Differentiation and Engagement in Action

This week, students have really started to look at the beginning of the American Revolution. Students became familiar with the Stamp Act, Quartering Act, and the Townshend Acts through reading and connecting the information to a role that they would play. Some students are loyalists, some are neutralist, and others are radicals. Some roles include Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, the Earl of Effingham, a slave who was a neutralist, and the governor of one of the colonies. They each have a card with their role and what their beliefs and perspectives on issues were. This made students think critically about their position on the Revolution and consider whether they would comply with or rebel against the acts and decisions made by British Parliament.

It was a fun way to look at the American Revolution and the various perspectives involved. Students had to set aside their own beliefs and knowledge and focus only on what was on the card in front of them. It put everyone on a level playing field to some extent. It was certainly a more engaging way to learn about these events that I ever experienced - I had been subjected to a lecture and memorization of the different acts and their dates. For the most part, I would say that they engagement was really there. Students seemed genuinely interested and really considered how their individual would have reacted.

While this post is not lengthy, I got a lot out of the class sessions. I saw how Mr. Scott was thoughtful in handing out the roles. Roles that were more in the middle and unclear about how they may have reacted to the acts were not given to students who may have struggled with the assignment at a more basic level. This ability to differentiate on the spot was nice to see. It also showed me another way to promote engagement on a topic that could be boring to some of the students if it was taught in a different way. It gave me a new idea on how to teach a topic like this.