Justice - Differentiated Instruction

The concept of justice fascinates me. It is a concept, like love, that we begin to form ideas about during our earliest days on the planet. My toddler is very focused on what's fair vs. what's not fair. If I have a glass of chocolate milk, he thinks it's only fair to be given a cup of it as well. The ideas of justice, fairness, and equity play out in various ways in our daily lives. A student may wonder why she didn't make the team or why he didn't get cast in the lead role. A teacher may wonder why another teacher always seems to get the best schedule. I am starting to realize that a lot of our ideas about justice stem from our own concerns about what other people are getting compared to us. Many of us are constantly concerned that other people are getting preferential treatment instead of just keeping the focus on ourselves and what we already have that others may wish they had!

I could go on and on about the philosophical debates regarding Justice, but I would prefer to keep this particular post focused. So I have decided to discuss the Justice card in relation to the educational premise of differentiated instruction.

Differentiated Instruction is based on the idea that all students learn differently (think multiple intelligences and such). Therefore, it is our duty as educators to make sure that we create quality instruction that caters to a variety of learning styles so that we can ensure that all of our students learn. This may mean providing graphic organizers for visual learners or incorporating movement into a lesson for kinesthetic learners. The possibilities are endless. So how does this connect with the energy of the Justice card?

For starters, many educators complain about differentiated instruction. They say, "well, when I was a student, education was on size fits all and if you didn't get it, oh well!" Or, "This is so time-consuming and difficult! Plus how is it fair when in the real world people have to learn to conform and adapt to different situations?"

They don't seem to be listening to what they are saying! One sized fits all isn't fair to the students. It wasn't fair when we were students and it isn't fair now. So when you know better, you should do better. It also doesn't have to be time-consuming or difficult. In fact, many people have a variety of learning intelligences, so by committing to differentiated instruction, you are giving all of your students a better chance at learning more about what you are trying to teach. Isn't that the goal of teaching - to help students learn?

I understand that society wants one-size fits all norms and rules to keep our society running smoothly, but I don't think this is very just considering that we are all individuals who experience very individualized circumstances. So where do we draw the line between holding everyone accountable to the same standards and rules while still acknowledging and dealing with situations on a case by case basis?

I know I am now veering off of the topic of differentiated instruction, but try to bear with me. Think of it this way. We all have classroom rules and procedures that students are expected to follow in order for the classroom to run smoothly and not fall into chaos. But what happens when there are extenuating circumstances that arise? Do you stick to the rule and say "Well, that's the rule, sucks to be you?" Or is there wiggle room for negotiation? I am very interested in your ideas on this topic.

Please feel free to share your ideas about Justice in education and in the classroom. How to you balance being fair to the students as a collective entity and as individuals? Do you apply the same rules for everyone 100% of the time or do you approach things on a case by case basis?Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!

But my final thought on differentiated instruction is this: I think it's only fair that we do our very best to ensure that all of our students have access to the material we are trying to teach, so if it takes creating instruction that meets a variety of learning styles, then I believe that's what we should do. But that's just my opinion. And I feel it's only fair to respect the opinions of others even if they differ from mine.

All my best,

Amy