Cluster Plan for GT

The term Cluster Teacher refers to a classroom teacher with identified GT students assigned to his/her classroom.

Qualifications:

Cluster Teachers will have successful teaching experience and be willing to accept training and guidance in gifted education.  Self contained teachers must have 3 successful years of teaching prior to serving the GT students.  Teachers with GT students in their classroom must have completed the 30 hour training by the completion of the first semester.  After initial training is complete, all cluster teachers need to obtain 6 annual hours of update training.

Selection of Cluster Teachers:

The building principal is encouraged to collaborate with the GT Coordinator and GT Specialists to select Campus Cluster Teachers.  The number of Cluster Teachers selected at a given grade level may vary from year to year based on the number of identified students at that grade level.

A minimum of three GT students must be clustered in a classroom.  If there are only four or five students at a grade level, they should be assigned to the same classroom and not split. 

Responsibilities of Campus Cluster Teachers:

1. Cooperation - The Cluster Teacher will maintain a positive and cooperative attitude toward the WISD GT program structure.
2. Students - The Cluster Teacher will strive to meet the unique needs of the GT students by providing an appropriate learning environment through differentiation of content, product, process and/or affective needs of the GT learner.
3. Team Member - The Cluster Teacher will work with the GT specialist to support gifted education.
4. Collaboration - The Cluster Teacher will attend meetings to discuss ideas for differentiating.
5. Training - The Cluster Teacher will attend 6 hours of update training required each year.

Cluster Teachers should be individuals who are willing to meet the challenges of working with gifted children.  Some of their qualities should include an eagerness to:

• Understand and accept the unique attributes and needs of GT students;
• Be intellectually alive and creatively productive;
• Be flexible and open to varying the content, process, and products;
• Be attuned to the child, not just the curriculum;
• Serve as a role model for children;
• Cultivate positive feelings among students and faculty toward G/T programs;
• Structure realistic, solvable problems that are consistent with the student’s interest;
• Utilize divergent questioning strategies;
• Learn the differentiation skills and processes appropriate to the education of gifted children;