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Weekly Teacher Download for February 8, 2021

2021 February 4
by HISD Communications

ALL TEACHERS

HISD Student Survey on COVID-19 is coming. To learn more about student learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, HISD is collaborating with the Rice University’s Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) to administer a survey to all students in grades 4-12 February 15-28, 2021. Teachers are being asked to encourage students to take the survey, which will be posted in the HUB on February 15. For more information, see this flyer.

Student responses are confidential but not anonymous. The survey asks students about their experiences with virtual and/or in-person learning, and about any supports they may still need to be successful with their schoolwork during and beyond the pandemic. The survey will be administered in English and Spanish. Survey results will be shared with school leaders and inform our efforts to continue to support teachers and students by April 2, 2021.

Special Education

Big Ideas in SPED. With the highest percentage of Students With Disabilities (SWD) receiving instruction in the general education classroom, the OSES has developed several sessions that examine specific strategies to support SWD and ways to instruct them to ensure you are addressing their skill deficits, as well as teaching grade level standards. For OneSource Course Numbers and info on sessions, click here.

Part 2: Antiracism and Social Emotional Learning. Goalbook, the web-based resource that provides academic and behavior strategies, will host the second of a three-part webinar series focused on using their resources to create an antiracist learning environment so that all students succeed.  Click on the date to register.

Please contact jander13@houstonisd.org or call 713-556-6844 with questions.

Strategy and Innovation
HISD is seeking innovative project proposals from educators for HISD By Design, a new program aimed at funding innovative projects and programs from educators that directly impacts student achievement. The application deadline is March 24, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. Informational webinars will be held on Feb. 16 and March 9 at 6 p.m. For more information, see this flyer. To learn more about HISD By Design, visit HoustonISD.org/HISDByDesign.

Social and Emotional Learning
Please refer to the Rethink Ed Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) online platform app located on  Clever. Rethink Ed supports the whole child and empowers learning environments with lessons such as “You are Special,” “No One is You-er than You,” “My Kind of Strong,” “It’s a Feeling,” “Growing from Feedback,” “You are Special,” and much more for different grade levels. Rethink Ed provides teachers a SEL lesson complete with preparation material and videos. Students will develop SEL skills to help build resilience, develop self-control, and manage stress. Rethink Ed is designed to improving student, peer, and teacher relationships. Click here for the Rethink Ed SEL Lessons Quick Reference Guide (PDF).

NEW TEACHERS

TADS: Each month we will spotlight one of the Instructional Practice (IPR) criterion within TADS. This month’s IPR focus criterion is I-3 Differentiates instruction for student needs by employing a variety of instructional strategies. Join us for a live webinar session where we will dive into effective practice strategies that will support your ability to ensure that you are:

  • adapting the depth, pace, and delivery model of what is taught in a lesson to allow students to access the lesson at multiple levels of challenge
  • providing extra support, enrichment, or variation of work in order to meet the needs of each student, when necessary
  • strategically utilizing flexible instructional groups and varied instructional arrangements that are appropriate to the students and to the instructional purpose of the lesson
  • using analysis of student progress data to plan differentiated instruction, including intervention and enrichment
  • affording and encouraging students to engage in learning experiences or performance tasks that allow for interest or skill-based choices in processes or products

If you are interested in joining our live webinar session via Microsoft Teams, please click on the I-3 Differentiates instruction for student needs by employing a variety of instructional strategies live webinar link to register for a session.

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS

Early Childhood teachers are encouraged to take OneSource Course #1448155 to learn and discuss how to plan and implement effective math workstations for virtual and face-to-face learning settings. “EC Math Workstations in PK” is offered 4:00-5:30 p.m. on Feb. 9.

SECONDARY TEACHERS

Career and Technical Education

Visit the HUB for HISD Career Readiness resources and weekly announcements. Also, visit the HISD Career Readiness website for this week’s CTE News Bulletin. Please see below for all of the amazing skills training, internships, college and career support, and job opportunities from GENESYS WORKS. And the Society of Women Engineers Houston Area Scholarship Application is now open! Details below.

February is CTE Month. Seniors should join us to learn strategies and tools for success, as well as meet employers and learn of job openings. The Seniors to Success 2.0 virtual town hall hiring event takes place on Feb. 25 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. and student registration is required. A link for the TEAMS meeting will be sent after registering. For more information, email Carolina Cano at ccano@houstonisd.org or Echos Blevins at echos.blevins@houstonisd.org.

Join us for CTE Month Mini Sessions. Graduating seniors can explore career opportunities with industry partners in the Gulf Coast Region. Seniors can also expand their knowledge of careers in the military and aviation industry and engage with business leaders to hear about out-of-the box careers that will help them earn more. For more information, email Carolina Cano at ccano@houstonisd.org or Echos Blevins at echos.blevins@houstonisd.org.

Free digital learning on the tech skills of tomorrow. Students need earlier access to industry content that exposes CTE students to potential careers in STEM. IBM and its collaborators know what tech skills are critical for the future and have packaged that knowledge specifically for students ages 14-20. For more information visit ptech.org/open-p-tech/ or contact our Business Development Team. See this flyer for more information.

Help students find the right job. See this flyer for Employment and Training Opportunities for Youth Ages 16-24 from Workforce Solutions—Northline. They can help students get or keep a job or get a better job, train for an in-demand career, obtain their GED and/or find funds for college, and get on the path toward financial stability.

Inform juniors about corporate internships that pay students $10 per hour during their senior year. They need to apply now to Genesys Works, a non-profit organization dedicated to changing the lives of teens. More info in this story.

The Society of Women Engineers-Houston Area Section (SWE-HA) wants to recognize the amazing work that Houston area students do and encourage females to pursue engineering related fields. See this flyer and visit their website to find out about the scholarships offered and encourage students to apply by March 1.

CTE Career Tip Tuesdays: CTE teachers, encourage your students to join CTE career advisors every second and fourth Tuesday during February for sessions led by expert professionals and educators on how to stand out from the crowd and become a competitive job applicant. This month’s topics are Preparing for a Job Fair and Virtual Interview 101. See this flyer for more information.

from → District news, Employee news, Weekly Teacher Download

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