Differentiated instruction has always been about providing every learner full opportunity to grow as much as possible academically, intellectually, and socially. A key principle of differentiation is "teaching up" (Tomlinson, 2021, 2022; Tomlinson & Javius, 2012). Teaching up is of particular importance at this moment in education…

The author presented a math task asking all his 3rd graders to find ways to count seven sets of eight donuts, arranged in grids of two-by-four. He hoped this task would lead students toward fluency in single-digit multiplication, albeit in a manner that was inherently personalized learning, with students choosing their own methods to reach an…

With the push toward personalized learning, many districts are finding that teachers are unprepared for a completely new method of teaching. In this article, the authors describe a professional development program from Ottawa Area Intermediate School District in western Michigan called FuturePREP'd. In the program, teachers experience personalized…

In this article, veteran educator Otis Kriegel provides eight questions that teachers can ask themselves as they create or tweak lesson plans. With practical, straightforward advice, Kriegel suggests that teachers be mindful of who their audience is, how much students already know, and what materials they'll need. He also urges teachers to…

Math education consultant Marilyn Burns finds that teachers ask her the same three questions so often she's named them "The Big Three": What can I do with students who finish their math work more quickly?, How can I free up time to work with kids who need extra help?, and How can I differentiate math learning experiences? Burns, who…

Riley asserts that some findings of cognitive science conflict with key principles of personalized learning--that students should control the content of their learning and that they should control the pace of their learning. A personalized approach is in conflict with the cognitive science principle that committing key facts in a discipline to…

In this era of access, personalizing learning means allowing students to choose their own paths through the curriculum. However, the ability to learn what we want, when we want it, and with whomever we want creates a huge push against a system of education steeped in time-and-place learning. Fundamental changes need to happen in schools to provide…

The authors, pioneers in detracking and in shrinking achievement gaps, pose a question: Is it possible to have all students in a large high school successfully complete a challenging curriculum that gives them practice in the habits and skills necessary for success in college? The answer, they say, "is a resounding yes." This article…

What if teachers not only made clear the learning expectations at the start of each unit, but also helped students see where they stand in relation to those expectations? Students would realize what specific skills and understandings they most needed to work on and would clearly see the need for differentiation in the class. Dobbertin describes…

Summit San Jose is part of the Summit Public Schools network, a group of charter schools in California's Bay Area. In 2011, when Summit San Jose first opened its new high school with a cohort of 9th graders, the teachers decided to pilot Khan Academy. At the time, they had piloted their math resources and platform with five classrooms in Los…

In terms of teacher quality, Steele believes the best teachers have reached a stage she terms inspired, and that teachers move progressively through the stages of unaware, aware, and capable until the most reflective teachers finally reach the inspired level. Inspired teachers have a wide repertoire of teaching and class management techniques and…

Article discusses learning stations in the classroom as an aid to individualized instruction. (GB)

An algebra teacher changes the dynamics of her classroom by recognizing the conflict between students wanting the freedom to make their own decisions and teachers wanting to limit that freedom and wanting to control the students. The adoption of self-paced classroom instruction where students had to master each concept before proceeding to the…

Tomlinson and Germundson compare teaching well to playing jazz well. Excellent teaching involves a blend of techniques and theory; expressiveness; syncopation; call and response, and, frequently, improvisation. Weaving in analogies to jazz, the authors delineate four elements of such teaching: curriculum that helps students connect to big ideas,…