Classroom Practice

.Differentiation

  • What can I expect from a Gifted Cluster Classroom?

    Pretesting for curriculum compacting purposes is an essential element in the Gifted Cluster Model. Cluster Classrooms teach the Arizona Common Core Standards while utilizing differentiated instructional strategies to meet the needs of gifted students. Differentiated classrooms allow a gifted student to gain a deeper, broader understanding of the curriculum content. Choice is a vital component of all areas of differentiation.

    Differentiated Curriculum Content
    Students master the grade level standards and then move beyond. The curriculum is accelerated or enriched based on student interests and strengths.

    • High level thinking
    • Problem solving
    • Real life application
    • Interest area exploration
    Differentiated Process
    The gifted cluster classroom puts students in charge of their learning and makes the teacher a facilitator. Students work at a pace that matches their ability, not that of their peers.
    • Curriculum compacting
    • Pre‐testing
    • Tiered activities
    • Alternate assignments
    • Learning contracts
    • Independent study
    • Research skills and projects
    • Inquiry 
    Differentiated Product
    Choice allows gifted students to make decisions about what they learn and how they will show what they know.
    • Technology integration
    • Tiered assessments
    • Projects instead of worksheets or paper/pencil tests
    • Rubrics
    • Self‐assessment
    • Teacher feedback for material beyond the standards 
    Acceleration Options
    • Acceleration means presenting the curriculum content earlier or at a faster pace. Options may include:
    • Accelerating curriculum in the general classroom
    • Attend classrooms at the next grade level for part of the day
    • Placement in honors or advanced content classes