Modify Work. Keep Rigor.

I've come to realize that students truly learn differently year to year. I'm not talking about every individual student. I am referring to students as a whole. There have been years where I felt so confident before assessments like, "whew, my students got it!". And then there have been years where it did not click, no matter what I did. A few years ago, after teaching and reteaching over and over, I came to a realization that it was not clicking for my students. So I had a frank conversation with my assistant principal telling him not to be alarmed...my classroom would look different going forward. Students would be challenged, but I was solely focused on the meat and potatoes of eighth grade physical science.

I started cutting out things that I had done in the past. Here are a few. No more fluff labs. Labs should be purposeful and not for entertainment. Students should be able to process and explain the purpose of the lab. I strongly feel that teaching science in middle school is about exposure. Exposure to routine, lab procedures, and content. High school provides an opportunity for further exploration and more complex labs. Students are more mature and may appreciate the material before them. So, I started doing more demos with whole group discussion questions imbedded throughout. I did not want to baby my students, but I also realized that I needed to be more hands on with them to implement FREQUENT checks for understanding.

Next, I focused on integrating activities that I knew my students LOVED! I started doing more academic games (Quizlet Live, Kahoot, Gimkit, Blooket, Legends of Learning). I used tools like Peardeck, Plickers, and questions on Google Classroom. I integrated anything that provided instant feedback. This feedback helped me find gaps in learning.

Most importantly, I started doing my own thing! Although I planned collaboratively with my partner teacher, I branched off and we did not do the exact same lessons/activities in class. For some reason, this was an expectation by my principal. It was unrealistic and did not work. Our classrooms were different- demographically, different vibes, etc. I didn't care if we used different classroom activities. I truly cared about my student's understanding. My goal was to reach mastery!

In every classroom teachers meet students who understand the content but struggle with the structure of an assignment. Some feel overwhelmed by long directions while others freeze when they see a full page of questions. This is where thoughtful modifications make a real difference. Changing the path does not mean lowering the bar. It means creating an entry point that matches the student while protecting the integrity of the learning target. The academic goal stays the same, but the route to get there becomes more flexible.

This mindset helps teachers shift away from the idea that challenge only comes from length or volume. Instead it focuses on what the student actually needs in order to show understanding. A shorter assignment can still measure the same skill. A sentence starter can support a struggling writer without reducing the level of thinking. A graphic organizer can help a student organize ideas without removing the rigor of the task. All of these moves keep the content strong while providing a clearer path forward.

Teachers who embrace this approach often find that their classroom feels more inclusive. Students who once shut down begin to participate because the work feels doable. They see success earlier which builds confidence and improves engagement. Small adjustments such as chunking directions, modeling one example, or allowing oral responses can help students reach the same destination as their peers. The goal remains steady for everyone. The path simply adapts to meet students where they are.

When we change the path and keep the goal we send a powerful message. Every student can reach high expectations with the right support. The teacher does not carry the student. Instead the teacher clears the obstacles so the student can walk the path with purpose. This approach honors the diversity of learners in middle school and strengthens the integrity of the content. It also reminds us that equity in the classroom is not about making things easier but about making success possible for every learner.

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