My wife and I like to go to productions of the musical Godspell to see how the director will vary the setting, costumes, and dialogue and yet keep the central message of the play. Godspell is a musical that encourages variation.
I wonder how much most classroom teacher encourage variations on the central learning. One English teacher has all of his students write on the same topic for a contrast essay. Another English teacher lets her students select their own topic from a very long list or come up with their own topic for a contrast essay. One social studies teacher has his students answer the questions from the text book chapter. Another teacher has her students find news articles about the topic and react to the news articles. One science teacher hands out a description of “the” project. Another teacher provides a tic-tac-toe board with various projects arranged by learning style.
When we allow students choice, they are more invested in their learning. They have more opportunity to engage themselves through their own interests in their central learning. They think more and they learn more.
How do you encourage variation?
My book, Formative Assessment: Responding to Students, is available through Eye-on-Education.
Education with Technology Harry G. Tuttle 
