Showcasing LME Talent and Our Awesome Students

This past Friday, our 4th and 5th graders had the opportunity to share their journey in their enrichment clusters.  The Showcase was a fabulous event.  Our students did an amazing job as docents and the quality of their products and services amazed me, as usual.  I would like to thank all of our parents and community members who came to witness the world-class talent we have here at Laurel Mountain.

We had several visitors that morning. We were very excited to welcome our own Superintendent, Dr. Steve Flores, and Dr. Daniel Presley, who is the Chief of Schools and Innovation for RRISD. They toured, talked with our students, asked questions and heard all about what our clusters accomplished.

Dr. Steve Flores and Dr. Daniel Presley from RRISD

We were happy to host Ms. Michele Wetuski and Ms. Jessica Samuel, from Montgomery ISD.  Ms. Wetuski and Ms. Samuel work at Montgomery Intermediate School, which serves all of the 5th grade students in their district.  All of the elementary schools in Montgomery have adopted the Schoolwide Enrichment Model. Ms. Wetuski and Ms. Samuel came to visit Laurel Mountain to see how we have implemented SEM and check out our students' products and services from their enrichment clusters.

Ms. Michele Wetuski and Ms. Jessica Samuel from Montgomery ISD

Over the past year, I have been working with Ms. Mo Greulich from Barton Creek Elementary in Eanes ISD.  We helped them start their enrichment clusters and enrichment slot.   At the Showcase of Friday, we had several visitors from Barton Creek Elementary.   This January, Barton Creek will start their first round of enrichment clusters with all of their 4th and 5th grade students. This is a very exciting step for them and I am happy that Laurel Mountain has been able to guide them on their journey.

Finally, Mr. Corey Ryan, who is the Associative Director of Communications for RRISD, came to visit and do a little filming.  I was so thrilled (and thankful) to see the short video he made of our showcase that was featured on the RRISD Facebook page, the LME Facebook page and the RRISD Homepage.  Our students were excited as well and now feel that they are famous because they were in a movie!

I think the video speaks for itself. It does a fantastic job of showing the excitement and learning that takes place during our enrichment clusters.  But more importantly is showcases the world-class talent that we develop everyday in our classrooms at Laurel Mountain.  Please check out the video and our student "movie stars" below by clicking on the link below:

Laurel Mountain Enrichment Cluster Showcase

It's All About the Journey...

Our 4th and 5th grade students had the last meeting of their enrichment clusters on Friday, December 5th.  As you will read in the summaries below, the students accomplished A LOT!  But at Laurel Mountain, we concentrate on the process, along with the product. We value the journey and the learning that takes place along the journey.  This is how we all learn; by taking risks, problem solving and learning from our mistakes.  And that is part of the wonderful experience for students (and teachers) that takes place during our enrichment clusters.

The 4th and 5th grade Enrichment Cluster Showcase is this Friday, December 12th from 8:30-11:00 am.  Our students will be docents at the displays.  They will share what they learned during their enrichment cluster journey and answer questions.  An invitation (and reminder) was sent home with every 4th and 5th grader with the student's docent time.

A big part of the showcase is for our students to share their products and services with our community.  However, we also want to remember the journey that our students took over the past eight weeks.  We want the students to remember the skills they learned associated with their enrichment cluster and product/service.  But just as important, we want the students to remember they learned how to communicate with each other. They learned how to work with others. They learned how to collaborate with their peers on a product or service. They learned how to solve problems dealing with their enrichment cluster topic. And they learned how to be critical thinkers.

I hope that some students found a true passion in an area of interest, while others may have realized that they are not so interested in a topic  as they originally thought. All in all, these learning experiences in areas of students' interests are unique and valuable at Laurel Mountain.  And these aspects of enrichment clusters and the Schoolwide Enrichment Model are another way that we are able to develop world-class talent.

Summaries of our 4th and 5th grade Enrichment Clusters

LME Pet Troupe 
The “LME Pet Troupe” had a splendid time learning and creating during our eight weeks. We learned about dog grooming, how to care for a dog, and all about dog shows from Mrs. Debbie Bretsch, (LME PE teacher, who breeds and shows English Cocker Spaniels). We got to see the puppies and adult dog and grooming in action! Then we met Rowdy, a golden retriever who is a service dog with the “Austin Dog Alliance”, to learn about service pets and dog training. As an authentic product, we made a book about how to care for a dog that we can give to anyone who wants to get a dog or adopt a dog at our showcase booth. We made fleece dog beds and chew toys that we will donate at the end of our showcase to the “Austin Pets Alive!” The students were passionate about providing an authentic service to our LME community, as well as making products to donate, so we are happy to welcome the “Austin Pets Alive!” animal shelter volunteer, Jessica Powers, and the dog Maribel (who is up for adoption) to our showcase. Folks can learn about the shelter, how Austin is a “no-kill” city, and maybe even form a bond with Maribel to adopt her out! We look forward to sharing tidbits of our learning with you and teaching others about animal adoption with the “Austin Pets Alive!” at the showcase on December 12th.

LME Software Development Institute
The “LME Software Development Institute” has had a fun and productive eight weeks. Since the field of programming is so wide, we kicked things off with a group discussion where we determined student interests. Using that information, we narrowed our focus to developing skills in code.org’s extensive learning studio and Inklewriter. Code.org lets students hear from real software developers while learning coding essentials (procedures, loops), JavaScript, or even developing their own game. Inklewriter is a free, web-based platform that allows students to flex their creativity, logic, and writing skills by developing a “choose your own adventure” style game which can be played on a computer or iPad. A big interest that students expressed was learning how to program games for computers and iPads. So, we were lucky to have Mr. Devon Winegar stop by as a guest speaker. He discussed his experiences with software development and Austin’s important role in the national technology scene. He also highlighted different career opportunities available in the programming field. We hope you enjoy the fruits of their labor at the Enrichment Showcase!

Word Up!
Over the past eight weeks the “Word Up” enrichment cluster has been busy designing, creating and finalizing an issue of the first ever, LME Newspaper! Students collaborated to create The PRIDE Prophet (the title inspired by the LME motto and Harry Potter). Journalists in the “Word Up” designed, edited and finalized the school newspaper to include any variety of informative and entertaining articles. To name a few: Poetry Post, Short Stories, Interviews and What's Happenin' at LME! Be sure to grab a copy of the December edition....there's something for everyone!

Mad Scientist and Crazy Chemists 
Rocket powered skate boards fueled by the chemical reaction between Mentos and coke, creating instant snow out of diaper absorbing materials, Alka-Seltzer pop-top rockets, solar pizza ovens, and so much more. During our time together the “Mad Scientist and Crazy Chemists” enrichment cluster members were able to explore chemistry, electricity, physics, mechanics, engineering and more. Our lab books will allow us to recreate these science experiences for others, sharing our love of science, and knowledge of how it works. We will also be cooking for our families using our solar power pizza box cookers as our weather becomes a little more cooperative. At the showcase, we will be featuring some of our favorite and less dangerous experiments for our classmates. Go science!

Tape It Up!
“Tape It Up!” had a busy and fun eight weeks. We learned various techniques for using duct tape and wahsi tape. The students had to learn how to follow precise directions, use their problem solving and math skills to be able to create different tape projects like wallets, pencils holders, flower pens, notebooks and more. They had a great time getting creative by creating pumpkins which were used at the LME Fall Carnival for decorations. At “Tape It Up!” just give us some scissors and tape and wait to see just what we can create!!

Texas Techies
The Texas Techies have been busy!!! Web sites were generated. Blogs were written. Games were reviewed and even created!! Not only did everyone have fun producing a product, we all felt the frustrations of the technology world and the feeling of satisfaction when we triumphed over technological glitches. Everyone is proud of their work and can hardly wait to show you at our showcase.

Got LEGOs?
In this e-cluster we worked and played with LEGOs the entire time. We discussed architectural designs as we built an outline model of LME using real blue prints of our school. We also learned and made "How to" LEGO books. Groups of students created a LEGO masterpiece and took pictures of each step along the way. Next, we printed and assembled the book. We have how-to books that are simple to extremely complex. Finally, what better way to end our cluster than to simply build, build, build with LEGOs? We created elaborate space crafts, machines, and many contraptions too complex to explain. To answer the question, YES, we have LEGOs!!

To Be or Not to Be
In the enrichment cluster “To Be or Not to Be,” we've had a grand, expressive, creative, over-acting, subtle-expressing, laugh-filled time! We've done creative warm-ups, improvisation, and performing. We've learned vocabulary, being “aware” on the stage, and the importance of staying in character. The kids were visited by senior theater students from Westwood High School who spent the period teaching the ways to prepare (and relax) for a performance, as well as strategies for blocking. For the Showcase, the kids had the option of finding a play to perform or writing a play to perform. (There was NO DOUBT that performing is what they wanted to do!) The kids who didn't want to write a play asked Mr. Holmstrom to write a play for them, so he wrote two of them. We’re excited (and under rehearsed) about our Showcase performances of “Retold Little Red Riding Hood,” “The Very Hungry Chicken,” “The Courtroom,” and “The Classroom.” We love to perform and can’t wait for the audience!

Creativity with Colors
Every week was a new and different adventure. Some of the activities we were able to try for the first time were tie dyeing, paint blowing (this is where you dip a straw into paint and then blow it onto a large canvas), model magic , finger knitting, scarf dancing, making our very own kaleidoscopes and much more. We thought it was exciting to pick what WE wanted and explore OUR ideas!

LEGO Motion Picture Institute
The students learned how to create a stop-motion film. They decided on a topic, used a graphic organizer to layout their process, and divided their plot into small manageable pieces. The used LEGO pieces, background scenery, and digital cameras to capture snapshots between each movement. After they collect approximately 10 digital shots per one second of film, they loaded their digital pictures onto Microsoft Movie Maker. They edited, added music, and transition slides to create their 30 second stop motion film.

Games! Games! Games!
The students who participated in the “Games! Games! Games!” enrichment cluster had an enjoyable time learning how to play several new games and sharing some of their own games from home with other members of the group. We played dice, word, card, board, strategy, and domino games. The interactions during our cluster time were meaningful, fun, and sometimes quite exciting! Hopefully the students who participated will have an opportunity to teach and play some of these games with younger students at LME and friends and family at home.

Mission Kindness
During our group's first meeting, the students decided to change the name of our cluster from “World Class Helpers” to “Mission Kindness”. They came up with many ways to share and show kindness throughout the school. The students made bookmarks with words of encouragement that were randomly placed in library books for students to have. From there, inspired by students in different parts of the country, our students developed a bulletin board entitled "SPPRAK"- Special People Performing Random Acts of Kindness. The objective is to have students and teachers write thank you notes thanking others for their "act of kindness". These notes are placed on the bulletin board for the school to read. We made a video for our morning announcements that shows how to use the notes and the bulletin board. The mission was to brighten someone's day!

CSI: Let's Solve Some Mysteries
In the “CSI: Let's Solve Some Mysteries”, we had hand-on activities for the students to get a feel for how detectives use evidence to solve a crime. We found a very cool CSI website that demonstrated how detectives use and analyze DNA, and the importance of an autopsy to determine cause of death. Students collected samples on the website and used this evidence to solve the crime. Two private investigators from a local agency visited our cluster and shared their experiences in the field as well as some tools that they use in their line of work. Students chose to write and perform an episode of CSI: The Death of a Billionaire.

Made from Scratch
In “Made from Scratch”, we spent our first meeting exploring the creative possibilities of Scratch programming and learning about the program itself. We decided that our focus would be to create some sort of learning game that would benefit other elementary students. Students planned out their projects and then went to work programming. There were many levels of experience in the group, but each had questions and problems to solve with their programs. The students ran our sessions like a real project team. When a student or group had a question, they would post it on a chart and more likely than not, another student would have some advice or creative solution to the problem. Teams shared their progress at each meeting and received feedback from the group on issues. Over the course of the enrichment cluster students experienced team work, project planning, problem-solving, research, and of course programming. In addition, an unexpected product developed in the group called a "scratch card". Students who had success at programming a particular movement or action on their game created a card explaining the steps and picturing the code used. Others could then use the card to program their own games. Finally, a visit and talk from a real programmer, Devon Winegar, wrapped up our time together.

League of Extraordinary Crafters 
In the “League of Extraordinary Crafters”, the students decided to create a medieval village. We looked at some examples of medieval architecture, and found and installed a Minecraft texture pack that would make the village look more authentic. They divided into groups and worked collaboratively on different buildings found in a village, including a defensive wall and a castle nearby. The end result is a really detailed, well-done village!

Movies, Videos, Reporting…Oh My!
Over the past eight weeks students in groups of 2-3 have made their own movies using the WeVideo program. During the first session, we had a guest speaker from RRISD video services come to talk to the group about how videos are made and used in the district. During the next session, the student wrote scripts for their productions and plotted out what they wanted to film. For the rest of the weeks, the groups staged and filmed. Some groups acted out their scripts in person. Other groups used stuffed animals or clay figures to depict their characters. Students were taught to edit all of their own videos, and encouraged to have fun. All of the students participated enthusiastically and are proud of their creations.

Up to Our Ears in Clay!
What a blast we've had using our imaginations and skills to create unique works of art from clay. Our creations range from sculpture to potter’s wheel pots to pieces made with clay slabs, coils and pinch pots. Many of our pieces have been glazed and fired. They are waiting to be seen at our “Gallery Opening” at the showcase. We have produced over 70 works of art. Not only have we been busy learning about different clay products, techniques and skills, we have had a lot of fun creating and learning with each other. We are also helping the Austin community by donating several of our bowls to the “Empty Bowl Project” auction, which raises funds to support our local food banks.

Into the Wild: Citizen Science 
Over the past eight weeks, ”Into the Wild: Citizen Science” students learned more about the patterns of life in our world and how their work at LME gives them a voice in the processes that impact the success of conservation efforts around the world. Students used the iNaturalist.org platform to record wildlife observations in our Preserve as part of the new wave of "Citizen Scientists." Citizen scientists are typically non-science professionals who conduct experiments and/or record observations that are then shared with the general public and professional scientists. Professional scientists use the data as part of their greater efforts.

With our ongoing work at LME, we have the opportunity for student observations to contribute to discussions about the preservation versus destruction/development of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve just behind our campus. Continued annual sightings of the endangered Golden Cheeked Warbler by LME students help preserve this precious habitat. Students used tablets, netbooks, digital cameras and desktop computers to capture and track their results as part of the cluster.

The cluster gives us a window on how we can more broadly share our research with other schools, and how we can continue to engage students in outdoor learning by incorporating their digital interests in meaningful, authentic learning experiences.

TEAMwork 
In the “TEAMwork” enrichment cluster we played games, viewed short video clips, and discussed how teamwork is part of our everyday lives. The team building activity "Cookies in the Cookie Jar" taught us that working together will build success while the lesson of "Banana Surgery" showed how once things in our lives are broken (relationships, trust, our reputation), no matter how hard you try to put it back together, it will never look the same.

The students played sport games involving teamwork like FlickBasket, which was a game developed by a 2nd/3rd grade cluster last year. They also played Ultimate Soccer in which students taught students how to convert the ball from the ground level to the air, having two ways to score. Collectively, the group expressed wanting to make posters and visual symbols to display in the halls of LME. Some created posters while others videotaped and made a movie for the showcase. Everyone worked hard and enjoyed experiencing the importance of “TEAMwork”.

Everyone is a Contributor

A big part of creating world-class talent at Laurel Mountain is teaching our students about the importance of helping our community.  We accomplish this by making service learning and community service a part of what we do in our classrooms and during enrichment clusters.  An example of service learning in the classroom is when a class decides they want to have a food drive to help the hungry in the Austin community, after discussing problems our community faces during Social Studies. An example of community service in an enrichment cluster is our current 4th and 5th grade enrichment cluster, "Mission Kindness".  They currently working on spreading small acts of kindness throughout the school.

Another example of community service is part of what our 3rd graders do every year during Halloween.  The third graders learn about the non-profit organization UNICEF (The United Nations Children's Fund) and about how UNICEF helps kids from around the world.  Every year, UNICEF has a fundraiser campaign during Halloween where the students can decide to ask neighbors for spare change as they are trick-or-treating.  This year, our Laurel Mountain third graders collected $649.01. WOW!!!!

According to the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF website (http://www.unicefusa.org/mission/usa/trick-or-treat), it costs only $1 to give a child clean water for 40 days.  It costs $10 to vaccinate 280 children. It costs $500 to install a water pump for a whole village. So imagine what UNICEF will be able to do with the money our students collected.

Laurel Mountain's mission statement says, "A school for talent development where everyone is a learner, teacher, decision-maker, and contributor." Teaching our students the importance of helping, not only the community around us, but the world around us shows our children that they can contribute to making the world a better place.  And as a teacher AND a parent, I cannot think of a better lesson for my child to learn.

I Love Candy...and Analytical Thinking.

As a kid, I loved Halloween.  I loved the dressing-up, pretending to be someone else (Wonder Woman) and I loved the candy!  But, I also loved when trick or treating was over.  I would come home, pour out my loot and sort it.  I would place all of the M&Ms in one pile, the 3 Musketeers in another pile, the Kit-Kat bars in another and so on.  I would count how many of each type of candy I received from my neighbors.  And of course, there was a little sampling of candy throughout this entire process.

This past weekend, I watched (with sentimental pride) as my own son did the exact same thing.  And then a thought hit me.  What a minute!  All of this categorizing and organizing...this is analytical thinking. This is Sybil the Scientist's type of thinking!

Now you may be asking "Who is Sybil the Scientist?"  Sybil is a friend from Crystal Pond Woods in the Primary Education Thinking Skills (PETS) lessons.  I teach our first, second, third and some fourth graders about Sybil and her analytical thinking.  We have been concentrating on analyitical thinking over the past two weeks in second grade.

Sybil the Scientist and analytical thinking are very logical.  Sybil is not creative and does not use her imagination.  Instead, Sybil observes the world around her using her five senses.  What is she looking for?  Attributes, of course.  Attri-what?  Attributes.

Attributes are the characteristics that everything in the world has. Attributes make things what they are.  Size, color, shape, texture, pattern, taste...these are all different types of attributes. In analytical thinking, the common attributes that things share are used to place them into groups.  In science, we call this classifying.

In the PETS story that I have shared with the second graders, Sybil taught Dudley the Detective how to classify his favorite building blocks.  He learned that that the blocks had the attributes of size, shape and color.  He used the attributes of small, square and red to classify the blocks into different groups.  Sybil also taught him to use a Venn Diagram to organize the blocks into these different groups.  In the end, Dudley was able to classify the blocks into eight different groups: 1) small, 2) red, 3) square, 4) small and square, 5) small and red, 6) red and square, 7) red, small, and square, and 8) not red, not small, and not square.  Also, the students learned that group #8 are called outliers because they do not fit into any of the categories.  I will save the Malcolm Gladwell book for another lesson.  :)

Who knew that I was training for my future of teaching analytical thinking when I was sorting candy as a kid?  Which must mean eating all of my child's candy as an adult should be helping me become a better teacher, right?

Teaching our students how they can use the different types of thinking helps make them better problem solvers.  And in the end, that creates the world-class talent that we have a Laurel Mountain.

So a journalist, a therapy dog and a private detective walk into a school...

Sounds like the start of a joke, right?  But it is not.  This is exactly what happened last Friday at Laurel Mountain during enrichment clusters.

Enrichment clusters are one small part of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model.  But they do provide an awesome experience for our students.  Not only do our students get to work with other students who share a similar interest and passion, but our students get to learn from the experts.

Part of the cluster experience is learning and investigating with adults who share the same interest areas, so much so that it has become part of their career.  What a positive and insightful way for our students to realize that if they are truly passionate about a topic, that topic can become their career as an adult.  So with SEM, we do more than just a career day at Laurel Mountain.  We make a real world connection between interests and adult life.

We had the pleasure of welcoming many guests over the past couple of weeks to work with and teach our students.

Roby Brown worked with our "Movies, Videos, Reporting...Oh My!" enrichment cluster. Mr. Brown is the Director of Video Services for RRISD.  He discussed with the students the steps taken when making a video or movie. Then, to give the children a hands-on experience, Mr. Brown worked through those steps with the students.  Here is a link to the video that the students created with Mr. Brown:
https://drive.google.com/a/groundbreaking/file/d/0B6_bxpaRGdShRDQyQnhtalNxMkE/view

Corey Ryan worked with our "Word Up!" enrichment cluster. Mr. Ryan is the Associate Director of Communications for RRISD. The students in this cluster decided that their product would be a newspaper for the school. Mr. Ryan's background is in journalism and newspapers, which was his first career. He talked about the different components that make up a newspaper and he taught the students the skill of interviewing. Here is what the members "Word Up!" had to say about Mr. Ryan's visit: "He was GREAT! It was lovely to share with the class an authentic, real journalist. He shared with the enrichment cluster, then sat down and interviewed with one student. She plans to add his interview to our upcoming issue of "The PRIDE Prophet".

Julia Lenz and Rover worked with our LME Pet Troupe.  Ms. Lenz works with the Austin Dog Alliance and Rowdy is a Golden Retriever pet therapy dog.  The students got to meet and pet Rowdy. Ms. Lenz shared with the students the process that a trainer and dog have to go through in order to become certified as a therapy dog. Ms. Lenz talked about training and the responsibility of owning a pet.  Rowdy was quite calm during the presentation, showing off his pet therapy skills.  He also shared a few of his tricks and commands with the group.

Steve Russo and Bruce Kingsley worked with our "CSI: Let's Solve Some Mysteries!" enrichment cluster.  Mr. Russo and Mr. Kingsley work for Watchful Eye Investigations.  Both are a Private Investigators and one is a former police officer. They talked to the students about their career and the basics of what they do.  They demonstrated several of the surveillance tools they use with their job. And the children had an opportunity to try out the different tools.  They were "spying" on the cluster across the hall and students working down the hall.

I feel that learning and listening to experts in fields that our students are interested in is a priceless experience.  Of course, private investigation is interesting and lots of kids would want to listen to that presentation.  Some may listen for a few minutes and fade out and some may be intrigued the entire time. However, in the "CSI" enrichment cluster we KNOW that all of the students in that group are REALLY interested in solving mysteries and detective work.  They share that common interest.  And to provide them with a chance to meet someone who does PI work as a career, to ask questions about detective work to a REAL detective, to be able to put their hands on "spy" tools...that experience makes a lasting impact!! How awesome is that, especially when you are in 4th or 5th grade?

Learning from the experts is one way that we are creating world-class talent at Laurel Mountain.

So, what went on in enrichment clusters last week?

Last week, I heard the same comment over and over from our 4th and 5th grade students. "What enrichment cluster am I in???" And I had to be "mean" and not let them know until Friday morning. And boy, were they excited to begin on this journey.

Our 4th and 5th grade students met with their enrichment cluster for the first time last Friday.  They will meet for a total of eight hours, spread out over eight E-slots.  The enrichment clusters are small groups of students, who share a similar interest and passion. The enrichment clusters are based on our students' interests, are chosen by the students and are student driven in deciding what product or service will be created by the end of the eighth meeting.

On Friday, as I walked around students were getting their hands dirty, were questioning, exploring, analyzing, coloring, experimenting, drawing conclusions, watching demonstrations, listening, playing, learning to code, thinking creatively, collaborating, discussing safety rules...the list goes on and on.   This is how we develop world-class talent at LME.

Please read the summaries below to explore what took place in each specific enrichment cluster.  And if you would like to see enrichment clusters in action, please join Mrs. Levitan for a tour this coming Friday, October 17 or October 21 or November 14.

CREATIVITY WITH COLOR

What is Color? The word “COLOR” has many definitions and concepts. Students closed their eyes and shared what they thought color meant to them. There are three basic categories of color theory that are useful. At our first enrichment cluster meeting, we modeled COLOR HARMONY to express color. Color Harmony is defined as pleasing to the eye. This is expressed through music, poetry, and color. From Positive graffiti, to classical movement with color scarves, to discussing artists while exploring with Kaleidoscopes, the students were able use a visual sense to define color. We are excited to see where this journey with colors takes us next.

League of Extraordinary Crafters

We have sixteen excited “Crafters”, most of whom have played Minecraft on various platforms like XBox, Apple Tablets and PC computers. We made a mission statement that lists the guidelines to make our in-game experience enjoyable and kind to all. Reviewing the mission statement will help ensure online safety for all.  We watched a YouTube video of the ten greatest builds of all time and saw some amazing buildings. We are making a list of ideas that we can build together as a “league of crafters”. We can't wait until next Friday to start to put our building skills to the test.

TAPE IT UP!

During our first enrichment cluster meeting, we kicked off with a flurry of tape and creativity.  The students began with their first service project of creatively taping up pumpkins to be used as decorations at the LME Fall Carnival.  This is just one more reason to go to the carnival on November 1^st.  Come see just how “TAPE IT UP!” taped it up!!  There was discussion about design and pattern coordination.  Next week, the students will continue with this art project and then explore different duct tape and Washi tape products that can be created during this enrichment cluster of the student’s choosing. 

Crazy Chemist and Mad Scientist

The “Crazy Chemist and Mad Scientist” enrichment cluster students explored science by performing many experiments.  The students applied the scientific method and worked backwards in conducting the experiments.  Then the asked the why and how behind the science.  Each of us stuck a straw through a potato (how did they do that?), stuck a skewer through a balloon without popping it (the power of polymers), blended a dollar in the blender to release the iron and then viewed the iron by using a magnet to pull the iron to the side, lit an alcohol absorbed dollar on fire without burning it (did you know alcohol is 30% water?), and so much more.  We look forward to creating lab books to document our learning and enjoyed making predictions and drawing conclusions.  

Movies, Videos, Reporting…Oh My!

The students in this enrichment cluster were introduced to various types of videos/movies that can be produced. An expert video creator, Roby Brown from RRISD, came in to explain documentaries and movies. Mr. Brown modeled for the students the steps he takes to create media and then the enrichment cluster created our own video by using everyday classroom items, a script, a storyboard and voice overs. Next week, the students will be introduced to WeVideo, an online media tool that was purchased with Excellence Funds, to explore video editing.

Games! Games! Games!

The students in the “Games! Games! Games!” enrichment cluster generated a list of games that are their favorites and games they'd like to learn to play.  They also played Mrs. Sorrell's version of tic-tac-toe, learned to play a dice game called Snake Eyes, and used Mrs. Sorrell's phone to play Heads Up!  We started developing a calendar for what we'd like to do each week when we meet.  We look forward to playing the games and discussing the strategies and types of thinking (convergent, deductive, visual) taking place as the students try out different games.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

In our first enrichment cluster meeting, the kids first watched five different movie versions of the soliloquy from Hamlet, including one from Laurence Olivier. We noticed the difference in how the speech was said—the pace, the emphasis, and the pauses—as well as the setting of the scene (for example, one was done speaking into a mirror; one was on the edge of a cliff). We talked about how the way you say the words make such a difference. An example of this was a scene that involved being chased through the house by an intruder, but the tone was so matter-of-fact that it wasn’t scary or suspenseful. Another example was the teacher read a definition of a word from the dictionary, but it was frightening because of the tone of voice used when reading the definition. Next, we did a little improv and kids volunteered to “be” a 75-year-old man.  The students got to hear how that character reacted to a scene. The kids decided that they would like to perform a play.  Next week, we’ll begin choosing which play (or plays) we’ll do, including the possibility of the students writing the play.

Texas Techies

During the first meeting of the “Texas Techies” the students introduced to a variety of technology options. There were so many options available, having an opportunity to explore and figure out the different presentation tools was important to the students.  The students decided they might want to design a web site OR begin a blog OR create a Google presentation OR present information using Powtoon or a Prezi!  And these are only the few options they were introduced to at the first meeting.  Some students were so excited about the possibilities; they were going to work on this at home over the weekend. It will be exciting to see where the technology takes us.

Into the Wild: Citizen Scientist

The first enrichment cluster meeting was the introductory meeting.  The first item on the agenda was student safety expectations, so this was central to the meeting.  Students reviewed safety precautions regarding outdoor learning experiences and reviewed the school's "place" on iNaturalist.  Finally, the students had an opportunity to explore the outdoors.  They went on a walking field trip through the school's preserve to set a foundation for the scope of items they would like to photograph and identify over the course of the enrichment cluster experience.

TEAM Work!

During our first enrichment cluster meeting, we started the time together by jumping straight into a team building game called “Cookies in the Cookie Jar”.  The students were split into groups and used “cookies” (items in the center of the room) to fill their team's “cookie jar” (hula hoop). The object of the game was to gather one of each item, one at a time, from a list and place it in their team’s “cookie jar”. Teamwork was needed to communicate which items were still needed and where they are located.  Teams were allowed to steal cookies from each other’s cookie jar; however that meant their cookie jar was left unguarded.  After playing the game once, the students talked about which strategies were successful and what could've been done differently. They played a second time to watch the TEAM work skills improve.  Next, the students were shown the "Pulling Together" video.  Students discussed what they observed the geese doing in the video and how it applies to their lives in and outside of school.  Next, each student told why they chose “TEAM Work” at their enrichment cluster.  Also, they brainstormed enrichment cluster names and options for a service or product.  With only a few minutes remaining, the students played basketball with a limited number of balls to practice TEAM work skills.  It was a very busy, productive and fun time!

LME Software Development Institute

At the first meeting of the “LME Software Development Institute”, the group started off with a collaborative discussion of what programming and what it involves.  The students were also asked about what aspect of programming was appealing to them and discussed their vision for the enrichment cluster.  Next, we chatted about the tools that could be used to learn programming on our computers and iPads.  Some suggestions included code.org and scratch.mit.edu.  Mr. Jurecka offered some other suggestions including Inklerwiter (writer.inklestudios.com/).  Students were given some time to individually evaluate these resources and share out with the group interesting websites and concepts they found via the interactive touch screen TV.  We will use these as a starting point for our next meeting.

Word Up!

On Friday in the “Word Up” enrichment cluster, students quickly discovered the variety of writers within the group.  After analyzing the various audiences they wanted to write, create and publish for (parents, teachers, peers, LME) it appeared the written work should address the entire LME community.  Students came to the conclusion that a newspaper for Laurel Mountain would allow each of them to write in an area they were passionate about.  Likewise, this would make the experience more meaningful and target an authentic audience.  Please keep your eyes peeled for The PRIDE Prophet, due to be published school-wide in the upcoming weeks!

Up to Our Ears in Clay!

In the first meeting of the enrichment cluster, we learned the basics of clay creations. The students discovered that there are different types of clay, there are many places where clay is obtained and there are some wonderful ceramic artists all over the world. They also learned how to make a clay creation that will stick together. First, you score the edges and then use water to make slip which allows the clay platelets to stick together. Our first project will be a pinch pot. We also started our potter’s wheel rotation. Each student will get a turn to learn the potter’s wheel and to create their very own pot. We had a squishy fun time!

Mission Kindness

During our first enrichment cluster meeting, our group watched a couple of videos of children who are making a difference in big and small ways. The students decided to make bookmarks with positive messages. The students made about two dozen bookmarks. We will sneak the bookmarks into popular library books to hopefully bring a smile to someone's face. We decided to change the name of our group to "Mission Kindness" and make t-shirts with that theme on them. We would like to involve the whole school in our missions of kindness.

Got LEGOs?

At the beginning of this enrichment cluster, we brainstormed ideas of what/where we can take this cluster. What do we want to do in this exciting cluster? First and foremost, the class wants to explore with LEGOs.   Ideas about creating scale model of various places and famous landmarks...you'll have to wait and see what we actually create.    We also discussed building online a virtual design using a Google Lego site. The remainder of the time was spent on creating and building!!! Lots of dialogue and creative building was going on.  This is definitely a hands-on/minds-on group! 

LME Pet Troupe

The “LME Pet Troupe” had a fun first meeting talking all things pets! We got to meet each other and share what interested us in choosing this enrichment cluster, and then watched a short video on pet care and had some craft, reading, and research time. We spent most of our meeting talking about types of pets and deciding what we would like to do with our remaining seven meetings. The students decided that they want to learn about dogs and cats—specifically about the adoption and foster care process through shelters and rescue organizations, dog grooming, training, and dog shows, and they want to see some dogs. We will have speakers and organizations (with pets!) come teach us about our areas of interest, and hope to provide a product or service that helps pets and people in our community. We look forward to sharing our learning at the showcase in December.

Made from Scratch

In “Made from Scratch”, we spent our first meeting exploring the creative possibilities of ‘Scratch’ programming and learning about the program itself. Some of our members had experience with ‘Scratch’ and shared games and projects they had created previously. We decided that our focus would be to create some sort of learning game that would benefit other elementary students. The programmers decided to split into groups of two or three to benefit from teamwork.  Over the next few weeks we will plan out our projects and identify key skills we need develop to complete them.

Lego Stop Motion Film Academy

The “Lego Stop Motion Film Academy” rolled off to a great start.  We watched examples of LEGO stop motion films produced by experts, students, and student experts.  We discussed the characteristics that make a stop motion film great.  We identified the multiple scenes needed to create a 30 second film.  Then the students were able to create a hands-on example of frame-by-frame thinking by making a flip book using post-its.  They took a simple sequence and broke it down into individual scenes with movement portrayed by slightly adjusting the repetitive scenes.

CSI: Let's Solve Some Mysteries

In “CSI: Let's Solve Some Mysteries”, we discovered where our fingerprints come from and how each of them are different.  Students investigated the loops, arches, whorls of their individual fingerprints and then tried to classify some on their own.  In thinking like a detective, students observed how different material burned.  We looked at the rate that various materials ignited, if smoke was produced, and how a material smells after being close to a flame.  Coming this week, students will gather some clues and decide on our mission.  

Yes, we have PETS in First Grade...

Actually, we have PETS in kindergarten, first, second, third and some of our fourth grade classes.  I am not talking about the four-legged furry pets (even though I would love an official LME puppy).  I am referring to the Primary Education Thinking Skills, or PETS, lessons.  These lessons were created by Margaret Wolfe, Sally Thompson, Dodie Merritt and Jody Nichols.

The PETS lessons teach our students the different ways that we think.  The students learn about convergent, divergent, visual and evaluative thinking through the fun friends who live in Crystal Pond Woods.  Each friend represents a different way of thinking and the lessons are taught through stories and activities revolving around these characters.

Throughout the school year, I visit the first, second, third and some fourth grade classroom and teach the PETS lessons to each class.  I  see each class every other week for about thirty minutes. Usually, there is a story that involves a character (type of thinking) and an activity that allows the students to practice that type of thinking.

For the past two weeks in first grade, we have been talking about Dudley the Detective (he is dog detective).  He uses deductive thinking, which is a type of convergent thinking.  Dudley is logical and looks for clues. He never jumps to conclusions. Instead, he re-reads the clues and takes time to analyze and think.  In the end, he comes up with one right answer.  I focus on teaching the first graders the type of thinking and the three steps, or strategies, Dudley uses with deductive thinking.

So far, I read a story about Dudley's missing detective badge.  The students had to listen to the story, analyze the problem, reflect on the story for clues and finally come up with the one character who took his badge.  Don't worry, Dudley did find his badge.  His friend Rosalyn Robin took the badge on accident.  It was so pretty and shiny, she could not help herself.  She did give it back and apologize.

The next time I came into the first grade classrooms, the students continued to practice their deductive thinking. I read the students clues describing different creatures that live in the forest.  The students had to use their listening skills and put the clues together in order to find the one right animal that fit ALL of the clues.  It was a fun activity, plus the kids really have to think and put together different pieces of information to come up with the one correct answer.

The PETS lessons happen in a variety of grade levels because of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM). A huge part of SEM is teaching the students critical thinking skills.  Teaching the students HOW we think and solve problems is the best way to teach them TO think. When we understand the process, then we are able to apply to a variety of situations.  This is another way that Laurel Mountain creates world-class talent.

Enrichment Clusters are Coming!!!

Our 4th and 5th graders are getting very excited!  And it is not because it is almost Friday.  Their enrichment clusters start next Friday, October 10.  The enrichment clusters will meet for a total of eight hours (one hour a week during our E-slot time on Friday).  There will be an enrichment cluster showcase on Friday, December 12 to give students an opportunity to share what they learned and produced over the eight meetings.

This year, we are able to offer nineteen different enrichment clusters for our 4th and 5th graders.  We looked at the combined top interests from the 4th and 5th grade interest surveys that our students completed at the beginning of the school year.  Then, the teachers pick a topic from the list that interests them and narrow the focus a bit.  We want the clusters to be student driven, meaning the students are the ones deciding on the product or service that will be created during the enrichment cluster meeting time.  However, it is important to create an area of focus for the students.

The teachers then write a description for their cluster that was sent home with our 4th and 5th graders.  We want our parents to have a chance to see what is being offered so they can discuss the options with their children.  But in the end, we want the enrichment clusters to be student driven, which means the students are the ones deciding for themselves which ones they want to participate in. So, our 4th and 5th graders ranked their top 4 enrichment cluster choices this week in class.  We feel it is powerful for our students and necessary for them to be making these choices.

Once the children have ranked their top four choices, the data is sent to one of our fabulous parents, Eric Deal.  Eric created a program that sorts the students into their clusters.  Of course, we want to give every child their first choice.  But, enrichment clusters need to be small groups of students (about 15 students to one facilitator).  Therefore, giving everyone their number one choice is not possible.  So, if a child does not get their first choice, the program then goes to their second choice, then third and finally fourth.  But even if a child gets his/her fourth choice, it is still four out of nineteen and those are still pretty good odds.

The 4th and 5th graders will find out which enrichment cluster they are in on Friday morning, October 10th.  It is a very exciting morning for everyone.  I do offer tours for our parents.  These tours will take place on Friday, October 17, 31 and November 14.  Please look for the RSVP in an upcoming school E-news.

Below is the list of the enrichment cluster topics for our 4th and 5th graders.  As you look over the list, I hope you agree that  there is a really nice variety of topics.  Our goal is to have several options that excite our students and engage their passions.  This is how we make world-class talent at Laurel Mountain.

Texas Techies
Do you enjoy technology? Are you tired of Power Point? Are you ready to Google or Weebly??Have you been to Powtoon? Let's have fun and learn some new skills. Boost your presentation skills or learn programs - the sky just might be the limit.

Got Legos?
Have you ever wondered about Legos? Who made them? Why? What’s the meaning of Legos???? What’s all the excitement about Legos? During this time we will explore and have fun with Legos! Our team will help craft where we go and what we do with Legos. So if you like Legos and can’t seem to get enough….than this cluster is for you. “The world is your LEGO!”

League of Extraordinary Crafters
Are you a master at creating fantastic structures? Do you love using Redstone to make incredible constructions? Maybe you've never explored a blocky 3D world with friends but want to try it out? If Minecraft is one of your passions, join the League of Extraordinary Crafters! We will use MinecraftEdu to work together as we mine, forge, and explore new worlds. Let's see what awesomeness we can create!

To Be or Not to Be
Have you ever wondered if you wanted to be an actor? Do you love performing in front of friends and family? Do you look forward to giving reports in class because you don’t just “give” If this describes you, join the “To Be or Not to Be” cluster and discover acting! Develop your skills! Learn techniques! The cluster will decide whether to perform an already written script or whether we should write our own. Should we perform for an audience? I would think so, but If you’ve ever wanted to “trod the boards” and develop your acting skills, “To Be or Not to Be” is the cluster for you.

Games! Games! Games!
Do you have some favorite games that you would like to introduce to friends? Are there some new games you'd like to learn to play? Board games, card games, and much more! Join us for Games! Games! Games!

TEAM work!
Do you like to play team sports? Do you know how to be a good teammate? We will be playing team sports with an emphasis on working together and understanding the roles for each member of a team. We will get the opportunity to play both indoor and outdoor games.

Up to Our Ears in Clay!
There are so many things you can imagine with clay. Using clay techniques such as coils, slabs, pinch pots or the potter's wheel there are endless possibilities. Who will you make something for? What will it be? Will it be useful?

Creativity with Colors
Can you imagine a world of color when observing it through a kaleidoscope? What do YOU envision when you think of colors? If interested in exploring YOUR world of colors... come share that vision with us!

Word Up!
Do you enjoy expressing yourself with the written word? Does your imagination soar when you are given an opportunity to creatively write? If so, grab a pencil and unleash your imagination in "Word Up!” This cluster will be the playground for your creative mind as you explore, compose and create various forms of writing.

Into the Wild: Citizen Scientists!
Are you interested in using the latest and coolest ecological science technology to explore the pulse of life in our preserve and support researchers throughout the world? If so, grab one of our tablets or a camera and meet me at the gate to the Preserve -- this cluster is WILD!

LME Software Development Institute
Do you want to know more about how to program computers? Would you like to learn how a programmer thinks about problems and designs solutions? Then come explore with us at the “LME Software Development Institute”! Enter the world of information technology!

Mad Scientists and Crazy Chemists
Do you love to conduct science experiments? Are you curious about how things work and wonder "How did they do that?" Do you find yourself memorizing the periodic table for fun and humming The Elements Song to your friends? Let's reveal the secrets of science together, uncovering the how-to and why behind some of your favorite science experiments. Get ready to "oooh” and "aaaah” in Mad Scientist and Crazy Chemists.

Tape it Up!
What do you get when you mix duct tape, washi tape, and a roomful of creative minds? Join “ Tape It Up!” to unleash the possibilities. Armed with a pair of scissors and a roll of tape...what can you make?

World Class Helpers
Are you a person who likes to help others and tries to make the world a better place by your attitude and actions? Here’s an opportunity for you! Good ideas inspire more good ideas. Come join us to learn about and inspire yourself and others to make social changes that make our school and community a more positive and caring place in which to live.

CSI: Let's solve some mysteries!!!
Do you observe your surroundings well? Do you have an eye for things that are out of place? Discover the excitement of being a detective each time you successfully solve a mystery. Work along with other young detectives as you solve mysteries. You will solve everyday problems and enjoy challenges, as well as, sharpen your deductive thinking and reasoning skills.

Lego Motion Picture Institute
Do you dream of becoming a director or producer of an animated film someday? Did you go home and create a Lego set in your bedroom after watching the Lego Movie? There are many roles when making an animated film. You will learn how to set up a scene, develop characters and back story, as well as direct and produce a short animated film using Legos and a digital camera. Bring your stories and character ideas here.......and make them come to life!

Movies, Videos, Reporting...Oh My!
Explore the many ways we can express ourselves through video. Students will get the chance to create something from their interests that reaches other through the art of media. Bring your ideas, we have the technology, and let’s create something!

Made From Scratch
If you ask kids how they like to learn, most say through games, especially video games. Have you ever wondered how those games are made or thought about inventing one yourself? If so, you should join "Made From Scratch". In this enrichment cluster, we will explore SCRATCH programming and create our own video games, animations, and interactive stories to share with the world. So if you want to help someone and learn an awesome skill, bring your creativity and ideas to “Made From Scratch”!

LME Pet Troupe
Are you passionate about puppies, crazy about cats, fixated on ferrets, or go ga-ga over guinea pigs? If so, then the LME Pet Troupe may be the enrichment cluster for you. This cluster is open to learning more about and doing all things pet-related based upon the group’s interest, so we could learn about pets, pet anatomy, pet care, and/or grooming, provide a product or service to a rescue organization, make bird houses or pet treats, or much more. The sky is the limit! Join this enrichment cluster to find out more and have some fun with pets.

We Care About Our Students' Interests!

At the start of each school year, all of the students at Laurel Mountain (grades K-5) complete an Interest Survey.  The surveys look different from grade level to grade level, but our purpose is the same across the board. We want to know what our students are interested in.  We want to know what they are passionate about.  We care about those interests and passions.  

Below, you will find a list of the top interest areas by grade level.  I color coded interest areas that were in all six grade levels or five out of the six.  I think it is interesting to see what our kids are interested in and I like to see how those interests are the similar, despite the age differences. ALL of our students, from five years old to eleven, love LEGOs.  But I have a feeling that comes as no surprise for our parents.  

Our talented teachers use the students' interests when teaching the "regular" curriculum in their classrooms and when planning Enrichment Slot (E-slot) activities on Friday.  And we will combine the grade level interests (4th and 5th, 2nd and 3rd, K and 1st) to decide our enrichment cluster topics. This is just what we do at Laurel Mountain.  We believe in enrichment for everyone. We believe that when we tap into all of our students' interests, passions and strengths, we are able to develop world-class talent.  

Enjoy!

Kinder Top Interest Areas:
LEGOs -60
Pets -52
Magic -46
Games and Puzzles -43
Wild animals -37
Computers -36
Human body-35
Arts and crafts -34
Volcanoes and earthquakes -33
Insects -31
Cooking -31

1st Grade Top Interests:
Magic -67
Cooking -45
LEGOs -37
Pets -28
Arts and Crafts -28
Photography -27
Computers -27
Rocks and Minerals -26
Volcanies and Earthquakes - 26
Dinosaurs -20

2nd Grade Top Interest Areas:

Pets - 69

LEGO Building - 62
Magic - 58
Wild Animals - 46
Cooking - 48
Creating Video Games -43
Playing Games -43
Arts and Crafts 40
Rocks and Minerals -38
Dinosaurs and Fossils -32
Reading -32

3rd Grade Top Interest Areas:
Pets -56
The Future -56
Arts and Crafts -56
Reading -54
Creating Video Games -53
LEGO Building -53
Wild Animals -52
Robotics -50
Magic -45
Playing Games -42
Rocks and Minerals -41

4th Grade Top Interest Areas:
Pets -47
LEGO Building -47
Creating Video Games -46
Playing Games -43
Cooking -41
Movie Maker -37
Robotics -37
Pottery -36
Wild Animals -33
Arts and Crafts -33
Magic -33

5th Grade Top Interest Areas: 
Creating Video Games -50
Robotics -48
Volunteering -48
Playing Sports -48
Arts and Crafts -43
Playing Games -42
Computer Programming -41
LEGO Building -41
Cooking -40
Chemistry and Experiments -37
The Future -37
Creating Websites -36
Acting -36

Friday Enrichment Fun has Begun!

We just finished our third week of school and our students are already exploring and learning about their areas of interest.  In order to develop world-class talent at LME, we believe that it is vital to work from our students' strengths.  A big part of this is finding out what our students are interested in (more on that in a later blog) and then giving them time to explore these areas of interest.

As I walked around last Friday, students were busy and engaged in a variety of interests. From LEGOs, to drawing, to computers, to games, to building, to experimenting, to cooking...the list goes on and on.  Our students are active learners and teachers.  How else would you develop world-class talent?

Laurel Mountain Teachers Continue to Learn at World Class Conference

For a week this past July, ten Laurel Mountain Elementary teachers had the opportunity to join over 700 educators from across the United States and world at Confratute. Confratute is a weeklong program at the University of Connecticut that provides educators with research-based practical strategies for engagement and enrichment learning for all students. Thanks to our parents’ and community’s generous donations to the Excellence Fund, Laurel Mountain has been able to send staff members for five different summers to Confratute. Attending this summer was:

• Mr. Lance Brinkman, 4th grade teacher
• Mr. Marty Gordon, 1st grade teacher
• Ms. Wynn Holzinger, 4th grade teacher
• Ms. Jessica Jackson, Kindergarten teacher
• Mrs. Nicole Levitan, Enrichment Coordinator
• Ms. Donna O’Neal, 4th grade teacher
• Mrs. Marci Shrull, TAG teacher
• Ms. Elizabeth Toewe, 4th grade teacher
• Mrs. Jessica Trejo, 4th grade teacher
• Mrs. Jody Wenum, 2nd grade teacher

For the past 37 years,The University of Connecticut, has attracted more than 20,000 educators worldwide for this highly acclaimed, enrichment-based program sponsored by the Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. It blends educators interested in gifted education, differentiation of instruction and curriculum, and creativity and innovation in education.

Confratute started in 1978, when Dr. Joseph Renzulli and Dr. Sally Reis decided to host a summer conference focused on Enrichment Teaching and Learning. They didn't want it to be just any conference, though. They wanted to combine the best qualities of a CONference with a summer instiTUTE and add a whole lot of FRAternity in between. Confratute was born and focuses on the 3 E’s, enjoyment, engagement and enthusiasm for learning.

As always, Confratute offered a jam-packed schedule of events to engage, inspire and rejuvenate educators. Some of the sessions our staff attended included “Books as Hooks for Creating LIfelong Readers”, “Mentoring Mathematical Minds”, “Understanding and Responding to the Needs of Twice Exceptional Learners”, “How to Organize and Coach Students for Outstanding Type III’s”, and “Untangling Technology”. For the second time, Mrs. Levitan presented a Special Topic Session titled “Implementing SEM: It is All About Baby Steps...”. She was thrilled and proud to share Laurel Mountain’s successes and challenges implementing and sustaining SEM over the past eight years.

Through exposure to differentiation, talent development and enriching learning experiences, the community of adult learners at Confratute are able to share similar interests, as well as foster professional growth. Our staff members returned home energized, excited and ready to enrich the lives of our students at Laurel Mountain Elementary. Teaching from a strength-based model is the best way to educate our children. Confratute enforces our mission at Laurel Mountain to develop world-class talent.

Below are reflections from the ten Laurel Mountain staff members who attended. 

Lance Brinkman: Confratute was a wonderful experience. I was excited to see all the different opportunities to learn and grow this summer. It was a great chance to take some week long courses to learn more about enrichment clusters, and to problem solve with the professionals . It was a neat experience to work with more experienced educators, as well as teachers who were just starting their journey with the SEM. I thought it was a great chance to learn some new hands on experiences that I could bring back to Laurel Mountain Elementary.

Marty Gordon: Attending Confratute was a great experience. We were surrounded by people who were the best of the best. I attended classes that my students will benefit from in the years to come. I’m looking forward to implementing what I learned at Confratute. We were at Confratute for a week, and there were plenty of learning opportunities. One course I attended was the Twice Exceptional Student, I felt that was a very validating class. I also gained more ideas to bring back to the classroom. I am thankful that I was able to attend Confratute 2014.

Wynn Holzinger: Having the opportunity to travel across the country to attend workshops taught by the experts in education isn't something I will soon forget! The teachers offered research-based practical strategies that can be used to engage students in the classroom. Attending the strands and making new friends invigorated my spirit. I’m looking forward to implementing more creativity in the classroom!

Jessica Jackson: I had such a wonderful time at Confratute this year. I absolutely loved going to the same class everyday. I have been to conferences where we went to different classes each day and I felt that it was very beneficial to have the same classes every day. I choose to learn about the twice exceptional kid so I had the privilege of listening to the same instructor all week twice a day. I learned so much and really enjoyed hearing about the experiences she had. I also enjoyed meeting and talking to all the teachers from different parts of the United States and the world. I am so glad I went to Confratute and hope to go back again!

Nicole Levitan: Even though this was my fourth time attending Confratute, I was still excited and energized by the experience. It is powerful to be surrounded by professional educators from all over the United States and the world who hold the same educational beliefs as we do at Laurel Mountain. We believe in the importance of teaching from a strength based model, which provides our students with an education like no other in Round Rock. It was also amazing to learn from the experts in education and the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM). It is an awesome experience to participate in week long classes about twice exceptional students or enrichment clusters, taught by the people who wrote the books on twice exceptional children and enrichment clusters. It is very validating and ensures me that we are on the correct journey with SEM. This is something that I am VERY proud of! 

Donna O’Neal: Attending Confratute was an amazing experience, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to go. The energy and enthusiasm that flowed from each of the presenters made a huge impression on me. It’s amazing to me that after 35 years of teaching there is still so much to learn. I came back revived and excited to share with my fellow teachers and my students. I can’t wait to begin this year with all the new ideas that I learned. Thank you so much!

Marci Shrull: I am so very grateful to have had the opportunity to attend Confratute at the UCONN campus. We attended classes throughout the day from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm and found ourselves excited about each and every one. The classes I attended focused on reading, math and technology for all students, including the gifted. I have quite a few new ideas to bring to the classroom for all grade levels. I very much look forward to working with the students and helping them reach their potential. Again, thank you!

Elizabeth Toewe: UConn!!! What a wonderful learning experience it was!!! It was very inspiring to see 700+ teachers all gathered in Connecticut to talk about, share about, and learn about teaching and how to engage students in their learning. I attended Dr. Math’s week class about how to teach math for those that “think” they can’t do math. Here we learned COOL math games, simple tricks, and how to use language for math to help with children’s mathematical understanding. I also attended workshops for challenging talented readers and writers and also one about how to relieve stress. Thank you, thank you, thank you for providing us with the opportunity to attend this inspiring week!!!

Jessica Trejo: I was so honored to be able to attend Confratute 2014. I was giddy with excitement when I looked through the packet at the classes and experts. So many great topics and experienced presenters. I wanted to attend so many sessions, I had a hard time narrowing it down to a few a day. The experts were just that…..Experts. I was energized, inspired, and encouraged through practical strategies and hands-on experiences. There were so many great ideas that were worthy of sharing, that we spent time every afternoon and evening in the dorm sharing with each other and expanding those ideas to LME. And to top it off, those experts confirmed so much of what we stand for here at LME. I would go to Confratute every year, if given the chance! 

Jody Wenum: Confratute 2014 was an energizing experience. It was a week-long E-slot for educators. A variety of classes offered morning to night, keynote speakers and opportunities to explore other interests and talents from line dancing to the Confrature Choir. How fantastic to be in a collegiate environment for a week surrounded by enthusiastic peers and passionate experts who have written the books, teach the classes and opened schools with the purpose of spreading the SEM philosophy and providing students with the best learning opportunities. Confratute was not only a great learning opportunity but, a validation of all the wonderful things we continue to do at LME to promote a successful educational experience for all children through enjoyment, engagement and enthusiasm. The week long training was definitely an opportunity for me to fill my tool box and come back with several new ideas to help all students reach their full academic, social and emotional potential. I’m thankful for this awesome opportunity and look forward to an new and exciting school year.


Follow us on Twitter: @SEMatLME