Fair is not the same

“Fair is not everybody getting the same thing… fair is everybody getting what they need to be successful! - Kathleen Kryza

In 2020 the staff at the College were very fortunate to participate in a Professional Development workshop run by renowned international presenter Kathleen Kryza. Kathleen came to the College to work with teachers in developing their awareness of classroom differentiation practices and to enhance their understanding of their own pedagogical pathways.

One phrase that she presented has stuck with many of us since that time. “Fair is not the same”.

Throughout the year teachers spend time getting to know their students as a whole person, their personalities, their emotional and social skills, their academic skills as well as what each student needs to be the best learner they can be. It’s important also for students themselves to know their strengths as well as the areas they need to develop to be the best learners they can be. When students have an understanding of themselves as learners and the strategies and tools they need to implement in order to be successful, they are empowered to want to succeed.

There are many ‘tools for learning’ that students can access to support themselves throughout their learning journey. These tools are very indivualised, what may work for one student may disadvantage another. For example, if a student has difficulty focusing on what the teacher writes on the whiteboard, they may wear glasses to assist with this. If a student who doesn’t require glasses wears them then this will affect the way they see clearly. There are some students who may require movement to allow them to attend during instructional times and will prefer to sit on a wobble chair when learning. For other students who don’t require movement to learn they will be distracted by the wobbling and usually end up on the floor.

When walking into a classroom, be it in the Primary or Secondary School it is wonderful to see students using the tools they need in order to be the best they can be. Standing desks, wobble stools, bean bags, fidgets, glasses, hearing devices, assistive technology, music, posters and worksheets, are all powerful tools in a classroom of diverse learners. It is important for all students to have the understanding that we are all unique and we may learn differently from others. We need to let students know that teachers will not treat them all the same, but they will give them all what they need to be successful.

‘The brain learns best in a supportive, safe environment. We must create a community of learners who respect, value, and learn from the diversity around them. As a student, it’s inspiring to know that your teacher cares about you, but it’s even more powerful to know that every one in the class supports you and your learning.’ - Kathleen Kryza

By Hilary Harvey Director of Learning Enrichment