GfMT is an individual experience for each student. While the teacher will be supplying the same exercise to all of their students they will be experiencing it in different ways. This is the whole point of the exercise.
Differentiation works in three different ways:
- Each student uses their own imagination and makes different associations while meditating therefore each will have a different, personal experience.
- Each student will be using their already available level of knowledge prior to the exercise and their previous depth of experience with the topic/theme the teacher is covering. They will be ‘seeing’ and ‘using’ as much as they know about the topic already in addition to the outcomes of the new engagement with it . Their depth of experience and level of engagement will be different naturally without any involvement from a teacher.
- After students have meditated and the activities have been set, most work will be done while cooperating with others and most activities are based on community development. While all will appear to work on the same task they will in fact be working at different levels on the same job in hand.
Using GfMT is saving teacher’s time while differentiating for each student equally. This avoids common pitfalls of teaching for middle ability when the top is stretched and bottom is kept at a lower pace. While using deep engagement teachers differentiate for each individual. Students will work on their own level but will at times also jump levels in a single activity simply because the depth of engagement comes from the depth of understanding and perception. Sometimes just from discussions with others students can gain new insights which can dramatically change their level of understanding and their perception of relevance of the academic (or any other) theme in their education and their life. This is not uncommon while using GfMT for learning, especially because students have different awareness in the classroom when personal learning is incorporated. It brings the topic to a different level of relevance and value to students.
All this has dynamic impact on learning.
