Sally Reis - Curriculum Compacting: An Easy Start to Differentiating for High Potential Students

In order to accommodate for the needs of students across so many different levels of academic achievement, many teachers have adopted a variety of within-classroom strategies collectively referred to as differentiated instruction. Differentiation is an attempt to address the variation of learners in the classroom through multiple approaches that modify instruction and curricula to match the individual needs of students (Tomlinson, 2000). Tomlinson (1995) emphasized that, when teachers differentiate the curriculum, they stop acting as dispensers of knowledge and instead serve as organizers of learning opportunities. Differentiation of instruction and curricula suggests that students can be provided with materials and work of varied levels of difficulty with scaffolding, diverse kinds of grouping, and different time schedules (Tomlinson, 2000).

Renzulli (1977a, 1988; Renzulli & Reis, 1997) defined differentiation as encompassing five dimensions: content, process, products, classroom organization and management, and the teachers commitment to change him- or herself into a learner, as well as a teacher. The differentiation of content involves adding more depth to the curriculum by focusing on structures of knowledge, basic principles, functional concepts, and methods of inquiry in particular disciplines. The differentiation of process incorporates the use of various instructional strategies and materials to enhance and motivate various students learning styles. The differentiation of products enhances students communication skills by encouraging them to express themselves in a variety of ways. To differentiate classroom management, teachers can change the physical environment and grouping patterns they use in class and vary the allocation of time and resources for both groups and individuals. Classroom differentiation strategies can also be greatly enhanced by using the Internet in a variety of creative ways. Last, teachers can differentiate themselves by modeling the roles of athletic or drama coaches, stage or production managers, promotional agents, and academic advisers. All these roles differ qualitatively from the role of teacher-as-instructor. Teachers can also inject themselves into the material through artistic modification (Renzulli, 1988), a process that guides teachers in the sharing of direct, indirect, and vicarious experiences related to personal interests, travel experiences, collections, hobbies, and other extracurricular involvements that can enhance content.

Curriculum compacting is a differentiation strategy that incorporates content, process, products, classroom management, and the teachers personal commitment to accommodating individual and small-group differences. This approach can benefit teachers of all grades in most content areas, and it addresses the demand for more challenging learning experiences designed to help all students achieve at high levels and realize their potential.