Weekly Teacher Download for Dec. 6, 2021

Academic Instructional Technology

Free access to Adobe Software

HISD is providing high school teachers and their students access to the most popular applications of Adobe Creative Cloud and the premium version of Adobe Spark, both at school and at home. HISD is providing elementary and middle school teachers access to the entire collection of Adobe Creative Cloud applications and their students with access to the premium version of Adobe Spark, both at school and at home. 

Creative Cloud offers apps for design, photography, video, and web. As students develop in-demand digital skills with these tools, they also learn how to express their ideas in more visually compelling ways. With Adobe Spark, students can quickly make animated videos, beautiful web pages, and sophisticated graphics–no design experience required. It’s a whole new way to create presentations, essays, and more. Spark works with any browser, including on Chromebooks.

For Creative Cloud, once you’ve logged in, you can choose the apps you’d like to download. Please visit our website at www.HoustonISD.org/Page/192234 for guides and tutorials. You can use Creative Suite in any browser. To access Spark, you can sign in through Clever or from your web browser. Go to www.spark.adobe.com. On the top right corner of the browser select “sign in.” This will bring up a new page. Select “log in with school account” on the right side of the page and enter your school email and password. For Adobe Spark, please visit our website at www.HoustonISD.org/Page/192202 for guides and tutorials. You can use Adobe Spark in any browser, including Chromebooks.

Hour of Code and 12 Days of Code

Join Computer Science Education Week (Dec. 6-12) and the Hour of Code global movement by participating anytime during HISD’s 12 Days of Code event Dec. 1-16, 2021. To participate, go to 12DaysOfCode starting Dec. 1 and reference the interactive calendar of daily coding activities organized by grade level. Activities require no experience and can be run on computers, tablets, and smartphones. Some activities require no technology at all. For the first time, teachers and students who are highly engaged in coding activities during 12 Days of Code will be entered to win prizes.

12 Days of Code

Computer Science can inspire students to discover new ways of thinking and expressing themselves through technology. It builds problem-solving skills, logic, and creativity. Coding contributes to a foundation for success in many 21st-century careers. Hour of Code videos, posters, and additional resources are available here. For questions, contact Rene Flores at instech@houstonisd.org or 713-556-8282.

Social and Emotional Learning

The holiday session is here, and we may find ourselves busier than ever with family and friends. Don’t forget that the best care is self-care. Check out the Teacher Resource page on the SEL Google Training site. The self-care discussion questions provide a thoughtful self-care audit. Self-Care Calendar and Self-Care Bingo offer a variety of ways to diversify your self-care toolkit. Modify the Self-care Bingo and use it to pass on the importance of self-care to your students during a brain break. You will see apps and exercises to engage students in breathing, yoga, mindfulness, and other growth mindset activities.

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS

Early Childhood

Houston Dynamo and Dash SSAH: Houston Dynamo FC Virtual Development Classes have resumed, and the last session is Dec. 8 from 6:00-6:30 p.m. Sign up for the Zoom webinar here and see more information here.

Literacy Kits: Campuses will receive Literacy Kits Dec. 7-17 for distribution to Pre-K teachers (Pre-K, ECSE/PALS, Pre-K & K split). Click here to see the list of materials inside the literacy kits. Contact Ana Valladares at Ana.Valladares@schoolspecialty.com for questions.

Elementary Math Sessions

See this flyer for 2021 November and December Math sessions. Share your experiences via Twitter and tag @HISD_ElemMath #MathMatters.

Virtual Math Power Hour, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Dec. 6: Participants will delve deeper into grade-level specific concepts by exploring strategies that build conceptual thinking and teaching of mathematics. Strengthen content knowledge and delivery by exploring TEKS specific models for upcoming mathematics concepts. Gain resources and strategies that can be implemented in the classroom. Register in One Source for K-1: 1443826; for 2-3: 1443830; and for 4-5: 1443843.

Virtual Seminar on Supporting SPED Math Students, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Dec. 7: Participants will explore scaffolding strategies and best practices to answer the question, “How do we respond when our SPED students don’t learn math?” Gain explicit routines and tools to integrate in the core classroom, as well as strategies for small-group instruction. Register in One Source for #1448046.

SECONDARY TEACHERS

Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Visit the HISD Career Readiness page here for all CTE bulletins. There will be no Teacher Service Day during December. The next Teacher Service Day for CTE is Monday, Feb. 21, 2022.

Spotlight on CTE: To bring awareness to the district’s CTE programs of study and post-graduation opportunities, campus personnel are invited to showcase campus events, student work, and more. Submissions will be highlighted on the Career Readiness website and social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, YouTube). Contact your campus’s designated senior CTE program specialist with any questions.