In my first teaching job interview not that many years ago, a principal asked me, “How will you differentiate in your classroom?”
I’d never formally studied education–my plan was to be hired under a provisional license based on my English degree and then take the required education classes–and had never heard of “differentiate,” so I asked something like, “What does that mean?”
My interviewers exchanged looks and at the end of the interview I was told, “We have had many highly qualified applicants.”
On Thursday this week, after leading a literature discussion, my student teacher said to me, “That’s really hard. I don’t know how to ask the right questions. You’re good at that.”
“Thanks,” I said. “It helps that I’ve taught these stories so many times before.”
The next day a colleague told me that her son, who was in my class a couple years ago, still talks about my class. This was particularly nice to hear because I often fear I don’t challenge my most brilliant students.
“That class was a high point for him,” she said. “He can still recite the poem he learned, the television one. And I remember that when I observed your class back when we all did walk-throughs I was impressed that your discussions included different levels of questions, facts from the story for some students but higher thinking for others. You were able to include everyone at their own level.”
