Hi Indigo,
I agree with the points that you made about singling out students who have differences whether that is the students who need “extra help” or those who need to be challenged. I think it is really important to remember that students who are academically gifted because we tend to learn more in school about how to address the students who need the “extra help.” I liked the point you made about UDL and DI helping us address these students better and to help them be successful. I think the more we learn about UDL and DI, and the more current teachers learn about it, it should continue to get better and we should be able to address these concerns in a more educated manner. Every child we encounter will be different and with every child we spend time with, the more knowledge we will have going forward helping children be successful in the classroom.