Chapter Three: What Really Matters In Learning (Content)

Chapter three of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design presented the three-step backwards design process. This process proves to be a guide in how to successfully plan courses,units, and individual lessons. Planning backwards results in more clearly defined goals, more appropriate assessments, and more purposeful teaching. The backwards design process also helps teachers avoid the "twin sins". This will be quite beneficial for me as a teacher because I do not want to obsess over coverage of a text book, and I certainly do not want to become lost in "content overload". Planning activities that hold no clear goal or hold little long-term effectiveness is not going to help my students come away with the essential questions. For my students to be successful, I need to plan ahead with the end in mind, clarify content priorities, and assess students' understanding of the "big picture". Chapter three also clarified that when I plan backwards, stage one should never be differentiated. I need to use the same criteria in judging the response of students' assessments. Finding the practical balance between completely individualized assessments and standardized, "one fits all" measures is crucial. Enduring understandings, essential knowledge, and essential skills should be a steady focus for the majority of my learners, but how the students demonstrate proficiency can be differentiated.