Last month's induction about differentiating instruction was extremely helpful for me, as this is probably the area where I struggle the most. At times, developing new/different/modified versions of the same lesson or assessment can be overwhelming... I have a difficult enough time developing just ONE version!

Drawing on student interests is something I always try to do, but even this seems to sometimes fall flat. I was really inspired by the article discussing new formats and modes of expressing student learning. This trimester my biggest goal has been to offer my students more choice in their products. My 8th graders are currently engaged in autobiography projects, beginning with memoir. Allowing them to choose their topics and express themselves has been soooooo rewarding so far! I've never seen them so invested in their learning. My 7th graders are actually EXCITED about writing essays, because I encouraged them to choose topics, issues, problems that are of concern or interest to them. My next step is to continue to be creative with my planning, and hopefully, set aside enough time in advance to create an actual "real world" application for my students.