Lesson Planning, Differentiation, and Assessment

In my district, all teachers are required to use a template for lesson planning which ensures that all of the learners are exposed to uniformity in the structured lessons regardless of the academic discipline.  Use of the template guarantees standard operating procedures.    My preferred way of working through the design of a lesson plan is to establish parameters by carefully developing goals and objectives that are appropriate; then focusing on the processes and instructional strategies that will make the curriculum interactive with each student, thereby making it work effectively in the classroom setting. Why? The reason is because research has demonstrated that an appropriate combination of strategies must be used under particular circumstances for maximum effectiveness. I have never seen this one strategy fail:  When assessing students, I utilize words that signify brilliance and high achievement externally from the campus environment, and then bestow the honor on each student as mastery of the objectives is demonstrated one-by-one.  I got the idea from witnessing the gratitude and satisfaction that each of the characters from the Wizard of Oz displayed as that special something that was sought was bestowed upon each of them by the Wizard.   I have never seen students react so positively in any instance in my career.  To use complimentary words costs a teacher nothing.  The joy that it brings is priceless.  Differentiation implies that each student will hear the desired compliments when the outcomes are assessed as those that are desired, and sometimes surprisingly beyond the expected.  I have always used it with teens and adult learners, but I am thrilled to see the glee on the faces of those who are in grades PreK-5.