Consistent learning targets, differentiated activities, and hands-on projects set each learner up for success.
In Jennifer Goldin's middle school math classroom, students are getting ready for their next project, which will involve adding and subtracting fractions. Like every good teacher, Goldin knows that her class includes both students who learned their math basics in elementary school and students who have gaps. Some of her students have a natural affinity for the material, and others need support each step along the way; some of her students are abstract thinkers, whereas others are more concrete. To Goldin and her students, this preparation phase is essential; it sets each learner up for success.
"Check your pre-assessment results," Goldin reminds the class, directing them to examine a pre-test they recently took on fractions. "Which learning targets are emerging for you, and which have you already accomplished?" Students analyze their individual results using a chart that lists the learning targets each test question was designed to assess (see fig. 1 on p. 68).
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