The Catalyst Model

Synopsis

The Catalyst Model was created by Mary L. Slade and was founded on the belief that our gifted students are gifted all of the time, and need to be served in all of their classes throughout the school day. This model draws upon the expertise of gifted specialists (consultants) through consultation and collaboration with classroom teachers. Differentiation is offered, based on pre-assessment, through Bloom's Taxonomy. This model builds off of the core curriculum with extensions, enrichment, modified curricula, supplemental programs of study, and acceleration as determined through data and assessment by the gifted specialists and teachers. The cycle for this model is: co-plan, co-teach, reflection and assessment.

The model includes 10 non-negotiable: (1) documentation of consultation activities, (2) low ratio of gifted education specialist to collaborative partners, (3) participation of gifted education specialist with expertise in the field, (4) continuation of support for direct services, (5) flexible pacing, (6) flexible grouping; including pullout, (7) regularly scheduled planning time, (8) voluntary participation in problem solving, (9) staff development, and (10) administrative support.

Figure: Bloom's Taxonomy

What Works for Me

• This is the model that we currently use in my district and in my position as the Chapter 104 Math consultant.
• The ability for a consultant to work with a variety of teachers at a variety of schools contributes to a low budget needed for implementation.
• This model can work within other whole school models. Two of the schools I work at are Expeditionary Learning Schools, while the other two schools take a more traditional, house of core subjects model. The Catalyst Model is effective in both of these settings.
• This model works across multiple subjects 
• The use of data through collaboration is appealing, as responsibility lies with both the consultant and the classroom teacher.
• The use of Bloom's Taxonomy for differentiation is clear and beneficial.

What Doesn't Work for Me

• This model requires that classroom teachers buy into differentiation through daily lessons, which is not always the reality.
• The gifted consultant can be spread too thin within the district.
• Students and families do not always feel that they are in a "special program" and do not always understand that differentiation is happening (a lot of the work done by the consultant is behind the scenes).

Considerations

• Political: School policy would need buy in from teachers and specialists. Families and students would need explicit demonstration of how the Catalyst model is implemented in the district.
• Budgetary: Cost effective for school systems, as gifted specialists can work with multiple teachers (up to 12) across schools within a district. Chapter 104 also allows for reimbursement through the state for the gifted consultants' salaries. 
• State/District Guidelines: Meets Maine State guidelines for Chapter 104, and guidelines for my district. The General Principles for Gifted and Talented Education, as described in the Chapter 104 document, emphasize the need for appropriate challenge and specialized curriculum which can be developed and implemented through the Catalyst Model.
• Population: The entire student population benefits from this model through flexible grouping and differentiation based on data.
• Time: Time is set aside each week for collaboration between gifted specialist and classroom teacher and students' gifted/talented needs are met during regular classroom time.