One of the biggest mistakes I made as a teacher was over-differentiating assignments to the point that I did not challenge certain students who I knew were capable of more. In one particular year, I implemented a tiered assignment system where students could choose from red, blue, or green tasks, each representing different levels of complexity. The intention was to offer differentiated paths to success based on students’ readiness levels. However, over time, I noticed that some students who were capable of achieving the highest level settled for the middle tier, even though I knew they could handle more advanced work.
By the end of the school year, I felt that I had failed to push some of my students toward their highest academic potential. What I learned from this experience is that while differentiation is important, it must be balanced with high expectations for all students. I now focus on creating differentiated tasks that still challenge every student to reach beyond their comfort zone, incorporating regular feedback and encouragement to help them aspire to the next level of learning.
This experience also taught me the importance of monitoring student progress closely and having conversations about effort, potential, and growth mindset. Differentiation should never mean lowering expectations, and since then, I’ve worked to ensure that all my students are striving for the highest levels of achievement that they are capable of reaching.
High School Geometry
One of the biggest mistakes I made as a teacher was over-differentiating assignments to the point that I did not challenge certain students who I knew were capable of more. In one particular year, I implemented a tiered assignment system where students could choose from red, blue, or green tasks, each representing different levels of complexity. The intention was to offer differentiated paths to success based on students’ readiness levels. However, over time, I noticed that some students who were capable of achieving the highest level settled for the middle tier, even though I knew they could handle more advanced work.
By the end of the school year, I felt that I had failed to push some of my students toward their highest academic potential. What I learned from this experience is that while differentiation is important, it must be balanced with high expectations for all students. I now focus on creating differentiated tasks that still challenge every student to reach beyond their comfort zone, incorporating regular feedback and encouragement to help them aspire to the next level of learning.
This experience also taught me the importance of monitoring student progress closely and having conversations about effort, potential, and growth mindset. Differentiation should never mean lowering expectations, and since then, I’ve worked to ensure that all my students are striving for the highest levels of achievement that they are capable of reaching.
If you are a teacher or an educator, feel free to share some mistakes you have made in the classroom and/or in leadership. Let’s talk.