Perhaps one of the most pivotal roles in all of education, and certainly in the differentiated classroom, is that of parents. A teacher who relies on a one-size-fits-all approach has the challenge of explaining to parents why their child is treated the same as all other children. Parents are often given “educationalese” that is perplexing and gives parents barriers that parallel those experienced by their child(ren). For teachers who differentiate, opportunities to engage parents are not only welcome, but are sought out. Parents represent the historian of that child’s life, the primary caregiver, the child’s first and lifelong teacher, and an ally when difficulties arise. Far from fearing parent involvement, we teachers need to find ways to partner with parents so that they do not have to fight to get our attention.
Teachers who differentiate look for ways to include parents or information they provide in development of a student’s learning profile, strengths, or interests. It is not uncommon for teachers to learn valuable information that serve as keys that may unlock certain doors to learning. Perhaps most important, regardless of whether the parent has a child who is recognized as having some kind of exceptionality (such as being gifted, an ELL, or having a disability), there is a common approach to involving and valuing parents.
Carol Ann Tomlinson (2001) emphasizes that teachers who differentiate can take positive steps to prepare the parents of their students, because they may not be completely familiar with this approach (pp. 39-44). Teachers who don’t consider themselves differentiate may find that parents may express frustration with their teaching style if the child has previously been served by a teacher who does differentiate. Above all, a teacher who differentiates views the teacher-parent relationship as one that can be of benefit to the individual growth of students, for which they share a mutual responsibility. If you are a teacher who differentiates, do the parents of your students know that you differentiate? Are there methods you have found helpful to share your approach with parents? What methods have not proved as helpful? You might also consider checking with colleagues to see what their experiences have been.