Broadcast on January 23, 2021
Doing SEM Virtually
Joseph Renzulli, Laurel Brandon, and Sally Reis
University of Connecticut, Mansfield Public Schools, CT, and University of Connecticut
Doing SEM Virtually Q and A responses.
Description
Joe begins the session with a brief overview of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM), an organizational plan for promoting talent development for all students, and the Enrichment Triad Model, a “brand” of learning that focuses on the ways in which young people learn to investigate and produce creative products like practicing professionals, even if at a more junior level.
Laurel provides a narrative of how she has integrated SEM principles into the remote teaching she is doing and some ideas from a project that teachers in Mansfield, CT, facilitated over the summer, through which they had remote students create projects to make a positive difference in the community. She provides specific examples of digital tools and strategies she has employed that have enriched her primary-grade students’ learning. Laurel has not used Renzulli Learning with her students, so this part will be especially of interest to teachers of primary students and teachers without access to Renzulli Learning.
Sally briefly introduces the Renzulli Learning System and explains its emphasis on the problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking skills that are often neglected in schools today. She explains the Renzulli Learning Profiler, a detailed online questionnaire that allows the Renzulli software to generate a personal profile of each student’s top interests, learning styles, and expression styles, as well as the 40,000 enrichment resources in the Renzulli database that align to specific objectives, skills, or state and Common Core Standards. Finally, she introduces the Wizard Project (Type III). Students who use The Wizard are engaged with in-depth research experiences of real-world problems that offer enrichment, engagement, and accelerated learning. Renzulli Learning’s Enrichment Database offers students their own personalized differentiated resources, as well as highly engaging enrichment opportunities.
About the presenters