In this week's' reading, I discovered the QAIT model of learning. This method targets quality of instruction, appropriate instructional level, incentives/rewards, and time students have to learn the material. These four aspects of teaching must all be present in order to have a successful lesson. Then, there was an interesting discussion on ability-grouping vs. heterogeneous grouping. Studies have proven that tracking (between-class ability grouping) is not a successful way to group students. Untracking is the practice of grouping students of all different abilities together, which becomes more difficult to achieve as students reach high school.
Individualizing instruction through differentiation is one way to keep students achieving at high levels in a mixed-ability (untracked) classroom. Peer tutoring, and adult tutoring are two other good methods to help lower-ability students in a mixed-ability classroom.
In reading other students' posts this week, I realized that we all share the need to make at-risk students feel comfortable in our classrooms. I have always heard that students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. I believe this to be even more true in the case of at-risk students.
In my classroom, I create an atmosphere of tolerance. I believe that students can only learn when they have first felt accepted, no matter how different they may be or feel in relation to others in their class. Meeting that need allows my students to feel comfortable enough to open up and have real learning conversations in class, without feeling that their ideas are "less than" someone else's.
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