Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy New Poster: advance or cluster

My son, 9, has the option to take math next fall at the upper elementary school, a different school, where he would be placed in the most advanced fifth grade math class. He would be the only student in fourth grade at his current school to do this. Alternatively, he can stay at his current school, and be clustered with a group of 4 or so other rising fourth graders who are similarly advanced in math. His fourth grade teacher would cover the established curriculum for medium-advanced fifth grade math students. In previous years students have gone to the upper elementary for math, but this is the first time they have tried clustering and teaching these advanced students "in house". We seem to be the only family that's been given a choice of the two options. The school has been terrifically helpful, and both options seem great, but I don't have a good sense of what questions to ask , or criteria to weigh in order to decide between them. Any advice, experience?

Nice List Kcab!

I'm wondering what they actually mean when they say 'cluster'

Do they intend to keep those kids together all day long (If so, try and get him into that base classroom no matter what you decide.)

Will they be made to do the regular 4th grade math in addition to 5th grade math?

Where will they be while the 4th graders are doing their math? When will they get to work with the teacher on 5th grade math - how often and for how long?

How did the school 'identify' the other kids to cluster? Was it something like the MAP test? Can you be shown the scores of the other kids, both in the cluster group and in the upper el group - sometimes they are willing to show the results with the names obscured.

Finally - what is the status of the other subjects. Traveling back and forth can be a hassle, no doubt, but if you are taking babysteps towards a full grade skip, it can be helpful in testing the waters. Some kids need a full skip PLUS an additional year of acceleration in their strong area. It can take a while to see what is what.

Good luck!
Grinity

My warning to be to make sure that the other students are similarly advanced. A cluster only works as a cluster if it's really a cluster. It might help in teacher selection (ie, getting a mathy teacher who's good at differentiation) to put all "advanced" students together, but if the students are working 1,2 and 3 grade levels ahead then they'll most likely all be given work that's one grade ahead.

I was going to say the same. Why were you the only family given the option of subject accelerating to the middle school? That leaves me wondering if your ds is actually more advanced than the others who would be in his cluster were he to stay at the elementary.

Beyond that, looking at the difference in the curriculum btwn the two options and how good the teachers for each option are, as a pp mentioned, would be what would sway me one way or another.