Differentiation Doesn't Work?!

Education Week published an article online January 6, 2015 and in print January 7, 2015, with the title Differentiation Doesn't Work by James R. Delisle.  He calls differentiation "a failure, a farce, and the ultimate educational joke."

Mr. Delisle means that ALL children cannot have learning needs met simply by differentiating instruction in a general education setting.  Ok, all together now, "DUH!"  Any time we take an "all or nothing approach" to ANY educational innovation, odds are we are going to fail.

Mr. Delisle states that UNLESS we track students into classes of similar abilities, differentiation does not have a chance to work.  Indeed, we would be moving backward if we continued with differentiated instruction in that manner.

As a former 6th grade teacher, I had the opportunity to teach an ability-grouped mathematics classroom of the lowest 5th and 6th grade students from eight classrooms.  Let me tell you, that while these students were certainly all low achieving math students, that is very close to where the similarities ended.  What did I have?  A class of students who had been passed on to the next grade over and over again without having the knowledge or skills to be successful in the next grade level.  How had whole group instruction worked for those students?  A gap existed at some point, and the students fell farther and farther behind.  To add to that, the class had students with learning disabilities, hearing impairments, cognitive impairments, and behavior problems.  Add suspensions, chronic illnesses, ADHD, absenteeism, and learned helplessness.  That was my classroom.

Teaching classes of students tracked by ability is not easy.

Differentiated instruction is not easy.

The truth?  There is no easy answer because teaching is not easy.  It is not a job for the faint of heart.  It is not a job for the lone ranger.

What to do?  Work together. Classroom teachers, specialized staff, administrators, parents, community members, legislators--everyone.  Do the best we can every day with the resources we have.  Don't give up.  Keep trying.