Differentiation and the Brain - David A. Sousa

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ways both the school and its classrooms can increasingly reflect a growth mindset.

      1. How comfortable are you with classes that group students by perceived ability?

      2. What evidence in your teaching shows students who were perceived as not smart that they can be quite successful academically as a result of their effort and a teacher’s partnership?

      3. When a student does poorly in class, do you ever attribute it to the student’s home or background?

      4. In what ways do you demonstrate to students that they are in charge of their academic success—that their effort is the key to their success?

      5. How often do you make comments emphasizing being smart versus working hard?

      6. In what ways do you show students that discoveries and insights almost inevitably stem from failures rather than from successes?

      7. To what degree do you see a student’s Ds and Fs as inevitable?

      8. To what degree do you see a student’s straight As as an indicator that the student may not be experiencing appropriate challenge—may not be growing?

      9. How do you share your own failures and persistence with students to ensure they see you as an adult who believes continued effort will win the day?

      10. In what ways do you monitor students’ mindsets and help them set goals and monitor progress to ensure each will develop a growth mindset about learning and success?

      Possible Changes to Consider

      Differentiation and the Brain • © 2011, 2018 Solution Tree Press • SolutionTree.com Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction to download this free reproducible.

      Questions for Teachers About Student Affective Needs, Learning Environment, and Differentiation

      Respond to the following questions. After you finish, review your responses and reflect on whether you should consider making any changes to your instructional approach to meet the affective needs of your students. Building administrators can use this activity at a faculty meeting to discuss the school’s progress toward the goal of meeting students’ affective needs.

      Physiological Needs

      1. Are you alert to needs such as hunger and sleep deprivation?

      2. Do you address those needs for the short term, when appropriate?

      3. Do you work with others to address those needs for the longer term?

      Need for Safety and Security

      4. Are you attuned to student behaviors that might indicate a lack of safety and security at home? Are you prepared to seek competent assistance in working with students who exhibit such behaviors?

      5. Do you persistently model respect for each student in all your actions and comments?

      6. Is it clear that you value diversity in the classroom?

      7. Is the classroom a tease-free, bully-free, disrespect-free zone?

      8. Are there clear classroom rules that emphasize what students should do rather than what they shouldn’t do?

      9. Is humor always positive—that is, no sarcasm?

      10. Are students called on equitably?

      Need for Belonging, Respect, and Affection

      11. Do you greet and otherwise connect with each student every day?

      12. Do students contribute to developing classroom rules and routines?

      13. Do you take time to briefly share your experiences?

      14. Do you give students time to share their experiences?

      15. Do students listen to you and to one another, and do you listen to students?

      16. Do students have regular opportunities to collaborate in the classroom?

      17. Do you help students learn how to collaborate effectively?

      18. Does each student feel he or she has peers who are partners in learning who support one another’s success?

      19. Are problems dealt with respectfully and seen as opportunities to learn and grow?

      20. Is everyone expected to contribute to the classroom and effectively supported in doing so?

      21. Do you take time to seek the students’ input on how class is working for them individually and as a group?

      22. Do you seek varied perspectives on topics, issues, and problems?

      Need for Achievement and Esteem

      23. Do you acknowledge and celebrate legitimate student successes?

      24. Do you report student progress and growth as well as achievement?

      25. Do you emphasize competition against oneself rather than competition against one another?

      Possible Changes to Consider

      Differentiation and the Brain • © 2011, 2018 Solution Tree Press • SolutionTree.com Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction to download this free reproducible.

      Reflections on Cognitive Traits of Learners and the Environments That Support Those Traits

      Teachers and administrators should consider whether the environments of their classrooms and schools support the learning traits we now know about (National Research Council, 2000). Building administrators can use this activity at a faculty meeting to discuss the school’s progress toward offering students positive learning environments.

Because we know … Class and school environments should …
Children and young people are active learners Support meaning making versus absorption of content
Learners construct their own meaning and learn what they come to understand Promote active involvement in learning
Students naturally set goals, plan, and revise Call on and continually develop goal-setting, planning, and revision skills
Each student works within a zone or bandwidth of readiness and competence Provide for variance in student readiness
Students grow in readiness as they are supported by others in developing the new competencies they need to move ahead Provide supportive peer and teacher partnerships focused on a particular student’s next steps in growth
Students have different learning predispositions, so they learn in different ways Be flexible enough to emphasize students’ various strengths and work with their various weaknesses
Students of the same age learn on different timetables Be flexible enough to address students’ varied needs for practice
Students develop multiple strategies for solving problems gradually, and with practice and guidance Promote experimenting with solutions and provide plenty of practice time for developing, understanding, selecting, and refining solutions
Students learn best in communities Provide many and varied opportunities for students to work collaboratively and to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to do so
Students learn best with many tools, artifacts, and materials to support their learning

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