The Schoolwide Enrichment Model: A How-to Guide for Educational Excellence presents an inspirational model for helping students' achieve in today’s schools. Based on years of research, the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) is based on highly successful practices developed for programs for gifted students and promotes "a rising tide lifts all ships" approach to school improvement. This guidebook shows educators step-by-step how to develop their own SEM program based on their own local resources, student population, and faculty. Instead of treating students as simply test numbers in a system, the model helps educators look at student strengths and interests and capitalize on them.
Drs. Renzulli and Reis clearly explain the model’s fundamentals and underlying research and provide information about the model’s school structures, organizational components, and service delivery. They discuss a "repertoire" schoolwide, high-end opportunities as well as methods for engaging and challenging identified gifted students. In addition, this comprehensive resource includes a collection of useful instruments, checklists, charts, taxonomies, assessment tools, forms, and planning guides that are designed to help educators find effective ways to organize, administer, maintain, and evaluate different aspects of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model.
The revised edition contains the following information:
• A six-stage planning process for implementing the SEM
• Discussion of nine key features of successful SEM programs
• Procedures for developing Schoolwide Enrichment Teams
• Tips for developing comprehensive student talent portfolios
• Suggestions for identifying and selecting members of the Talent Pool
• Strategies for assessing student strengths, interests, and talents
• Advice for modifying the curriculum for above average ability students
• Criteria for selecting Type I topics and topic sources
• Guidelines for creating interest development centers
• A comprehensive listing of Type II Enrichment materials
• Procedures for initiating, implementing, and evaluating Type III Enrichment
• Suggestions for conducting a Type III fair
• Tips for establishing a Research Foundation
• Sample evaluation questionnaires, instruments, and forms
• Strategies for creating and implementing enrichment clusters
• Ideas for developing a Five Year Plan for a SEM program
• Action forms for program organization, implementation, and evaluation
• An assortment of teacher training activities
• Sample letters, memos, and announcements for students, parents, and faculty
For more information about the Schoolwide Enrichment Model, visit the
Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development.
To get a principal's perspective on the program, check out
Opening Doors: The Administrator's Guide to the Schoolwide Enrichment Model by Nora Friedman