Cluster Classroom Grouping Model

1. Cluster Classroom Grouping Model

2. What is the Cluster Classroom Grouping Model? • It is a method for providing full-time gifted education services without major budget implications and with the potential to raise achievement for all students. • In this model, all students are purposely placed into classrooms based on their abilities, potential, or achievement.

3. What it means to place students into cluster groups A group of gifted identified students is clustered into a mixed ability classroom with a teacher who is trained to differentiate for gifted students

4. Cluster Grouping Classroom Model allows: • Critical elements of effective gifted programs • Flexible grouping • Differentiation • Continuous progress • Intellectual peer interactions (Program elements identified by Barbara Clark)

5. Gifted Cluster Classrooms – Numbers of classes per grade level Numbers of classes per grade level • 2 - 3 • 4 - 5 • 6 - 8 Number of gifted cluster classrooms needed • 1 • 1 – 2 • 2 – 3

6. Example of Classroom Composition for Cluster Model School(source: The Cluster Grouping Handbook by, Susan Winebrenner, M.S. & Dina Brulles, Ph.D.)

7. Perception that cluster grouping is the same as tracking • NO – In tracking, students are grouped into classrooms with others of similar ability and these students remain together throughout their school years. Curriculum is based on the ability levels of the students in each track. • Clustering students – classes arranged this way have students with a range of abilities. Teachers modify or extend grade level standards according to student needs and abilities. The classroom composition changes each year.

8. ?: Why should gifted students be placed in a cluster group instead of being assigned to all classes? • Gifted Students: • Need to spend time learning with others of like ability to experience challenge and make academic progress • Better understand their learning differences when they are with learning peers • Teachers are more likely to differentiate curriculum when there is a group of gifted students

9. ?: Won’t the creation of a cluster group rob the other classes of academic leadership? • Looking at the earlier slide regarding the distribution chart of students (slide #6) there are either gifted or high achieving students in every class; therefore, all classes have academic leaders • Gifted students do not make the best academic leaders because they make intuitive leaps, and therefore do not always appear to have to work as hard as others • High average students have new opportunities to become academic leaders

10. ?: Can I create small groups of gifted students in all classes? • The desired outcomes of the Cluster Classroom Model become diminished because: • All teachers have the full range of abilities in their classrooms • There is less accountability for teachers to facilitate progress of their gifted learners • Providing teacher training becomes difficult

11. Example of Academic Effects of Cluster Grouping in the area of Math(source: The cluster Grouping Handbook by, Susan Winebrenner, M.S. & Dina Brulles, Ph.D.)

12. Looking at FUSD’s TAG history & Pilot Implementation of the Cluster Classroom Model • Since my employment in this district (2004 to the end of the 2008-2009 school year each elementary school provided a 1 hour/week pull out program for TAG students using teachers hired to teach this class) • Budgetary concerns necessitated the removal of TAG teacher positions at the end of the 2008 – 2009 school year • Starting district wide – In July 2009 representatives from each school were trained to be Differentiation Instruction trainers at each of their schools – this training took place throughout the district during the 2009 – 2010 school year

13. Looking at FUSD’s TAG history & Pilot Implementation of the Cluster Classroom Model (continued) • During the 2009 – 2010 school year, each school in the district scheduled time for the DI trainers to review differentiation instruction strategies that can be used in their classrooms • Starting in the 2009 – 2010 school year and continuing through this year – TAG services will be administered at varying times and ways based on individual elementary school sites: • RTI time • Teachers establishing a routine enrichment time (ex. Thomas Ele.) • Programs such as Master Mind • Teachers using DI strategies more consistently in their classrooms

14. Looking at FUSD’s TAG history & Pilot Implementation of the Cluster Classroom Model (continued) • The Cluster Classroom was a model that I became interested in two years ago and I took the initial training with Dina Brulles Gifted Coordinator of the Paradise Valley School District • Visited the program in Phoenix • Looked for district principals and volunteer teachers to pilot this program- resulting in Marshall, DeMiguel, Cromer, and Knoles • Many teachers participating in this pilot received training on March 2, 2010, May 7, 2010, and May 12, 2010. In addition a few of the teachers went to a DI training institute over the summer

15. Looking at FUSD’s TAG history & Pilot Implementation of the Cluster Classroom Model (continued) • Support and additional training in the 2010 – 2011 school year: • 9/24/10 – workshop on teaching skills that will assist in setting up a thinking- centered classroom for gifted learners (fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration skills) • 10/29/10 – workshop on Independent Project Based Learning • 12/03/10 – workshop on developing common assessments • To be arranged – book study/discussion on DI strategies • Day visit to a cluster classroom in the Phoenix area • SIOP coach support of teachers implementing this pilot All these workshops will be filmed by SIOP coaches assigned and working with the pilot schools and will be placed on the FUSD website so that workshops can be viewed by any interested teacher in the district

16. Measuring the value and success of this program – Concluding Comments • Work in progress with Gretchen Markiewicz, District Professional Development Coordinator : • Working to triangulate data sources • Formative assessments to include – student self evaluation & student work based on AIMS Web • Summative assessment – Spring 2011 AZ State AIMS test • This pilot is truly a unified effort. It is receiving support from: • Career Ladder (funding for visit to valley cluster classrooms) • SIOP Coaches through Sue Pierce’s SIOP Instructional Coaching Program • Technology Dept. will assist me in setting up a district “blog” type of communication between the teachers at these pilot schools

17. Measuring the value and success of this program – Concluding Comments • Professional Development – providing continuing education credit for these teachers to assist them in moving along the pay scale in this district • Professional Development in developing a way to measure the progress of this program • Special Education Dept. as they are working to provide DI strategy support in all classrooms throughout the district – taking federal funds to pay for the DI train the trainer – summer of 2009 and this year using the Inclusion Model • Personally I’m hoping that more elementary schools will sign on to this way of grouping students in the coming years after they see the support that these teachers are getting this year.