具体描述
Differentiated instruction (DI) has been shown to maximize both learning and neural development for students of diverse backgrounds and abilities, but to date, DI has been easier to implement in elementary grades than in upper grades. "I have too much content to cover"; "My district requires me to follow a prescribed text"; "I'm good at lecturing"; "I can't see how I would grade all those different assignments"; "I don't know how"; "I thought I was differentiating"--all these are important reasons that high school teachers offer as obstacles to DI implementation.
Solution strategies for those obstacles and others is the focus of this important new teaching guide by Kathie Nunley, originator of the Layered Curriculum™ method for teaching in mixed ability classrooms. Using common sense, wisdom, humor, and the latest brain research, Nunley offers supportive solutions for each problem; examples and scenarios illustrating the solutions in action; and a collection of new ideas for teachers to try as they begin differentiating content, process, assignments, and assessments in their classrooms.
This easy-to-navigate guide is sure to be a welcome and timely new resource for high school teachers, curriculum designers, instructional leaders, and pre-service students of secondary methods.
作者简介
目录信息
About the Author
Introduction: I Just Can’t Do That in MY School / Classroom / Situation
Teachers are Creative People
Laugh and the World Laughs with You
So what is differentiated instruction? Obstacle #1: I Long to Return Back to The Good Old Days
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies Obstacle #2: I Thought I Was Differentiating
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies Obstacle #3: I Teach the Way I Was Taught
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #4: I Don’t Know How
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies
The Easiest Road to Differentiation is Student Choice
Add A Second Piece: Accountability
Finish with the Final Piece: Encouraging Higher-Level Thinking
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #5: I Have Too Much Content to Cover
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies
Realize That you Can’t Lecture Fast Enough
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #6: I’m Good at Lecturing
A Description of the Issue
Classrooms May Result in A Power Struggle
Solution Strategies
Perception is Everything
Gain Control by Giving Some of It Up Obstacle #7: I Can’t See How I Would Grade All Those Different Assignments
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies
Setting up a Paper or Electronic Grade Book
Entering Only Unit Grades and Exams
Entering Grades by Sub-Units
Entering Grades by Objectives
Daily or Weekly Grades
Design a Grade Scale by Considering “What’s an A worth?”
And on What Basis Or Criteria Do We Award Points, Marks and Grades?
Design a Grade Scale by Considering “What’s an F worth?”
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #8: I Thought Differentiated Instruction Was for Elementary Schools
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #9: I Subscribe to Ability Grouping
A Description of the Issue
Segregation Within the Classroom
Preparing Global Thinkers
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #10: I Have Real Logistical Issues
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies & Practice Assignments for Overcoming These Obstacles
Liability Issues
Scheduling Issues
The Room is Too Small Obstacle #11: I Want My Classroom Under Control
A Description of the Issue
Perception of Control Trumps All
Leadership Style Determines Perception of Control
An Easy Measure of Leadership
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #12: I Don't Know How to Measure My Students' Learning Style
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies
Take a cue from your IEP’s
Provide a Home Base
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle#13: I Have Neither the Time Nor the Funding for All That
A Description of the Time Issue
I Don’t Have the Time to Plan for All That
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle
A Description of the Funding Issue
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #14: I've Been Teaching This Way for Years and It Works
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle#15: There’s No Support For It At My School
A Description of the Issue
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #16: My District Requires Me to Follow a Prescribed Text
A Description of the Issue
Textbook Options Can Create More Effective Readers
A Variety of Reading Materials Keeps Information Updated
A Variety of Texts Makes the Information Available to More Students
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #17: Parents Expect Lecture Format in High School For College Prep
A Description of the Issue
Differentiated Reading Strategies Help Prepare Students for College Learning
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle Obstacle #18: The Bottom Line—If They Are Learning, You Are Teaching
A Description of the Issue
Some Students Struggle with Linguistic Dependent Input and Output
Some Students Struggle with Visual Input and Output
Solution Strategies
Practice Assignments for Overcoming This Obstacle
Suggestions for Further Reading
Layered Curriculum and Other Specific Strategies for Differentiating Instruction
Neuroscience and Learning
Inclusion Strategies
Control Theory and Self Efficacy
Pedagogical Theory
History of the United States School System
Classroom and School Leadership
References
Index
· · · · · · (收起)
读后感
用户评价
这本书的排版和结构设计也值得称赞，它清晰地划分了理论基础、诊断工具和实施策略三个层次。尤其值得一提的是关于“学习区（Zone of Proximal Development, ZPD）”的现代应用部分。作者并没有停留在维果茨基的经典定义上，而是结合了现代神经科学的学习模型，解释了如何通过环境的微调来激活学生的“最近发展区”。我尝试了书中提出的一种“同伴指导小组”的重组策略——它要求学生基于最新的诊断数据而不是固定的学习小组来临时配对，专注于攻克特定知识盲点。这个小小的改变，极大地提高了小组学习的效率，减少了“高手带不动，弱者跟不上”的尴尬局面。它提供了一种动态的、流动性的差异化框架，而不是僵硬的、静态的分层分组。这本书读起来，就像是在进行一次高强度的专业咨询，每翻一页都能找到一个可以直接带回教室并立即见效的小窍门。
这本书简直是为我们这些在高中课堂摸爬滚打的老师们量身定做的“救命稻草”！我记得我刚开始教书那会儿，面对一群年龄、兴趣点、学习能力各不相同的学生，简直是手足无措。这本书给出的策略不是那种空洞的理论，而是实打实、可操作的“战术手册”。比如，它深入剖析了如何根据学生的先备知识设计不同梯度的任务。我特别喜欢它关于形成性评估的章节，它没有仅仅停留在“多做几次测验”的层面，而是提供了大量观察学生行为、解读学生提问的细微技巧。书中举了一个例子，老师如何通过一个简单的课堂讨论环节，迅速判断出哪些学生对概念理解透彻，哪些学生只是在模仿别人的答案，然后立即调整后续的讲解深度，这种即时反馈和调整的艺术，书中描述得淋漓尽致。读完这一部分，我感觉自己手里多了几副“透视镜”，能更清晰地看到每个孩子真实的认知状态，这在传统教学法中是很难实现的。它强调的差异化不是“给不同的孩子不同的作业”，而是一种思维模式的转变，即承认并庆祝每个学生独特的学习路径。
如果非要挑剔这本书的优点，那就是它的深度太大，以至于我需要反复阅读才能完全消化其中的精妙之处。它不仅仅是一本“做什么”的书，更是一本“为什么这么做”的哲学指南。其中关于“成长型思维”（Growth Mindset）与差异化教学如何相互促进的讨论，是我读过的最深刻的论述之一。作者强调，差异化教学本身就是对学生持有“高期望、高支持”态度的外在体现。如果老师相信所有学生都有潜力通过努力达到更高的理解水平，那么设计差异化的学习路径就成为了逻辑上的必然。这本书帮助我从一个仅仅“应对”课堂差异的教师，转变成一个“利用”课堂差异来促进所有学生成长的教育者。它赋予了我一种内在的驱动力，让我不再将学生的差异视为障碍，而是视为丰富教学内容的宝贵资源。这本书的价值，在于它彻底重塑了我对“优质教学”的定义。
这本书的叙事方式非常引人入胜，不像很多教育学著作那样干巴巴地堆砌研究数据。它更像是一场与经验丰富、充满激情的资深教师的深度对话。我特别欣赏作者在阐述复杂教学理论时所采用的类比和场景构建。举个例子，当讲到“为学习设计支架”时，作者用了搭建一座宏伟建筑的过程来比喻，从最初的脚手架，到逐步拆除，直到学生可以独立“屹立”起来。这种画面感极强的描述，让我立刻就能在脑海中构建起实际操作的蓝图。而且，它不回避差异化教学中的难点——时间管理和资源分配。书中有一段坦诚地讨论了“完美差异化”的不切实际性，并提出了“足够好”的实用主义策略，这让作为一线教师的我感到极大的安慰和解脱。它鼓励我们从“做所有事”到“做对关键的事”，这种务实的态度是很多理论书所缺乏的，它真正理解了高中教师日常的压力与局限，并在此基础上提供了切实可行的路径。
我必须承认，起初我对“差异化”这个词有些敬而远之，总觉得那意味着我要准备三套不同的教案，工作量会翻倍。然而，这本书彻底颠覆了我的这种刻板印象。它真正侧重的不是“内容量”的差异，而是“参与深度”和“理解方式”的差异。书中介绍了一种关于“心智模型构建”的方法论，它教我们如何通过引导学生用不同的表述方式（比如口头解释、图示、数学建模）来展示他们对同一个知识点的掌握程度。这对我后来的教学设计产生了革命性的影响。我开始有意识地设计“多模态”的评估活动，结果发现，那些平时在传统笔试中表现不佳的学生，在需要创造性表达的环节中展现出了惊人的洞察力。这本书的精髓在于，它将差异化教学从一个“管理任务”提升为了一个“提升学习质量”的核心理念。它让我意识到，真正差异化的课堂，反而是学生们最能感到被倾听和被尊重的环境。
