Differentiated
Learning

Differentiation is a widely used tool in education that helps students reach their full potential through personalized approaches to learning. How does Grace do it better? That’s simple. Our small size, experienced teachers and whole child approach increase the effectiveness of tailored learning.

Giving Students the Best Possible Learning Experience

Differentiation is taking a proactive approach to teaching. From the use of fidgets and interest centers in our early childhood classrooms to tiered assignments and project-based learning in the upper grades, differentiated instruction can be found in every classroom at Grace. We meet the differences in learning styles, motivations and developmental readiness head on by tailoring how content is presented, where learning takes place and when certain skills should be introduced. Students are not just learning material, they are being taught in a way that allows them to focus on their strengths, resulting in the confidence needed to face new challenges. We understand that our students are unique and so are their learning styles and interests: giving them the tools they need to succeed is the most efficient way to create lifelong learners. Our small class sizes and nurturing environment are the perfect backdrop for the many different strategies involved in differentiating instruction.

“At its most basic level, differentiation consists of the efforts of teachers to respond to variance among learners in the classroom. Whenever a teacher reaches out to an individual or small group to vary his or her teaching in order to create the best learning experience possible, that teacher is differentiating instruction.”

— Carol Ann Tomlinson, Ed. D.
Author of The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners

How We Do It: Differentiation Within the Four Classroom Elements

Content

Tailoring content by giving multiple options for learning new material. Examples include digital libraries with read aloud options, reteach and extension opportunities and buddy readers.

Strategies

Allowing students to approach active learning using different strategies. Examples include providing interest centers on topics, giving hands-on support and offering tiered assignments for children to advance at their own pace.

Tools

Offering varied ways of completing assignments. Examples include allowing students to work alone or in small groups and assigning rubrics so students understand what is expected of them.

Learning Environment

The climate and tone of the classroom. Examples include clear and consistent classroom guidelines and offering some students opportunities for collaborative learning while giving others quiet spaces free from distractions.

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