The Bandaid Lesson

A Lesson About Differentiation

For over a decade, I have used this powerful lesson on differentiation to begin each school year. It illustrates the different needs each student has and gives students an understanding as to why equal isn't always fair.

I wish I could give credit to the kindergarten teacher who inspired me to use this lesson in my own classroom. I was scrolling through Pinterest when I stumbled upon a pin with a link about a social-emotional learning lesson, called "The Band-Aid Lesson," and I have been using it ever since. I went back to Pinterest and the world-wide-web to try to find this teacher's post to no avail, but it is a powerful lesson worth sharing.

After having the opportunity to meet my students and get a quick glimpse of their personalities, I teach this lesson. Before the lesson begins, I open five Band-Aids and place them next to my chair. The following are the steps I take to complete the activity.

1. I start by choosing five students who will be good sports and who seem to be good listeners. There are times that I ask for volunteers, but usually, I choose certain behaviors for this activity to make sure it doesn't go astray.

2. I tell the class that we are going to participate in an activity, and then I call on those five students for help. I instruct the rest of the class to perform a short independent task at their desks until I am ready.

3. The six of us step into the hall (leaving the door ajar so as not to leave the rest of the class alone). I make sure they are all comfortable with helping me and then I move on to the directions. At the beginning of the year, students are usually wearing short sleeves and perhaps even shorts, showing a bit of skin. I tell them that I want them to imagine they were on the playground and they got a "boo-boo". The stipulations are that it has to be on showing skin and there can be no repeats...if two students pick the same place for their imaginary boo-boo, one has to change the location. The five students point to their "boo-boos" and I place them in a line - I like to take a student who chooses a 'boo-boo" on their arm or elbow as the first student in line.

4. I explain to these students that I am going to go in and call the class to the carpet and the five will line up next to me. I will be putting bandages on their "boo-boos." I let them know that they just have to go with it once I am leading the activity. I explain that it may seem silly, but that is kind of the point.

5. I walk into the classroom putting on an act of exasperation. I start talking loudly about the playground and how many students got hurt during recess. Plopping down into a chair in front of the carpet (or circle time area), I call the class to the floor. My five helpers line up next to me.

6. While over-acting, I ask the first helper what happened and they tell me they got a "boo-boo" and I ask where...I get the first bandage and place it exactly where helper number one tells me their "boo-boo" is. I tell the helper I am so sorry and that that bandage will make it feel better and protect it from infection. I then move them to the other side of me.

7. I ask the next helper what happened and they tell me where their "boo-boo" is. At this point, I look directly at the location they tell me and I make a big deal that it will be okay and that I am going to put a bandage on them to protect it and help it heal...then demonstratively, I place the Band-Aid where the first helper had their "boo-boo." There are always some scoffs from the carpet, but I shush them and move the second helper to the other side of me...I do this three more times, placing the bandage in the exact place helper number one needed it - acknowledging each "boo-boo" but placing the bandage in the same place as the first helper.

8. The students always find it challenging to not burst out and tell me how wrong I am...I proceed to tell them that I am so happy that I have helped each of the children and they each got a bandage exactly where they needed it and they are all going to be fine. Inevitably, there will be at least one student who is so beside themselves they can't help telling me that something is dreadfully wrong with the situation. Students will try to explain to me how I handled the Band-Aids was ALL WRONG! I put on a show and express that every single student got exactly what they needed - a Band-Aid, and that it was incredibly fair of me to place the bandages in the exact same location. The class will be more than happy to explain that I gave them a bandage, but I put them in the wrong place for four of the students.

You can see where this is going. Every year the students can explain to me that yes, they each needed a Band-Aid, but they each needed them in different places. It wasn't going to help them if they didn't put them in the right location.

AH-HA!!!

Hence the lesson: Every student has different needs.

Johnny may be amazing at reading but struggles in math.

Sammy may be amazing at math but struggles in reading.

Should I give them both reading interventions? No.

At this point, I explain that sometimes a student is having a bad day and they need a little extra TLC. Some students may take medications and need a snack in the middle of class. Some students may need....

This lesson has been such a blessing throughout the years. It doesn't take long for a student to need something different, like extra bathroom breaks and another student complains. I look at them and ask, "Do you remember the Band-Aid lesson?" they respond with a yes and a sense of understanding and they walk away. It works ALL year long!

It is amazing!!!

I hope you have the chance to use this with your class. Please let me know how it works for you!