SEM di Laurel Mountain Elementary School (LME)

Schoolwide Enrichment Model

Laurel Mountain Elementary (LME) is an excellent school that cultivates the individual gifts and talents of each and every child through its unique teaching philosophy and Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM). Focusing on each child's strengths, emphasizing self-esteem, and encouraging independent critical thinking are at the core of this philosophy and are reinforced through SEM, which has been lauded nationwide as the model to develop the best and brightest students. The components of LME's teaching philosophy and SEM are:

Curriculum Enhancement:

Teachers are given the tools and flexibility to enhance their classroom activities. This allows them to focus on each child's individual interests, learning styles, and skill sets. The teachers evaluate the curriculum to ensure it is taught efficiently and without redundancy while continuing to incorporate the elements required by the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

Renzulli Learning System:

A computer-based resource and learning tool designed to put students in touch with engaging, individualized resources, and activities specially chosen for their individual interest areas and learning styles. Renzulli can be used at school and at home year round.

Total Talent Portfolio:

An extensive inventory of your child's academic strengths, talents, and interests that is updated annually and shared with the parent, child, and teachers throughout their education at LME.

Independent Investigative Method (IIM):

A teaching model used in grades K-5 that guides students through the research process by empowering them to combine the required curriculum with vital research skills, choosing from options for integration of state standards, the length of study, and students' grade, skills, and learning styles.

Enrichment Clusters:

Enrichment Clusters provide our students the opportunity to pursue a personal interest in a small group setting and to use them and produce group projects to explore real world applications of the knowledge they are learning in school. Enrichment clusters are non-graded groups of students who share common interests and who come together once a week to explore these interests during a 6-8 week time frame once a year.

E-slots:

When students are not participating in an Enrichment Cluster they are taking part in weekly E-slots (Enrichment Slots). The E-slot is a time when students participate in enrichment activities that range from service projects to student chosen electives to individual research projects based on the students' interests and talents.

Educational Value

The value each child receives from this type of educational environment is two-fold. First, they are receiving a first rate academic experience with the fundamentals stressed as the foundation of their education. Second, they are given a unique opportunity to explore their interests, develop personal identity, advance their knowledge, increase their self-esteem, connect with their community, and gain an understanding of how the world around them works.
The value for the parent is also quite signifi cant. Parents now have a variety of resources and tools to understand and motivate their child. Knowing their child's interests and preferred learning styles provides a wonderful framework to encourage endless learning opportunities together.