Maslows Hierachy of Needs (Churchill, 2011)

Student Want and Need

Students need teachers who accommodate their own learning style (Gardner,
1999). Therefore needing the curriculum adjusted to suit them, to meet their
priorities, to prepare them for life after school and to allow them to demonstrate
their abilities (Foreman, 2008). When students feel important, valued and
respected they are more likely to form trust, which is an essential element of
being able to share meaningful contributions to content relevant to their lives
(Ennis & McCauley, 2002).

Social capital is an intangible recourse that emerges from social relations and
is an essential element in the advancement of individuals (Plagens, 2011).
Students who have high social capital are more likely to be socially
cooperative, interested in the community, genuinely care and are more likely to
engage in community enhancing behavior.

Students need to experience a sense of belonging with a group (Osterman,
2000). A common trend for disengaged students is that they have lost a sense
of community and connectedness (Chmelynski, 2005). Building community
through respectful and inclusive dialogue is a major tool of learning,
development and growth (Crick, McCombs, Haddon, Broadfoot, & Tew, 2007).
Students find collaboration as extremely valuable in enhancing their learning
experience (Randolph, 2000), which supports the notion that individuals learn
best when working together with others in joint collaboration (Shabani,
Mohamad, & Saman, 2010; Cambourne, 1995; Tovani, 2004). Both Piaget
and Vygotsky agree that social interaction is a vital part of cognitive
development (Woolfolk, A. & Margetts, 2010).

Address Student Wants and Needs
The most effective approach to meeting the wants and needs of such a
diverse social environment is by differentiating the curriculum. To
understand how to differentiate the curriculum one must understand Maslows
Hierarchy of Needs. This will assist in the use of Blooms Taxonomy to
differentiate the curriculum by providing teachers with the understanding of
how to scaffold activities that meet the needs of multiple intellectual
capabilities with the aim of exploring the Zone of Proximal Development
(Shabani et al., 2010). The diversity of knowledge and beliefs about pedagogy
are significantly influenced by personal experiences, beliefs and values about
life and learning, as well as personal beliefs and knowledge of content and
how to teach content (Moje, 1996).







Student centered learning provides opportunity for students to develop a
deeper understanding of content and promotes meaningful learning (Churchill,
2011). Students who find relevance in content and who are able to make a
connection to a real life situation are more likely to have a long-term
engagement with the content. Teachers who practice authentic pedagogy
provide students with the ability to utilize prior knowledge to shape their beliefs
about the world (Splitter, 2009). Teachers who focus on; student learning,
facilitate social interactions, care for students, and insist on respect contribute
significantly to student motivations (Adkins-Coleman, 2010). Motivationally
active participants of their own learning process will have internal locus of
control (Zimmerman, 1989). By giving students choices, power and fun
enhances ownership and internal motivation (Erwin, 2003), intrinsically
motivated students are engaged in their learning (Ryan & Deci, 2010).

Classroom community and culture plays a significant role in shaping the
students attitudes about their own identity and learning (Major, 2009). Students
who are able to develop a social identity with classroom community are more
likely to promote interdependence with the community and behave
cooperatively (Lane, Australian, & Services, 2006). The social constructivism of
knowledge allows students to learn more by building on their prior knowledge
with someone who is comparative to them. Teachers, who respect and get to
know their students, create classroom ambience in which strong relationships
and positive classroom community are formed (Lichtenstein, 2005). When
feedback is combined with effective instructions in classrooms, it can be very
powerful in enhancing learning and achievement (Hattie & Timperley, 2007).
Discussions provide immediate feedback from ones own ideas (Scott, 2009;
Hattie & Timperley, 2007).

Conclusion
As a teacher be, clear, use cues, consistent, interactive and engaging,
organized and have routines, aware of students needs, flexible, encouraging,
able to identify behavioral triggers, aware of group dynamics, respectful
towards students, and able to create a comfortable environment (Babkie,
2006). To conclude teachers need to consider their teaching style and its affect
on student diversity. In my experience I have sculpted and molded my teaching
practice to an interactive, yet assertive style. Promoting a democratic learning
environment in which students have a degree of authority and opinion.
Behavior Management, Structure, and Routine are fundamental if this
approach is to succeed.
Self -
actualization
Self-esteem
Belonging and love
Safety
Physiological needs
Introduction
There is a significant diversity that exists in schools in relation to students and
how they learn. This may be due to the economical class they belong to, the
culture and community surrounding them. This diversity of lifestyle, living
conditions, values, beliefs and life views inevitably leads to the divers learning
styles evident in each classroom. Students are themselves diverse and the
variety of their wants and needs are numerous and detailed (Churchill, 2011).
Curriculum
Differentiation
Teacher
Approach
Learning
Styles
Diversity
Creating
Evaluating
Analysing
Applying
Understanding
Remembering
Students Want and Need
Unknown
Knowledge
Adapted from the Zone of Proximal Development
(Churchill, 2011)
Visual implimentation of curriculum
differentiation (By Author, 2012)
Visual adaptation from the Blooms Taxonomy
(Churchill, 2011)