#166: Why telling teachers to ‘just differentiate’ is helping nobody (and what we need to do instead) | The Differentiation Series: Part 2

Let me be real with you for a second, the word "differentiation" has a bit of a reputation problem.

For most teachers, hearing it conjures up images of three separate lesson versions, colour-coded ability groups, and a to-do list that never ends. No wonder it sends a shudder up your spine.

But here's the thing: that version of differentiation? It's not what I'm talking about. And it's not what's actually going to help your students, or you.

This is Part 2 of my differentiation series, and today I'm giving you a front seat to what differentiation actually looks like when it's done in a way that's realistic, sustainable, and genuinely effective. We're busting the biggest myths, reframing the whole concept, and I'm walking you through my Differentiation Toolbox, the strategies I actually use to embed adaptive learning into lessons, not on top of them.

If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, I'd recommend starting there, because it sets up the whole behaviour-learning link that makes this episode make sense.

But if you're ready to stop feeling guilty about differentiation and start actually doing it? You're in exactly the right place.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the way we've been taught to differentiate is setting us up to fail — and what to do instead
• The biggest misconceptions teachers have about differentiation (and why they're holding us back)
• What "true differentiation" — or adaptive teaching — actually looks like in practice
• Why differentiation needs to be hardwired into your lesson design, not added on afterwards
• The ladder analogy that reframes scaffolding in the most practical way possible
• The tools inside Claire's Differentiation Toolbox: scaffolding, success criteria, learning maps, starter activities, visible learning, and more
• How one lesson can meet every student at their level — without creating multiple versions of anything
• What's coming up in Part 3 of the series (spoiler: it's all about scaffolding and modelling in detail)

Resources mentioned:

• The Behaviour Club — differentiation training + 50+ Canva scaffold templates: https://www.theunteachables.com.au/tbc

Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!

RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT:

• Shop all resources
• Join The Behaviour Club
• My book! It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management 
• The Low-Level Behaviour Bootcamp
• Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change'

Connect with me:

• Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables
• Check out my website