ABSTRACT
Many years ago, the authors were classroom teachers, and they spent time working with students, trying to understand their needs. Working with teachers for more than 14 years nationally and internationally, the authors found some who were differentiating to a high degree and some who were just beginning to differentiate. Practicing professionals tested them in their own heterogeneous classrooms. These professionals differentiate on a regular basis. The essential elements include specific classroom management techniques that address the special needs of a differentiated classroom through flexible use of time, space, and student groups; planned use of anchoring activities; a variety of differentiated instructional strategies; and differentiated assessment.
