DI+in+the+1800's+and+2012

A great example of differentiated instruction is the one room school houses that were used in the 1800’s. Children with ages ranging from six to fourteen would be in a school with one room for everyone. Materials were limited for the teacher and because of this the teacher would have to vary her instruction for everyone. So in these schools a teacher would have children learning how to write and others writing poetry and stories.

Although we are not in the 1800’s anymore differentiated instruction nowadays is similar to this way of thinking. Teachers now have children learning at different paces and in different ways. They have many more materials and resources to help them teach all students at different levels. Also, they have one grade level per classroom instead of eight which makes it a lot easier!