PEF Provides Support for Differentiated Instruction

As part of its continued support of professional development for Piedmont teachers, the Piedmont Educational Foundation recently approved a grant request for teacher training differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction applies an approach to teaching and learning with student variance in mind so that students have multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas. It emphasizes starting where students are rather than adopting a standardized approach to teaching which presumes that all learners of a given age or grade are essentially alike.

Differentiated instruction is ‘responsive’ teaching instead of “one-size-fits-all” teaching. The model of differentiated instruction requires teachers to have a flexible approach to teaching. They adjust the curriculum and presentation of information to learners rather than expect students to modify themselves for the curriculum. The teaching theory of differentiated instruction is based on the premise that instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to individual and diverse students in classrooms. Differentiated instruction in math, writing, and other subjects continues to be a priority for district-wide professional development in the Piedmont schools.