Cluster Grouping: Best Practices

Cluster Grouping:  Best Practices

A review of the research by Mary Lou Kaminski, Supervisor of Gifted,

 ESC of Lorain County

     According to the research for best practices, the most important concept to remember when decisions are made to cluster gifted students in the regular classroom is to remember the purpose.  The purpose is to allow identified gifted students to receive the appropriate level of learning within the regular classroom  (Teno, K., 2000).

Cluster grouping for gifted students should provide an opportunity for them to be grouped with their intellectual peers and be provided with a curriculum that provides rigor and challenge every day.  Maureen Neihart’s research recognizes that gifted children who spend most of their learning time with age mates who have less ability, interest or drive, find negative ways to cope with the challenges, the isolation, and the frustration.

       A common misconception is to place 2-3 gifted students in each classroom.  The rationale for some teachers and administrators is simply to “share the wealth".   This violates the rules and laws set forth in H.B.282 that protect the learning rights of our gifted students.  Services for Children who are Gifted is specifically outlined under the Ohio Administrative Code 3301-51-15, (2000).  Cluster grouping in the regular classroom is one of the options for instructional Settings and Programs. Research strongly suggests that a group of five to eight identified gifted students, usually those in the top 5% of ability in the grade-level population, should be clustered in the classroom of one teacher who has training in how to teach exceptionally capable students (Winebrenner, S. and Devlin, B., 1996).

      The research of Susan Winebrenner and Barbara Devlin supports the importance of training all staff in compacting and differentiation.  The supervisor of gifted must expect teachers to maintain the integrity of the program. To assure this, the Supervisor should facilitate regular meetings of cluster teachers and provide time for the enrichment specialist to assist the cluster teachers.  The research of Kevin Teno (2000) strongly advocates that the general education teachers work collaboratively with the gifted education specialist to implement the cluster grouping strategy and make daily modifications in curriculum development in order to meet the needs of our most capable students.

    During my 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher, the search for best practices to meet the needs of my students was an on-going challenge.   For years, I researched and attended staff development sessions that I felt could help me to implement the most effective teaching strategies for student learning.  My successes occurred when strong leadership and administrative support facilitated the scheduling and grouping necessary for an effective program.

    As the Supervisor of Gifted, my primary goal is to communicate and support teachers and administrators to understand and implement these strategies effectively.  Teachers cannot be expected to meet the educational challenges of the 21^st Century without training to understand the purpose for clustering.  This is vital to ensure quality education for all students. 

     The overall conclusion drawn from my experience and years of research indicates that gifted students learn best when they are given the opportunity to interact with their intellectual peers at some time during the day.   They should be given a variety of opportunities to learn in ways that fit their learning modalities and learning levels and at the same time provide an environment that does not socially isolate them from their chronological peers.  Average students also benefit from the opportunities that are inherent to this learning environment.   Teachers need training and support in order to implement the best practices effectively and meet the needs of our diverse population of learners.

Works Cited

Identification and Services for Children Who Are Gifted, Ohio Administrative Code

       3301-51-15. January, 2000.

Neihart, Maureen.Psy.D.,  Social Development of Gifted Children: Fact and Fiction.

      Reprinted from Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented Kaleidoscope,

      Winter,2002.

Teno, Kevin M., Cluster Grouping Elementary Gifted Students in the Regular

     Classroom. A Teacher’s Perspective.  Gifted Child Today, 4, January/February 2000

      44-53.

Winebrenner, Susan. & Devlin, Barbara.  Cluster Grouping of Gifted Students:

    How to Provide Full-time Services on a Part-time Budget.  1996.