Does Differential Instruction Undermine Achieving Students?

A new educational buzzword is "Differential Instruction."

This form of pedagogy is defined in the "Fiesta" 2012 edition of the Prince George's Suite magazine.

Before going further, perhaps it should be pointed out to a bimonthly publication that, in the standard American calendar, Fiesta is not a month.

But getting back to the subject at hand, differential instruction is described in the following manner: "After participating in a group lesson, students log into their account and find a passage of text just right for them --- challenging enough but not too difficult."

Efforts to approach each student as an individual rather than as part of a herd are to be commended.

However, the approach may be less than ideal.

For when it comes time for grades and academic assessments or accolades to be distributed, will there be any kind of annotation differentiating an "A" granted for remedial work from an "A" granted for a level of achievement more at the level of talented and gifted?

But then again, it probably doesn't really matter as pretty soon we will all be living in conditions reminiscent of a Mad Max movie anyway.

Ironically, the very same teachers griping that one student should not be concerned if another student put in the same effort for the same grade would be among the first to take to the streets in a rampage if years of service were no longer determined in the calculation of pay levels and benefits.

By Frederick Meekins