PD... It's Not Just For Teachers!

If you've followed this blog for any length of time, there is at least one thing you know for sure... At Austin Elementary, we are passionate about giving learners the opportunity to explore and grow with their interests! That is the foundation of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM).

Aside from fostering those interests and passions, SEM also provides us with a vehicle to strengthen and build reciprocal relationships with our community and local businesses.  This is evidenced by our weekly E-Time visitors from around the community and the countless ways that our learners have made a difference in Coppell (through fundraising, community service projects, etc.).

The next step in strengthening that school/community relationship is inviting our parents and community in to actually partner with us in facilitating enrichment clusters.  Today, our SEM Coordinator (Liz Malone) is doing just that.  Hence the title of this post:  PD... It's Not Just For Teachers!

We are thrilled to have a group of community/parent volunteers going through "SEM Boot Camp" and experiencing the same professional learning as our Austin educators.  Here are just a few things they are exploring-



• What is the difference between E-Time and Enrichment Clusters?
• What is the "WHY" behind our work with SEM?  What "WHY" do they bring to the table in wanting to share their passions/interests with our learners?
• What are the 5 components of a strong Cluster?

By inviting our community to be a part of our professional learning, we hope to further strengthen our commitment to building reciproal relationships with those around us and provide more authentic enrichment experiences for our learners. 

Want to know more about the Schoolwide Enrichment Model at Austin?  Check out our SEM Blog!

Learning Made SEMple