| Students need to be challenged. Although this | | | | One of the easiest solutions to this is to offer |
| seems like an obvious statement, this is not being | | | | students varying levels of questions. This allows |
| done for many students. Whether it's with a math | | | | students to work up to their fullest potential. |
| worksheet or a spelling test (standard | | | | Maybe a student needs to start with lower level |
| assignments in most classrooms), students | | | | questions until the basics are mastered. Maybe a |
| seldom get a chance to show their skills. Children | | | | student needs to be challenged with multistep |
| in elementary classrooms generally look at these | | | | questions that involve higher level thinking skills. |
| types of assignments in one of three ways: The | | | | Either way a student will be able to work on |
| first student will find it too hard and will not have | | | | specific skills at their own level instead of being |
| the skills to do well. He or she will get frustrated | | | | bored or lost. |
| with either the studying process or the final mark. | | | | I've seen the results of this teaching practice first |
| The second student will do well and can usually do | | | | hand. Students are focused on the lesson as they |
| so without studying. The third student will find it | | | | no longer feel as if the class doesn't match their |
| incredibly easy. He or she will long for more | | | | ability. They can show what they can do instead |
| challenging words or tougher questions. | | | | of what they can't do. Since the lessons are no |
| Imagine being in a high school math class and | | | | longer graded as "excellent" or "average" each |
| being asked what two times three equals. Of | | | | student can focus on specific skills and use |
| course this question would be well below your skill | | | | statements like "I can divide a three digit number |
| level. At the other end of the spectrum, imagine | | | | by a two digit number." |
| being in a grade three class and being asked what | | | | This type of teaching moves towards being |
| the square root of two thousand and seventy | | | | focused on the child rather than lessons, marks or |
| four is. Of course you would have no hope of | | | | averages. The student comes first and as a result |
| answering this question. This is common | | | | they reach their fullest potential. |
| occurrence in any elementary classroom. | | | | |