What is the School-wide Enrichment Model (SEM)?

The SEM provides enriched learning experiences and higher learning standards for all children through three goals:

• Developing talents in all children
• Providing a broad range of advanced-level enrichment experiences for all students
• Providing advanced follow-up opportunities for young people based on their strengths and interests.

​The SEM focuses on enrichment for all students through high levels of engagement and the use of enjoyable and challenging learning experiences that are constructed around students’ interests, learning styles, and preferred modes of expression.

Types of Enrichment

• Type I Enrichment activities are general exploring experiences to get students interested in a particular topic.
• Type II Enrichment activities provide group training, they let students practice the skills and acquire the knowledge they will need to successfully conduct their own activities
• Type III Enrichment activities are individual or small group investigations of real problems based on students interests and skills with the aim to produce a product for real audiences.

While students will be exposed to all three types of enrichment during their time at MS 890, 6th grade students will engage in mainly Type 1 enrichment, 7th grade in Type II and 8th grade in Type III. 

Overview of Cohort Model

The graphic below shows the types of activities students complete during the period designated as an enrichment cohort. The bulk of the enrichment period in 8th grade is devoted to the completion of the capstone project. 

WHY SEM?

Building Life-long Learners

​Students in SEM programs initiated their own creative products both inside and outside school more often than students who were not in SEM programs. *

Better Results

Research shows that students in SEM programs perform significantly higher in math, science and reading comprehension standardized tests.  *

Changing Mindsets

Students enrolled in a SEM program exhibited positive changes in attitude toward school and learning in general. *

* http://gifted.uconn.edu/schoolwide-enrichment-model/semresearch/

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HOW DOES IT WORK?

Students at MS 890 will take the required academic courses for middle school, including:

• Math 
• Science / STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
• English Language Arts
• Social Studies
• Physical Education
• Language Other Than English (LOTE)
• Computer Science
• Visual and Performing Arts

ENRICHMENT COHORTS

In addition, all students will have a scheduled enrichment cohort. During this time, teachers lead engaging activities within a focus area, developed based on student interest and teacher expertise. Content in the enrichment cluster is deeply connected and aligned to their coursework in the major subject areas through an interdisciplinary approach.

Some possible examples of enrichment clusters include:

• Future engineers
• Urban agriculture
• History through theater
• Food science.

Students work towards a culminating project, or capstone, and will present their findings and at the end of 8th grade to the entire school community.

"The whole process of education should thus be
conceived of as the process of learning to think
through the solution of real problems."

- John Dewey