Chapter 1: UBD and DI: An Essential Partnership

Understanding by Design and Differentiated Instruction are two ways of thinking about teaching that work together to create guidelines and support for teachers who want to insure they reach all their students when they teach. Both models support idea that teachers must be aware and responsive to their students, the learning environment in which they work, the subject matter they are teaching, and the way they deliver the information. By focusing on these four parts, teachers are better able to analyze how their students need to be taught and what they can do to meet students’ needs. UBD/DI is all about making sure all students that walk into a classroom have their personal learning styles and their level of understanding recognized, taught to, and supported. When I step into a classroom, I need to be prepared to adapt my curriculum, lessons, and teaching style so that I can insure that none of my students are left in the dark or lag behind. Everyone learns differently and at different speeds, it is my job to present information in ways that everyone can comprehend and make sure that at the end of the day everyone has a better understanding of the material. UBD/DI will be a cornerstone in my teaching practices. The more I advance my knowledge of UBD/DI and my students’ needs, the more I will be able to advance my students’ knowledge of the material.