students respond to a lesson. This week alone I have observed lessons in multiple grade levels where students were given choices regarding how they could best express what they learned. In 8th grade religion class, groups of students were assigned topics, relating to Advent, that they were charged to become experts on. I watched as groups put on plays, translated bible passages, made and presented posters and performed skits, to share their research and knowledge with their classmates. Similarly, our 4th grade science class culminated a unit on animals by choosing how they wanted to share their work and information with their teacher and class: some chose animotos, some built board games, other painted murals and some children responded by writing. In each of these cases, allowing students to decide which vehicle they want to use to display information builds confidence, allows children to start with their strengths, and results in increased learning and student engagement.