Instruction
The Roxbury Public School District embraces the Differentiated Instruction model. This approach involves the recognition that students have a wide range of needs, and we must ensure that how we teach maximizes individual student learning. Four “non-negotiables” of Differentiated Instruction are:
- High Quality Curriculum: We must give all students access to the essential understandings of the subject area;
- Flexible Grouping: We must be responsive in our arrangement of student groups to each student’s learning readiness, learning profile, and individual interests;
- Ongoing Assessment: We must constantly monitor student learning in order to modify our instruction appropriately;
- Community Building: We must create “an environment of respect and rapport” (2a) so that all students build positive connections with their peers and with the adults in their lives.1
We believe that Differentiated Instruction makes it possible to promote learning for all students, so that each may achieve established and individualized goals. It is a collection of instructionally sound strategies based on student-centered best practices that recognize and respect individual needs. These practices make it possible for teachers to create different pathways that respond to the needs of diverse learners, as well as foster student responsibility, ownership of learning, and independent thinking.
The district meets the needs of students with disabilities through the Department of Special Services.
The district promotes the flourishing of individual gifts and talents through its Enrichment Program.
The district addresses the needs of students who may be struggling with concepts or skills through its In Support of Learning Program.