Mastery Learning
There is no one perfect way for teachers to meet the needs of all students all of the time in the classroom. With that said, I feel as though I have found one of the best ways to come close to this ideal classroom model. It is called mastery learning. A mastery learning classroom has students learning the material at their own pace with instructional strategies created by the teacher (click on "8th grade workheets" for examples of what students are working on). When they feel ready, they take a quiz over the material. If they master it, they move on to the next lesson. If they did not master the material, they work with the teacher on additional instruction and retake a new quiz.
Mastery learning does not mean students are being self-taught. I am continuously interacting with one or more students. I have more opportunity to work one-on-one or with small groups. They not only have the opportunity to work with me, they also work with their peers.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. I look forward to working with each one of your children this year.