Ch. 1: An Essential Partnership

Throughout this chapter Tomlinson and McTighe emphasize the fact of diversity. We must adapt our curriculum to match the abilities of all our students. First, we have four questions that we need to focus on while creating a curriculum for each class and then carry it out by adapting it and using it. These questions include (1) who are we teaching, (2) where we are teaching, (3) what we are teaching and (4) how are we teaching it. In coming to these questions at a higher level we must know the goals of understanding by design (UbD) and Differentiated Instruction (DI). DI and UbD work together to create a better way of learning. Their goals include ensuring focus and emphasizes on how we teach by asking “how,” “why,” and “what.” Tomlinson and McTighe emphasize that learning is for everyone, so our curriculum should meet the standards of all our students (disabled, highly advanced, lack of income, lack of English proficiency, etc.). I will keep some of their Axiom’s and scenario’s in mind when I am in my own classroom. As a teacher, I do not want to bore my students, but I do know that everyone learns at a different pace. This chapter illustrated some strategies to keep focus and know that all students understand and are having fun as well as learning.