Students in grades 3-8 who have been identified as Gifted will be placed in clusters based on the area of their identification. Clusters will typically be 4-8 students per classroom. This allows students to be with their intellectual peers as well as age-level peers in their classes.
Collaboration between the classroom teacher and the gifted teacher is more consistent and easier to facilitate when students are clustered.
“When teachers try to meet the diverse learning needs of all students, it becomes extremely difficult to provide adequately for everyone. Often, the highest ability students are expected to “make it on their own.” When a teacher has several gifted students, taking the time to meet their special learning needs seems more realistic. Furthermore, the social and emotional problems that occur when gifted students struggle to understand why they seem so different from their age peers may be avoided. Gifted students will actually remain more humble when they have consistent academic competition.”
In each elementary school, the gifted teacher or specialist will provide a talent development lesson. The purpose of this lesson is to model inquiry, encourage problem solving, and provide students with the opportunity to think critically and creatively.
These lessons will enable students to demonstrate gifted characteristics and to have teachers develop a record of students’ responses. Students will create a work sample during each lesson, which will become a portfolio of work samples that may be used in determining gifted eligibility.
