Clusters Are Off To A Great Start!
Posted by Sharon LauerThis morning our students experienced the second of six sessions of “clusters” – multi-grade, interest-based classes that are teacher initiated but the outcome of which will be student guided. From Heroes and Villains and Wilderness Survival to Filmmaking and Critiquing and Colonial Chemistry, the paths of these school-wide enrichment sessions will be guided by student research and their subsequent decisions about products and performances. Teachers are there to light the spark and support, but kids are in charge of determining outcomes.
Our clusters program is based on the concept developed by The Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education and Talent Development at UConn, whose summer Confratute program, founded and run by Unquowa grandparents Dr. Joe Renzulli and Dr. Sally Reis, has inspired our cluster work here at Unquowa. Our entire faculty and staff, under the guidance of our deans, have been preparing for and tweaking this program since last spring and are happy to have finally launched it.
I spent the entire hour of this past Friday’s first session popping into clusters and was thrilled to watch the sparks fly. I’m looking forward to seeing the results and know that the clusters mentality will inform practice throughout our school in ways large and small.
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