Running Head: STUDENT-CENTERED AND/OR DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION 1

Student-Centered and/or Differentiated Instruction

Jasmine Erickson

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 495 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2018

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Introduction

Differentiated learning is really what sets modern day education apart from the teaching

of yesteryear. Over the past decade, teachers and administrators have come to realize that

student-centered learning allows students to thrive in a way that a one-sized-fits all curriculum

never could. By differentiating lessons, a teacher acknowledges the needs of each student

individually and tries to make sure that all students are thriving in the classroom.

Rationale for Selection of Artifacts

The first artifact shows three higher level students performing a task called “push it say

it.” I taught four different reading groups in two classes (eight groups total) that were sorted

based on DRA reading levels as well as the phonics mastery level of the students in each group.

During each lesson I had the groups with the lowest level students start by doing letter sorts or by

looking at flash cards with letters on them and had students recite the corresponding phonics.

The mid-level groups played “push it say it” where students were shown a picture and they had

to push each sound out and then blend it together to say the word. In the highest level groups,

students were asked to add the additional task of writing the letters of each word after saying the

word. This activity demonstrates one of the many differentiated tasks that I performed each day

in the classroom. By allowing each student to be challenged at the level they were at, students

were able to grow and increase their proficiency at both reading and writing.

The second artifact shows two different word trees. During our Dr. Seuss themed week

one of the writing activities I had the students do was create truffula word trees. The lesson

started off by writing the endings -at and -an on the promethean board. Students were called on

to give examples of words that ended with both. After about ten examples for each were given,
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students were instructed on how to cut out their truffula trees and write the ending sounds at the

top of the trees. Students were broken into three different groups based on their writing levels

and the endings given were differentiated based on the levels of the students. The lower level

students were given the endings that were practiced in whole group, the higher level students

were given the -op and -ug endings which were a bit more of a challenge, and the mid-level

students were given -an and –ug endings (one from each category of difficulty). The promethean

board was erased before students wrote down their examples; so, even the lower level students

needed to be able to recall words with the endings they were given. This lesson allowed students

both the scaffolding and challenge they needed to succeed.

Reflection on Theory and Practice

One of the most important things that a teacher can do is to help students succeed at an

individual level. As Adrienne Robinson pointed out, it is much “more than differentiated

instruction. It’s personalized instruction. We teach people, not curriculum” (Robinson, 2018,

para. 6). In other words, the focus needs to be on the individual needs of each student, not just

adhereing to the generic curriculum. When teachers start centering their instruction methods on

individual needs they allow each student the ability to thrive in their learning environment.

Most teachers realize that “not all of your students grasp a subject in the same way or

share the same level of ability” (Osae, 2018, para. 1). For some students, they can look at a

problem once and immediately know the solution. For others, it may take two or three different

techniques to figure out the same problem. Students that grasps concepts quickly tend to get

bored easily if not continually challenged. An example of how important this is was shown

when a student wrote me a letter that simply stated, “I love you Mrs. Erickson. I like when you
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gave me hard home work.” For this student, the single most important thing I accomplished

while teaching him was giving him a challenge. Similarly, students that are struggling also need

scaffolding in most lessons so that they don’t get frusterated and feel overwhelemed. Larry

Ferlazzo explained what “differentiation really is: highly effective teaching, which is comlex and

interwoven; no one element defining it” (Ferlazzo, 2018, para. 8).

Although differentied instruction within the classroom has only been a fairly recent

addition, the Bible clearly shows that individualized instruction has been around for thousands of

years. In Hebrews 1:1 (NIV) it states, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the

prophets at many times and in various ways…” This demonstrates God’s understanding that not

all people can be reached and taught in the same way. Some people hear something and follow

instructions (like Abraham in Genesis) while others need physical evidence (like Pharoah in

Exodus) in order to grasp a message. Jesus also used differentiation by orally teaching to those

that could not read, and talking in parables that were easy to understand. As a Christian educator

it is important to follow this example and ensure that students never leave the classroom feeling

confused or unchallenged. By differentiating instruction, all students are able to thrive and grow

where they are at.

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References

Ferlazzo, L. (2018, February 12). 'Stop Hiding Behind the Factory Model of Teaching': Rick
Wormeli on Differentiation. Retrieved from Education Week Teacher:
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2018/02/stop_hiding
_behind_the_factory_model_of_teaching_rick_wormeli_on_differentiation.html

Osae, C. (2018, March 7). Using distinguished instruction in the classroom. Retrieved from The
New Times: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/229136/

Robinson, A. (2018, March 8). The ‘Truths’ My Teachers Told Me. Retrieved from The Jewish
Link: https://www.jewishlinkbwc.com/index.php/features/9875-the-truths-my-teachers-
told-me