A Forum on Differentiated Instruction in the Brookline Schools

Jennifer Fischer-Mueller, Amy Martin, Andrew Cook and Amy Keefe

7-9PM Monday 15 March

Edward Devotion School Library

345 Harvard Street, Brookline, Massachusetts

One of the most promising movements in elementary education today is that of ``differentiated instruction.'' Our forum will provide a background on differentiated instruction with an emphasis on practical aspects of implementation and what has and will be done in our Brookline Schools. We hope that you will join us.

The following is a definition of Differentiated Instruction (DI) by Tracey Hall, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist, NCAC: 

       To differentiate instruction is to recognize students varying background knowledge, readiness,
       language, preferences in learning, interests, and to react responsively. Differentiated instruction 
       is a process to approach teaching and learning for students of differing abilities in the same 
       class.  The intent of differentiating instruction is to maximize each student's growth and individual 
       success by meeting each student where he or she is, and assisting in the learning process.
The full text of Dr. Hall's article is available and provides good background for our upcoming forum.

Jennifer Fischer-Mueller is the Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in the Town of Brookline Schools. Amy Martin is the Director of Grants and Innovative Projects and former Gifted and Talented Program Coordinator for the Town of Brookline. Andrew Cook is a social studies teacher at the Heath School in Brookline. Amy Keefe is a second grade teacher at the Devotion School in Brookline.

This event was co-sponsored by the steering committees of CFACT and SPED-PAC.

CFACT stands for Challenge For All Children Today. We support the mission of Brookline schools to "enable all children to reach their full potential." Our members, a group of over 100 families representing all Brookline K-8 schools, are working to help realize this goal. We want all children to benefit from academic challenges suitable for their skill level. We hope to prevent the problems associated with teaching children what they already know.