The following was written in 2005 in the context of the project Strengthening Capacity in Basic Education in Western China.  

5 Balances in Implementing SCI

A variety of tensions inevitably result during any process of change.  Many teachers feel these tensions when implementing SCI because it is very different from traditional ways of teaching.  Teachers must strive to find the right balance between extremes, in order to mediate these tensions and be as effective as possible in the classroom.

Balance 1: Individual and Group

The Issue:

It is easy to think about a class as one clump, and to forget about their differences.  It is a lot harder to keep in mind that each of the students is an individual, with their own