Enrichment Clusters by Joseph S. Renzulli

Author:Joseph S. Renzulli
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Another type of quilt displayed was a memory quilt made by students in a previous cluster as a birthday gift for the facilitator. She told the story of each patch and invited students to touch and examine the quilts, eliciting a discussion on colors, patterns, and fabrics found in each, as well as their construction. She then drew students’ attention to the three previously mentioned books and went over the many aspects of quilting. She gave students ample time to page through the books, comment on what interested them, and begin to jot down ideas about possible products, outlets, and audiences for their work. She spent time brainstorming possible topics for historical investigations with the students, and together they developed the following concept web that became a bulletin board display (see Figure 4.4).

Once this web was created, the facilitator surveyed students to see which aspect of quilting interested them. Some students were more interested in the historical aspects of quilting rather than the needlework, but participated enthusiastically by researching the historical background for particular segments of the quilts that were under construction. The teacher discovered that one student was particularly interested in her own family history and decided to express this history through an original quilt. Several other students were interested in the scientific preservation of quilts and old fabric. This led the teacher to contact a museum employee, who led them to find another person knowledgeable in the preservation of fabrics. One thing about enrichment clusters is that the teacher-as-facilitator follows interest-based leads. This guide-on-the-side role is very different from the traditional teacher role as a disseminator of information.

The teacher asked students to gather in small interest groups and come up with a list of ideas and resources for quilts, and to discuss the research they would need to do in order to make their quilts “tell a story.” The teacher also built into the cluster planning and organizational skills by asking each group or individual to complete a Type III Enrichment Management Plan. This plan helped students to focus goals and explore products, outlets, and audiences for their quilting activities. Using a Type III management plan helps students and their facilitators specify the content, resources, methods, and steps they need to take to successfully develop their products and services, including planning for sharing with authentic audiences. The management plan helps to break down what might at the onset seem like an overwhelming project into doable steps, by dividing it into parts and sequencing the steps to completing each part. One group wanted to make baby quilts to donate to a local homeless shelter, and another decided to do a history of their town. The teacher arranged to have a group of ladies from a neighborhood quilting bee teach students some basic skills necessary to get started on their own work.

The teacher also helped to guide students in planning their activities, finding the necessary resources, and gaining the skills needed to complete their projects. The student interested in her

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