How do teachers do it? The most effective educators somehow always find a way to turn on each student's "fascination factor" and jump-start learning. However, what special processes, philosophies, or instructional strategies help them to find these secret "starter-switches"? We should look deeper to find out.
Human beings are naturally interested and curious learners. We seem to learn best under natural conditions that will engage our own "fascination" about particular environments or conditions. Indeed, the article "Reconcilable Differences" points out that "Students will learn best when learning opportunities are natural." In such naturalistic learning the learning process proceeds much on its own without any types of artificial constructs such as lesson plans or instructional strategies. However, this natural environment is not enough to insure that all students will learn. Learning must be carefully planned or structured to ensure that the best natural opportunities will be present for each learner to turn on his or her individual "fascination factor".
Therefore, the teacher has to find some set of methods or techniques that will turn on this "fascination factor". The article, "Mapping a Route to Differentiated Instruction", points out that in order to maximize learning …teachers must develop an alternative approach to instructional planning beyond "covering the text" or "creating activities that students will like." The teacher must continually find alternate methods to help students learn. So, what technique is then most effective?
Differentiation of instruction is just such a technique. It is an attempt at finding this "fascination factor" for every student. Through differentiation, students are invited to learn and affirmed as individuals. Indeed, the article "Invitations to Learn", points out that students "need to feel like: I make a difference in this place." All students want to feel important and capable, and as educators, we should honor this student need. Teachers should find ways to empower students in a variety of ways and it is imperative that they do so. This article further states that a student's feeling of power is extremely important to the learning process. Indeed, for a student to learn effectively, he or she must be able to say "I make choices that contribute to my success."
Differentiation of instruction can provide these choices that will place the learner in a receptive state where their secret fascination factor switch can be engaged. By helping students to choose the best methods to turn on their fascination switch and keep it energized, teachers provide the most effective method for sustained learning. By capitalizing on student's strengths through choice, teachers may place students into an effective learning state of flow. Indeed, from the article, "Teaching Beyond the Book", Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's theory of optimal flow leads to the realization that by utilizing student strengths we are "teaching in a way that takes advantage of student power to energize learning." Energizing learning turns on the "fascination factor" switch for these students.
By this point, students are learning, and perhaps can even sustain accomodation of new knowledge. However, the educators job is not yet complete, for to insure sustained and deep learning, students must be transformed through their learning experiences. Differentiated instruction must provide the types of experiences and learning opportunities that will lead to significant student change. The article, "Reach Them to Teach Them" states this best in that "…transformation is really what teaching is all about." We must find ways to sustain the "fascination factor" to induce positive long-lasting student transformation.
So what does all of this tell us as educators? We have to find the best methods to differentiate instruction to effect positive change in our students and sustain this "fascination factor" for all of them. By teaching through alternative approaches such as differentiation, a teacher will invite all students into a natural situation that empowers them to enter a state of flow inducing a transformation into a new self, thus making a significant difference in their life. It may not be easy, but it is a worthwhile goal. We must all keep searching for secret student "fascination factor" switches and when we find them, turn them up.
