Seven Principles
for
​Professional Growth

#4: Recognize Individual Differences

The learning environment is acutely sensitive to the individual differences among the learners in it, including their prior knowledge.
  • Students differ in many ways fundamental to learning: prior knowledge, ability, conceptions of learning, learning styles and strategies, interest, motivation, self-efficacy beliefs and emotion; they differ also in socio-environmental terms such as linguistic, cultural and social backgrounds.
  • Prior knowledge - on which students vary substantially - is highly influential for how well each individual learns.
  • Learning environments need the adaptability to reflect these individual and patterned differences in ways that are sustainable both for the individual learners and for the work of the group as a whole. Moving away from "one size fits all" may well be a challenge.

See how Yukon educators
​Recognize Individual Differences!

Click the blue buttons below to see examples of how Yukon educators account for learner differences.
How to support students, especially those considered vulnerable, in developing their abilities to ask for the adaptations and support needed for success.
Amanda Cann and Barb Bergsma
Vanier Catholic Secondary School
How to support students in becoming more engaged with their learning through choice and passion.
Amber Allison
Takhini Elementary School
How to help students know who they are and where they come from in order to re-engage with their learning.
Pat Joe
Individual Learning Centre
How to build a strong new French Immersion program within a dual-track school.

Note: this inquiry focused on fostering a learning network of a team of professionals working on their own inquiries. Professional learning opportunities were offered that developed field-based pedagogical skills, a shared vision, a common vocabulary, a commitment to student literacy learning, and a reliance on sharing practices and resources.
Nicole Doré
Selkirk Elementary School
How to benefit from integrating Education Assistants into a school-based teacher inquiry team, with a focus on literacy in primary French immersion. 

Comment bénéficier d'une intégration des EAs avec une équipe d'enseignants dans le cadre d'une démarche d'enquête centrée sur la littératie avec des élèves d'immersion de niveaux élémentaires.
Pascal St. Laurent et Véronique Boivin
Yukon Education and Selkirk Elementary School
How to effectively use my role as a specialist teacher to engage colleagues in Applied Design, Skills and Technology (ADST). This is two-fold: support student learning needs and interests as 21stcentury learners, and promote ADST to the staff for their professional practice.
Valerie Ireland
Jack Hulland Elementary School
How the principles of 'Show-and-Tell' can help students at all grade levels engage with their learning and build futures together.
Steve Fergusson
École Émilie Tremblay and Hidden Valley Elementary School
How to improve student assessment methods and better communicate this to parents.
Sharon MacCoubrey
Whitehorse Elementary School
How to connect a myriad of secondary school support strategies and services to ensure student success.
Camille Luks and Nicole Cross
Porter Creek Secondary School
How to take a collaborative approach to embedding Yukon First Nations ways of knowing and doing across the curriculum.
Monique Levesque
Selkirk Elementary School