Reflection

There was so much information in Tomlinson's Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom. It is amazing that the students needs, what the teacher needs to give the student, and how the curriculum fits those needs all connect to each other and work together to create a differentiated classroom. Tomlinson does such a great job at pointing out different ways to differentiate you class and why it is important to do that.
In my classroom, I am so excited to start up morning meetings and establish a classroom community where the students love and respect each other. It is so important to let students know that everyone learns differently and at different speeds. Also, that this doesn't make any students smarter or better than one another, but that it adds to their individuality and uniqueness. Students need to embrace their differences and find out how they learn best. Since learning is a process that will never end through their whole lives, it's best to find out early on how they like to learn and what interests them the most.
Differentiation is key to helping students reach their full potential. This is how you get your students to love coming to school and love learning new things. Being excited to learn and providing fresh new ways and information will keep your students interested and involved. No student should feel like they are not part of the class and or that they are holding the class back from anything. Each student is important and vital to the class running smoothly and going in a positive direction.
In my classroom, I would love to have my students work together to help each other learn. Teamwork is so important to their lives. Working together will help them create friendships and learn how to be a part of community. The essential part of school is to create responsible and educated citizens. That is done through teamwork and positive attitudes. When students can learn to find love and respect for their classmates, it opens up their minds and hearts to find love and respect for those in their community. I feel that this is the only way to truly teach students to not give into prejudice and racism. This is how we build positive, unique, caring, and bright human beings. Elementary education is where it all begins!