Notes from the Trenches:

Implementing the Schoolwide

Enrichment Model:

Katherine Brown – JJ Harris Charter School

Karen Higginbotham – Instructional Services

Grace Staniszewski- Fowler Elementary

Katie Hunter – Cedar Hill Elementary School

Gail Fiddyment – Oglethorpe Ave. Elementary School

• Type I

• Type II

• Type III

• Enrichment Clusters

(Renzulli & Reis, 2008)

Overview

Renzulli Three-Ring Concept of

Giftedness (Renzulli, 1978)

(Renzulli, 1978)

Step 1: Log on to this wall in Padlet.

Step 2: Think of an upcoming unit of study,

specific standard, or topic of interest for your

students. Add the topic to the wall. (Ex.Light

and Sound)

Step 3: Spend 5 minutes brainstorming alone or

with a colleague possible Type I experiences

related to the topic. Add these ideas to the

Padlet wall.

Type I Exploration

• •Process Skill Training

–Creativity

–Critical Thinking

–“How to Learn” Skills

–Research Skills

–Communication Skills

–Twenty-first Century Skills

• Type II Process Skills are Taught

–Within The Regular Classroom

–During Enrichment Clusters

–Type III Projects

–Clubs and Special Programs

Type II Enrichment

Your Very Own Pet!

• Common Core Standards

o Decoding

o Addition and Subtraction with regrouping

• Process Skills

o Technology

o Research

o Critical thinking

ey management

Renzullilearning.com

• Common Core

o Research

o Persuasive Writing

o Historical Figures

• Process Skills

o Creativity

o Technology

o Communication

Google Doodle Contest

Let’s Talk About - The Paradigm

Shift

• Students work to solve a real-world problem in an

area of interest. These projects are long-term

explorations, where students have the opportunity to

act as first-hand inquirers.

• Students use Renzulli Learning to organize their

project and find resources.

• Type III Enrichment Projects are completed by

interested students. These students may or may not be

identified as gifted.

Type III Enrichment

• Immigration Informational Website

• Vets for Pets and People Fundraiser

• Orange Juice, a novel

• Soccer Tournament

• Bully Backpack

• American Girl Explorations

• Litter Patrol

• No Texting and Driving

Previous Type III Enrichment

Projects

Previous Type III Enrichment

Projects, Cont.

Finding Problems Related to Our

Interests

• Problem Finding

• Planning

• Setting Goals

• Note-taking

• Researching facts

• Descriptive Research

• Connecting with a Mentor

• Product Development

• Self- Assessment

Supporting the Type III Process

Questions ?

Then:

Let’s take a

10 Minute Break

• Type I

• Type II

• Type III

• Enrichment Clusters

(Renzulli & Reis, 2008)

Overview

• All activity is directed towards a product or a service.

• Students and teachers select the clusters in which

they will participate.

• Students are grouped across grade levels by interest

areas.

• Clusters should be STUDENT LED!

• Divisions of labor are used to guarantee that all

students are not doing the same thing.

(Renzulli & Reis, 2008)

Enrichment Clusters

Step One: Interest Surveys

• Conduct an Interest Survey with the Students o Renzulli Learning Profiles o Interest Survey o Class Discussions

• Share Interest Survey Results/Information with Staff

Step Two: Cluster Development • Staff members are now ready

to choose their cluster topic. • Each facilitator should

choose one general topic they are interested in offering as a cluster.

• As a faculty, it is important to

have a variety of cluster topics. Developing clusters together can help limit a lot of overlap in cluster topics.

Step Three: Advertisements • Facilitators also create a one slide Power Point

advertisement to share their cluster idea with the students.

• All of the slides are compiled into one overall Power Point Presentation to be shown to the students.

• Students make their choices based on the one slide,

so it is important that the slides are clear, catchy, and exciting!

• Tool belt Divas and Dudes

• Traveling Iron Chefs

• Going for Green!

• Page Turners

• Graffiti Gallery

• You’ve Got Mail

• Shade Brigade

• The Grossology Taskforce

• Let’s Get Fit!

Sample Enrichment

Clusters

Tool Belt Divas and Dudes Do you like to create and build things?

Do you enjoy using different tools and materials?

Would you like to explore the world of hammers,

saws and hard hats?

Then come join our Tool Belt Divas and Dudes

enrichment cluster!

Come venture to a world where NO class has EVER dared

go to before, "The World of Grossology." Grossology is

the science of anything gross. Why do people sneeze?

How do you get sick? Why do people burp? Why does an

owl vomit shortly after it eats?

So...... grab your lab coat, safety goggles, and prepare that

big, beautiful brain for countless experiments where gross

is totally awesome!!! During this adventure we might

explore the totally interesting, exciting, weird, and most

importantly, the gross and disgusting things that human

and animal bodies do!

Step Four: Cluster Choices • As the students watch the Power Point

advertisements, they select which clusters they would like to participate in.

• Students have to choose three to six clusters in which they are interested. o Choice Sheets o Senteo

• Choices are NOT ranked!

Step Five: Tally • As teachers turn in their student’s choice sheets, the

Enrichment Committee tallies up the results for each cluster.

• Each choice is counted and marked on a simple tally sheet. This helps to see if any clusters have a smaller number of interested students.

• If a cluster is small enough, the Committee can go

ahead and place any interested student in that cluster, making the overall placement a little easier.

Step Six: Placement Set-Up • Before any students are actually placed into a

cluster, a little set-up is required. • First, for each student a post-it note is made that

displays their first and last name, gender, and homeroom teacher. The post-it notes are also color-coded by grade level.

• Along with the post-it notes, each cluster is written

on a piece of chart paper and displayed around the room.

Step Seven: Placements

• General Placement • Looking for Hot-Spots

o Gender balance o Grade level representation o Siblings o Potential behavior issues, and o Overall community in the cluster.

Step Eight: Cluster Organization • Rosters in Excel

o Cluster Rosters o Classroom Rosters o Master Rosters (ABC order)

• Nametags

o Student’s name o Homeroom teacher o Cluster o Cluster Location o Color-Coding

Student Name Homeroom Teacher

Cluster Cluster Location

Step Nine: Helpful Information • Helpful Information

o Transition Information o Location Changes o Essential Questions for Enrichment Clusters o Kid-Friendly Essential Questions

• More information is typically handed out

throughout the cluster sessions, but this packet contains information the facilitators might need as clusters get started!

Step Ten: Clusters Start! • Transition Practice • Day One Checklist

o New Students o Safety Patrols and Administrators in the Hallway o Confirm Staffing

• Beginning Activities

o Hook- Type I o Concept Mapping o Essential Questions o Fuzzy Situations

• Student Focus on School, Community,

and World Problems

• School Culture (Teacher-Student,

Student-Student, Teacher-Teacher)

• Positive Parent Feedback

• Survey Data

•

Positive Impacts of SEM

Anticipating Challenges

Possible Challenges

–Teacher anxieties

–Working with students

at different grade levels

–Balance between

student-driven and

teacher-driven

–Ensuring you are

incorporating standards

Suggestions

–Choose a cluster topic that you

are really passionate about which

appeals to multiple ages

–Be open to try something new

–Don’t over plan!

–Find students’ strengths and

have students work in different

roles

–Find ways to incorporate training

and standards into the tasks

students need to complete

Anticipating Challenges

Possible Challenges

–Materials and Supplies

–Behavior Issues

–Transitions

Suggestions

–Look for grant opportunities and

donations from the community

–Find the most appropriate cluster for

students

–Plan carefully for structured transitions

• Enriching Curriculum for all Students (Renzulli & Reis)

• Enrichment Clusters: A Practical Planner (Renzulli, Gentry, Reis)

• The Art of Schoolwide Enrichment: A

Resource Guidebook for Teachers,

Enrichment Specialists, and Principals (Freidman & Webb)

• Opening Doors: The Administrators Guide to

the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (Freidman)

• Looking for Data ins all the right Places: A

Guidebook for Conducting Original Research

with Young Investigators (Starko & Schack)

Resources

Any Questions?