"There are so few teachers that slow down a unit if they need to do so for the sake of the students’ comprehension of the subject matter, and it’s sad that there aren’t more teachers who practice these great habits." —Maya Z., student
Some students learn faster than others. A student may be more highly motivated, more innately adept, or more interested in the subject at hand. Perhaps he has a stronger background in that subject. In any case, the pace at which he learns is faster than other students.
A responsive classroom allows every student to proceed at a pace that is appropriate for him. For instance, if there is a sequence of skills or concepts that build toward complexity, activities should be designed so each student can march through them at an independent rate. Such a structure requires giving students sufficient feedback at each step to assure mastery before moving on to the next activity. It also requires having sufficient remediation work available at each step for students who don’t master the work immediately.
When a student reaches the end of the series of activities, he can do one of two things. First, he can move on to an enrichment activity with a more sophisticated level of challenge. This might be related to the current topic, or it could involve independent work or work on a long-term project. Another option is for the student to become a Resident Expert by helping others who are struggling.