The teacher is primarily a coordinator of time, space, and activities rather than a provider of information. The aim is to help students become self-reliant learners. Students and teachers collaborate in setting class and individual goals. Students work in a variety of group configurations, as well as independently. Flexible grouping is evident.
Time is used flexibly in the sense that pacing is varied based on student needs.
Students often have choices about topics they wish to study, ways they want to work, and how they want to demonstrate their learning. The teacher uses a variety of instructional strategies to help target instruction to student needs. Students are assessed in multiple ways, and each student's progress is measured at least in part from where that student begins. The ultimate reward in differentiation is twofold. Successful learning occurs for students who have previously gone underchallenged or overchallenged.