Monday, April 28, 2008

Differentiation of Beliefs?



Differentiation of Beliefs


My first year of teaching, I began my eighth grade physical science class with a question and discussion about what was known to be permanent about the universe. My goal was to help my students realize that change would inevitably be a part of their entire lives just as it is in the universe as a whole. We quickly arrived at a shared axiom that the only thing permanent about the universe is change. From this fundamental principle, we then proceeded to make sense of these changes and use our experiences to construct a system into which we can function. Science was the construct that we used as a type of interpretive medium to gather further knowledge about the physical world. However, the philosophical implications of this discussion continued all throughout this year and by the end of the term led to an important realization for us all. Several students had the insight that even though initial beliefs could differ greatly from one person to another, they are not absolute or permanent, but can also change over time. However, I also realized that a shift in belief could only occur when profound circumstances or prolonged intrinsically supportive experiences produce a need for assimilation within the current structure. Through a course of study and contemplation, one's beliefs will be inevitably influenced, but the degree to which any individual's beliefs may change will be differentiated depending on a large number of personal characteristics.


Since the beginning of this course in differentiated instruction, my beliefs have been influenced by the readings, discussions, and activities. Not only have I gained more knowledge about differentiated instruction, but I have also learned more about myself and how I can find better opportunities to connect with my goals as an educator. It is only through embracing the fluidity, flexibility, uncertainty, and "inter-connectedness" present in all educational relationships that we can proceed to improve our effectiveness in connecting learners with content. By viewing differentiation as a philosophical paradigm shift and not just a set of instructional strategies to improve instruction, one comes to the realization that the learning process serves as the foundation for the most effective forms of education. A heuristic model of potential connections between all portions of the learning web provides an enlightened view of the roles of each part. The phrase "we're all in this together" almost does not do justice to this concept. For not only do the educator, learner, and content play dual roles, they are also in a constant state of flux themselves! Here again, the only permanent aspect of any educational process is that it is constantly changing.


Through the course, one proceeds to understand that not only does differentiated instruction shift the paradigm about instruction, but it also illustrates that even aspects of differentiated instruction are not the absolute answer, but merely a model for understanding how to improve education. As we strive to move our learners and ourselves towards greater meta-cognitive thinking in higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy, we must accept the principle of uncertainty and tentativeness within our own beliefs just as we do within our instruction. Much as in surfing, we often find our "groove" and like to stay in it, but when the wave crashes on the shore, we must paddle back for another one. Change can be difficult unless one is prepared for it. By accepting that our educational "waves" are constantly ebbing and flowing, we can "surf" the educational ocean of knowledge for longer periods of time. We may fall off, but we get back up knowing that each new wave is not only different, but full of possibilities. It may contain the next "eureka" moment in our lives or those of our learning partners. We must embrace it together, stay balanced, keep our heads above water, and enjoy the ride. After all, if every wave was exactly the same, surfing (like teaching) would just not be as much fun...This...I believe.

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