A teaching makeover improves learning for diverse learners

Abstract

In many primary classrooms, the prospect of addressing standards threatens to rob young children of the joy of learning. Teachers who feel pressed to move students of all backgrounds toward mastery of increasingly complex standards may abandon rich curriculum and move toward isolated “skill drills.” This may be counterproductive. The authors chronicle how several teachers found that by raising the authenticity of curriculum and responsiveness of instruction they were better positioned to meet the needs of their diverse learners, addressing multiple standards in an integrative fashion in the process.