The Balancing Act: Effectively Meeting the Needs of ALL Students and Teachers

In a school with a young principal and a relatively new teaching staff, this case explores differentiated instruction from the point of view of a teacher in an elementary classroom. How do we make differentiated instruction work for all students in a class? How do teaches manage differentiation effectively.

Discussion Questions

1. How do we best meet the needs of all learners?

2. How do teachers balance the needs of individual student learners with the demands of curriculum/standards/testing and accountability?

3. What can Alexis do to better support her teachers throughout the day, in order to allow them more personal time?