Category: Differentiated Instruction (Fall 2006)

Make sure they have good spaces that include all the physical tools, equipment, books and technologies that they need (or make acquiring these part of the project).

Offer a variety of different tasks so that each student can find where s/he belongs, and enable students to choose their groups, tasks, and spaces. (The fifth boy in my son's group was not a musician, but rather their manager. He gave critical assistance during the recording phase and arranged for them to be interviewed on a youth news site on the Internet.)

Keep adults nearby, but not too close, for facilitation and consultation when the students need help

Make sure they are learning something classical about the subject, i.e. make sure they learn something that relates back to the classics, so that they acquire knowledge and information as they pursue their current interest.

Include the parents, because every parent has something to offer. Find out what expertise and resources reside in the parent body and get parents on board.

Concentrate on interpersonal behavior – middot – so that students focus on respecting one another’s styles and appreciating different types of contributions.

Make logistics part of the process. Encourage them to investigate details, such as budget.

Read Beverly Gribetz's accompanying article here.

Dr. Beverly Gribetz is the principal of Beit Sefer Tehilla (in formation), and previously of the Evelina de Rothschild Secondary School for religious girls in Jerusalem. She is a mentor for the ATID Fellows program and the Lookstein Center Principals program and has also worked as executive director of Rav Adin Steinsalz’s Mekor Chaim Yeshiva High School and as headmistress at the Ramaz School in New York.