Weekly Teacher Download for February 19
ALL TEACHERS
Digital Learning Day: Don’t forget to celebrate the Seventh Annual Digital Learning Day on Feb. 22. Digital Learning Day began as a way to actively share innovative practices and ensure all students have access to high-quality digital learning opportunities. Teachers and students should share how they are using technology to enhance their learning via Twitter by tagging their tweets with #DLDay, #GlobalGraduates, and @HoustonISD. To view sample Digital Learning Day tweets, click here. To view samples lessons, click here.
Attendance Tip of the Week: According to Attendance Works, experience has shown that schools that successfully reduce chronic absenteeism created a schoolwide culture of attendance that involves everyone in the building. Click here to learn ways you can get everyone involved in student attendance. You can also watch a brief video demonstrating how adults other than teachers can successfully encourage students to attend school.
HISD Fine Arts Summit: HISD is proud to announce the first Fine Arts Summit to be held on Saturday, April 7, at Westbury High School. HISD Fine Arts teachers from every grade level are invited to attend. Professional development will be provided over a variety of topics and content integrations. Fine Arts teachers will receive a $100 stipend for attending. The Fine Arts Dept. will be providing teachers with essential information and learning relevant to their area of expertise. Click here for the flier.
ELEMENTARY
100th Day of School: The Elementary Curriculum and Development Department is excited to announce the 100th Day of School will be celebrated on Monday, Feb. 26. This date takes into account the late start due to Hurricane Harvey. Click here for a list of lesson ideas.
Professional Development: Elementary Curriculum and Development is pleased to offer a variety of professional learning opportunities for teachers during the month of February, including literacy training to support Literacy by 3 (OneSource course #111001). For more info, see the course list here.
National Read Aloud Month: Did you know March is recognized as Read Aloud Month? In celebration, the Elementary Curriculum and Development Office is encouraging teachers to utilize 15 minutes each day to engage with students using read aloud activities. Reading aloud for 15 minutes a day is critically important during a child’s earliest years of life, and the benefits of reading aloud through the elementary years has been shown to instill a love of reading. Teachers are encouraged to use this English and Spanish flyer as a resource to get parents and students engaged.
SECONDARY
Comprehension Toolkit: Do you need a refresher on how to help your students grow as readers? Attend the Comprehension Toolkit workshop on Feb. 19 from 4:30–5:30 p.m. at Hattie Mae White ESC. This workshop is a hands-on experience that has all the resources you need to intervene, help build reading skills in your students, and teach you how to best utilize this immense resource that all secondary campuses received as part of Literacy in the Middle and Literacy Empowered. Register in OneSource course #945002.
Introduction to Strategic Reading and Writing: Check out this new online professional development (PD) course designed to provide an introductory overview of the Strategic Reading and Writing (SRW) curriculum and resources provided in the HUB Master Course. The SRW Master Course is designed to meet the needs of students reading far below grade level in sixth through tenth grade as assessed by district-level literacy assessments and state tests (STAAR). Upon successful completion, participants will receive three hours of PD credit. Register in OneSource course #830001.
Guided Reading Training: Want to learn how to teach reading to struggling middle school or high school students to read and not sure where to start? Uncover the mystery of the reading process and guided reading as a method for growing your secondary students as readers. The two-part series will be offered on select Tuesdays beginning Feb. 27 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at Hattie Mae White ESC. To find dates and OneSource course numbers, click here. If you have any questions, contact Kerry McArthur at kmcarthu@houstonisd.org.
