Classroom Elements

Reading about the four classroom elements really helps to put classroom differentiation into perspective.  It helps me to really understand WHY differentiation is important, and how it can be implemented properly.

1. Content refers to what teachers teach and how students gain access to that body of knowledge. The goal of differentiation is to help students focus and build on information, ideas, and skills of what is being taught.
2. Process refers to how a child perceives the information, ideas, and skills that are the center of the lesson. An example of this would be an activity done in class or an assignment given for homework.
3. Product refers to an assessment of what students have come to know, understand and what they are able to do as a result of extended sequence learning. This is the students opportunity to demonstrate what they've learned during the unit, lesson, or throughout the semester. 
4. Learning Environment has to do with the operation and tone of the classroom. Its the rules for the classroom, the physical arrangement of the classroom, guidelines and procedures for management and transition periods, etc. The mood of the classroom is a very important factor in differentiation.

I love learning about how many elements go into differentiation and how they all play an extremely important part in making it a part of your teaching and classroom instruction. I look forward to reading more about these elements and learning about how I can make them my own as I create and develop lessons of my own.