The Cluster Grouping Handbook - (Free Spirit Professional(r)) 2nd Edition by Dina Brulles & Susan Winebrenner (Paperback)

About the Book

Definitive resource for implementing, sustaining, and evaluating schoolwide cluster grouping, fully revised and expanded.

Book Synopsis

Definitive resource for implementing, sustaining, and evaluating schoolwide cluster grouping, fully revised and expanded.

In today's standards-driven era, how can teachers motivate and challenge gifted students and ensure that all students reach their potential? This book provides a compelling answer: the Schoolwide Cluster Grouping Model. The authors explain how the model differs from grouping practices of the past, and they present a roadmap for implementing, sustaining, and evaluating schoolwide cluster grouping. Readers will find a wealth of teacher-tested classroom strategies along with detailed information on identifying gifted students for clusters, gaining support from parents, and providing ongoing professional development to teachers and other staff. The new edition:

• offers identification and placement guidance for a wide variety of student ages and populations
• directs special attention toward empowering gifted English language learners
• shows teachers how to use the Depth of Knowledge framework to differentiate learning tasks
• offers new ideas for integrating technology into both professional development and student learning

The Cluster Grouping Handbook offers a guide for schools to create a workable, defensible gifted program; to simplify teachers' jobs; and to maximize learning for all students. Digital content includes customizable forms from the book and a PDF presentation; a free PLC/Book Study Guide is also available.

Review Quotes

The Cluster Grouping Handbook is a must-read for anyone working with gifted education! This updated resource provides the necessary tips and tools for any school or district to engage in successful implementation of the Schoolwide Cluster Grouping Model. The authors define SCGM across multiple settings and scenarios, providing step-by-step guidance for both new and experienced coordinators responsible for identification and services for advanced learners. In addition to the many sample forms and reproducibles, this handbook offers language for communication and support with parents and teachers, as well as realistic teaching strategies for differentiation and personalized learning opportunities so all students are challenged.--Michelle Swain, M.Ed., director, gifted and advanced academic services, Round Rock Independent School District

Dedicated teachers work tirelessly to differentiate effectively for the increasingly diverse groups of students in their general education classrooms, but they often lack the expertise and the support it takes to meet the needs of gifted students. In this revised edition of The Cluster Grouping Handbook, Brulles and Winebrenner provide both! Compelling, research-based rationale for the Schoolwide Cluster Grouping Model (SCGM); specific, practical advice for implementing and maintaining high-quality cluster grouping services in a variety of settings; professional learning strategies, including a complete plan for creating a SCGM PLC; model communications with parents and other stakeholders; and much, much more--it's all here! I consider The Cluster Grouping Handbook to be an indispensable guide for all teachers and leaders who care about meeting the needs of gifted learners in the regular classroom, the setting where most gifted students spend the majority of their time and where educators have the greatest opportunity to improve learning for all!--Sally Krisel, director of Innovative and Advanced Programs, Hall County School, Gainesville, Georgia, and past president, National Association for Gifted Children

The book is AWESOME! Brulles and Winebrenner hit another home run with their revised and updated Cluster Grouping Handbook. The structure of the book is well thought out, the content reader friendly, and the reproducible pages cover all the bases for program implementation. It is a practitioner's best friend, a guide for administrators, and a parent's hope for services that make a difference. The inclusive tone of the book also champions equity, excellence, and a commitment to do what's in the best interest of students. This resource is a professional development treasure for the field of gifted education.--Dr. Jaime A. Castellano, professor, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL

About the Author

Dina Brulles, Ph.D., is the gifted program coordinator at Arizona State University and the former director of gifted education at Paradise Valley Unified School District in Arizona. She recently served as NAGC's Governance Secretary and also as the board's school district representative.

Dina received the prestigious 2022 NAGC Ann F. Isaacs Founder's Memorial Award. She was also the recipient of the 2019 and the 2020 NAGC Book of the Year Award (for practitioners), NAGC's inaugural 2014 Gifted Coordinator Award, and the Professional Development Network Award in 2013.

Dina has actively supported and served as a mentor for the Javits Frasier Scholarship Program since 2010. Dr. Brulles' work emphasizes and encourages equitable and inclusive identification practices and programming in gifted education. By sharing her interests and experiences, Dr. Brulles supports others in their efforts to develop all our gifted learners' potential.

Susan Winebrenner, M.S., is a full-time consultant in staff development.

She presents workshops and seminars nationally and internationally, helping educators translate educational research into classroom practice.