Me and Differentiated Instruction

I've been practicing dancing a traditional dance with another four friends as a part of a culture night in a course for South East Asian teachers. (The course itself is about differentiated instruction for high school mathematics teachers.) Tonight, on our last rehearsal, it structs me that I am forcing my way of learning to my fellow dancers.

Tomorrow night is the culture night and we are still not coordinated well in several moves, especially the last one. I was a bit worried so in the afternoon before the rehearsal I analyzed the song in the last part and I've got the cue to the rhytm and tempo. In the rehearsal, we kept being discoordinated and I became a little bit frustrated. I then asked my 4 partners to practice the last part only, one by one, with me checking if their tempo is correct, starting from the best dancer in our group. When the turn went to the third friend, he could not keep the tempo right and i guess my voice tone betrayed my frustration. I also kept asking him to repeat and he kept saying that it's gonna be okay, he got it and refused to follow me, saying he'll just look at the other's movement as a guidance. Then I became more irritated.

I am sure my 4 friends realized that I was irritated because afterwards I just kept silent and just followed whatever they want to, for some time. In my silence, I calmed myself and suddenly realized that I was forcing them to learn the way I do. I was forcing them to take this thing as serious as I do. FYI, I do not really consider this cultural thing as a serious nor important thing. The problem is, I have spent considerable time on it so why wasted the time and effort? I agree with this: if something is worth doing, then it's worth doing well. I am also the kind of person who want to do my best if I have decided to do something. That is why, although it is not important, I want it to be done well. However, WHAT I'VE DONE IS WRONG in that I should not force them this way, just like I shouldn't force my students to work hard in mathematics.

It reminds me of the term reluctant learners. I have plenty of reluctant learners in my classes and from time to time I have sensed that I have been forcing them to work hard in mathematics. Being also the mentor of one science class of grade 11, I recall how frustrated I am with many reluctant learners there. These students are the better one yet they never want to give their best. Do you know what I've done? All this time, post returning home, I have been forcing them to work hard. I gave homeworks, assignment, extra work, and motivation but I failed. I fail to make them eager learners.

So what does this forcing thing have to do with differentiated instruction? Differentiated instruction is an approach where we take our students' differences into account in our teaching. Yet, what I do is forcing them to learn the way I am, and to do their best. I should have also taken their differences with ME (THE TEACHER) into account in developing lesson plans, not only differences between them (the students). This way, I'll be more happy and patient.

I still haven't done anything practical so far in this course so I'll get back to this differentiated instruction later. One thing I conclude so far, I think I should always consider the differences between me and students, regarding the learning styles, interest, and motivation, not only differences among the students.

I'll write a full reflection on Differentiated Instruction after this course ended.
P.S. I want to apologize to my 4 friends for being upset tonight. Sorry for tonight, guys.. Don't worry, I no longer care about how tomorrow night's performance will fare. Anyway,I am sure we'll do just fine. :)