The Clustering Model:Delivering Challenge for Gifted

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The Clustering ModelDelivering Challenge for
Gifted Students

• Dr. Stephen Schroeder-Davis
• Consultant for ISD 623
• Roseville Public Schools
• ssd_at_elkriver.k12.mn.us

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Clustering Defined

• To identify and place the top 5-8 high ability/gt
  students in the same grade level in one class
  with a teacher who likes them, is trained to work
  with them, and devotes proportional class time to
  differentiating for them.
• Rogers, 2002

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Why cluster GT students?

• To provide emotional support for GTs
• To increase the level of challenge for GTs
• To simplify the task of differentiation
• To match trained, supportive teachers with
  students who require differentiation
• To maximize the learning of out-of-level students

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MGTDC Mission Statement

• To provide appropriately challenging instruction
  to gifted students during the regular school day

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What is the research on clustering?

• Clustering promotes
• Increased verbal creativity (LeRose, 1974)
• 60 increase in knowledge and skills (Kulik
  Kulik meta-analysis)
• Positive academic gains (Gentry Owen, 1999)
• Social and emotional benefits (Rogers, 1998)

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What teachers skills are needed?

• Cluster teachers should be able to
• Recognize and nurture gifted students
• Create conditions which challenge them
• Understand and utilize pre-assessments
• Vary pacing, products, and processes
• Utilize readiness, interest, and learning styles
• Adapted from Winebrenner Devlin, 1996

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2005 Gifted and Talented Definition

• These are students whose potential requires
  differentiated and challenging educational
  programs and/or services beyond those provided in
  the general school program.

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2005 Gifted and Talented Definition

• These students are capable of high performance
  when compared to others of similar age,
  experience, and environment, and represent the
  diverse populations of our communities.

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2005 Gifted and Talented Definition

• Students capable of high performance include
  those with demonstrated achievement or potential
  ability in any one or more of the following areas

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2005 Gifted and Talented Definition

• General intellectual
• Specific Academic subjects
• Creativity
• Leadership
• Visual and performing arts
• From the MGTDC (MDE) Advisory Committee

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Compared with other students, gifted learners
often

• Show persistent intellectual curiosity
• Have a wider range of interests
• Have a written and spoken vocabulary that
• is markedly superior in quality and quantity
• Read avidly
• Show insight into complex mathematical problems

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May also

• Observe keenly
• Show social poise
• Get excited about intellectual challenges
• Show an alert and subtle sense of humor
• May be extraordinarily sensitive
• Adapted from When Gifted Kids Dont have All the
  Answers
• by Jim Delisle, Ph.D., Judy Galbraith, M.A.

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Asynchronous Development

• Giftedness is asynchronous development in which
  advanced cognitive abilities and heightened
  intensity combines to create inner experiences
  and awareness that are qualitatively different
  from the norm. This asynchrony increases with
  higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of
  gifted learners renders them particularly
  vulnerable and requires modifications in
  parenting, teaching and counseling in order for
  them to develop optimally. (The Columbus
  Group, 1991)

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Giftedness is asynchronous development, placing
the gifted child out of phase with

• Self
• Age peers
• At level tests, assessments, expectations
• Much of popular culture (The
  Columbus Group, 1991)

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Bright Child/High Ability
Gifted/Highly Gifted Learner

• Knows the answer
• Is interested
• Is attentive
• Has good ideas
• Works hard
• Answers the questions
• Top group
• Listens with interest

• Asks the questions
• Is highly curious
• Is mentally and physically involved
• Has wild, silly ideas
• Plays around, yet tests well
• Discusses in detail elaborates
• Beyond the group
• Shows strong feelings and opinions

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Bright Child/High Ability
Gifted/Highly Gifted Learner

• Learns with ease
• 6-8 repetitions for mastery
• Understands ideas
• Enjoys peers
• Grasps the meaning
• Completes the assignments
• Is receptive

• Already knows
• 1-2 repetitions for mastery
• Constructs abstractions
• Prefers adults
• Draws inferences
• Initiates projects
• Is intense

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Bright Child/High Ability
Gifted/Highly Gifted Learner

• Copies accurately
• Enjoys schools
• Absorbs information
• Technician
• Good memorizer
• Is alert
• Is pleased with own learning
• Enjoys straightforward, sequential presentations

• Creates a new design
• Enjoys learning
• Manipulates information
• Inventor
• Good guesser
• Is keenly observant
• Is highly self critical
  
• Thrives on complexity

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Levels of Giftedness I High Ability Students

• 95 on standardized tests
• Ability Scores of 120-130
• Top 1/3 - 1/4 in a mixed-ability class
• Predominate in most gifted and honors classes
  due to sheer numbers
• May struggle in a rigorous, out-of-level
  curriculum without a work ethic
• Start kindergarten with first grade skills
• Are the bright children described earlier

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Levels of Giftedness II Gifted Students

• 95 on standardized tests
• Ability Scores of 132 - 140
• Top 3 to 8 students in a mixed-ability class
• Second most common student in a gifted program -
  and legitimately qualify
• May be ready for first grade (academically) by
  age 4
• May be the bright children described earlier

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Levels of Giftedness III Highly Gifted Students

• 98 - 99 on standardized tests (ceiling effect)
• Ability Scores of 140 and above
• Top 2 to 3 (may be the only) students in a grade
• Over-qualify for most gifted programs
• May be ready for first grade (academically) by
  age 3
• Most read spontaneously b/4 kindergarten
• Most read simply chapter books by age 5 - 6
• Most intuitively use numbers for all operations
  b/4 kindergarten

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Levels of Giftedness IVProfoundly Gifted

• 99 on standardized tests (ceiling effect)
• May need IEPs and coordinated service
• Top 2 to 3 (may be the only) students in a school
• Over-qualify for most gifted programs
• May be ready for first, second, or third grade
  (academically) by age 3
• Most read spontaneously b/4 kindergarten
• Most read simply chapter books by age 5 - 6
• Most intuitively use numbers for all operations
  b/4 kindergarten
• Majority are at upper high school levels by 4th -
  5th grade
• Have existential concerns (death, justice,
  career) years ahead of age peers

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I.Q. Equivalencies

• High Ability
• Gifted
• Highly Gifted
• Profoundly Gifted

• 120 - 130
• 132 - 140
• 140
• 140 (160 - 180)

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Differentiation Learning and Diversity

• An expanding body of research affirms that
  teaching students with interventions that are
  congruent with the students learning-style
  preferences result in their increased academic
  achievement and more positive attitude toward
  learning.
• Griggs Dunn, 2001

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Differentiation A definition

• Differentiation allows students multiple options
  for taking in information, making sense of ideas,
  and expressing what they have learned. A
  differentiated classroom provides different
  avenues to acquiring content, to processing or
  making sense of ideas, and to developing products
  so that each student can learn effectively.
  (Tomlinson, 2001)

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Differentiation A Survival Strategy

• Increasingly broad spectrum of student needs,
  backgrounds, and learning styles
• Local, state and national standards
• Graduation requirements
• Curriculum requirements (We have so much to
  cover!)
• Local, state and national testing

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What Does It Mean To Differentiate?

• Proactively providing different avenues to
  content, activities (process) and products in
  anticipation of student differences.
• Teacher moves from the provider of information
  to the facilitator of learning.
• Students learn for the sake of learning--tasks
  are satisfying and encourage more complex
  thinking.
• When the classroom environment provides multiple
  avenues to investigate real-world issues
  through challenging and engaging activities.

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Some Principles of a Differentiated Classroom

• All students participate in respectful and
  challenging work.
• Students and teachers are collaborators in
  learning--CHOICES.
• Goals of a differentiated classroom are maximum
  growth and individual success.
• Flexibility is the hallmark of a differentiated
  classroom.
• Adapted from C.A. Tomlinson, 2003

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A Common G/T Vocabulary
Gifted Talented
high aptitude high achievement
nature nurture ability performance
potential environment threshold
accomplishment endowment output asymptote
(Gagne 1995)
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Gifts vs. Talents

• Giftedness refers to measures of potential, of
  untrained natural ability, while talent is
  reserved specifically for indices of achievement,
  of the performance attained as the result of a
  systematic program of training and practice.
• (Gagne 1995)

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• Motivation
• values
• interests
• efforts
• persistence
• work habits

• Temperament/Personality
• self-esteem
• adapaiblity
• Physical attributes
• health/energy

Developmental Process
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PROFILES

• TYPE ONE SUCCESSFUL
• Positive Self Concept
• High Achiever
• Convergent Thinker
• Unaware of Deficiencies

• TYPE TWO CHALLENGING
• Bored and frustrated
• Defensive
• Creative
• Independent

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PROFILES

• TYPE THREE UNDERGROUND
• Unsure
• Wants to Belong Socially
• Quiet to Shy
• Involved Outside of School

• TYPE FOUR DROP OUT
• Resentful and Angry
• Poor Self Concept
• Unaccepted by Adults
• Creative

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PROFILES

• TYPE FIVE DOUBLE LABELED
• Weaknesses
• Hidden Strengths
• Unaccepted
• Frustrated

• TYPE SIX AUTONOMOUS
• Self Confident
• Positive Self Concept
• Appropriate Social Skills
• Independent Learning Skills

George Betts
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Differentiation A definition

• Differentiation allows students multiple options
  for taking in information, making sense of ideas,
  and expressing what they have learned. A
  differentiated classroom provides different
  avenues to acquiring content, to processing or
  making sense of ideas, and to developing products
  so that each student can learn effectively.
  (Tomlinson, 2001)

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DI via Presentation Mode (II)

• Instructional Technology
• Beyond the classroom resources
• Simulations
• Manipulatives
• Exemplars
• Students teaching each other

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DI via Presentation Mode (I)

• Lecture
• Demonstration
• Discussion
• Printed text
• Pictures
• Chalkboard, charts, walls

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Differentiation 3 X 3

• Sources
• Processes
• Products
• 1.Whole-class
• 2. Small-group
• 3. Individual
• 1.Readiness
• 2. Interests
• 3. Information processing
  styles

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Differentiation 3x3 (One)

• 1. Sources
• Layered texts, various web sites, primary
• and secondary research, other formats . . .
• 2. Processes
• Reading, writing, drawing, building,
• verbalizing, other means of processing.
• 3. Products
• Demonstrating learning via web page, report,
• interview, play, drawing, mobile, debate,
• commercial . . .

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Differentiation 3x3 (Two)

• Whole-group
• Demonstration, lecture, base-line information
• 2. Small-group
• Interest, student-selected, teacher assigned,
• random, readiness . . .
• 3. Individual
• For accountability, autonomy, and talent
• development

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Differentiation 3x3 (Three)

• Readiness
• The learners current knowledge,
• understanding, and skill and the teachers
• required scaffolding.
• 2. Interest
• Requires knowledge of each student.
• 3. Learning profile
• The traits and factors (gender, culture,
• wiring) that affect how a student learns.

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Common Understanding of Grading

• Is the final judgment of what a student has
  learned
• Defines students strengths and weaknesses
• Informs parents/guardians of childs learning and
  achievement status
• Determines promotion/detention, honors, awards,
  eligibility and reporting to other institutions
• Guidance to student for future endeavors

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What is a Grade?

• A grade (is)an inadequate report of an
  imprecise judgment of a biased and variable judge
  of the extent to which a student has attained an
  undefined level of mastery of an unknown
  proportion of an indefinite amount of material.
• Paul Dressell, Michigan State University

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Building a Common Terminology

• Grading
• The number or letter reported at the end of a
  period of time as a summary statement of student
  performance.
• The score given on a single test or performance.
• (OConnor, 2002)

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Building a Common Terminology

• Assessment
• Gathering and interpreting information about
  student achievement using a variety of tools and
  technique.
• The act of describing student performance to
  enhance learning
• Feedback from teachers to students to improve
  performance
• OConnor, 2002

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Building a Common Terminology

• Achievement
• The demonstration of newly acquired
  understandings (concepts), knowledge, skills and
  behaviors that are stated in the learning goals
  for a course or unit of study, sometimes referred
  to as the standards

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Common Understanding of Assessment

• Guides instruction
• Guides student learning
• Is done differently to different students
• Is meaningful
• May come at different times for different
  students