TEXAS
GRADUATE
Sept OCT 2015
CENTER Monthly
CREATING A COLLEGEBOUND CULTURE IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY
SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2015 Annenburg hall, harvard university
TEXAS
GRADUATE
CENTER
Monthly
President Dr. Roland Arriola Executive Director Dr. Mary Alice Reyes
About Us:
The Texas Graduate Center (TGC), a component of the Texas Valley Communities Foundation, has been established to support programs in higher education that will guide new and emerging leaders in education to implement transformational change that will impact schools and communities. TGC will offer distance learning graduate programs from outstanding universities in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The TGC will make available the latest telepresence technology and virtual classrooms with direct connection to world-class undergraduate and graduate programs from across the country. TGC will also serve as a college and career readiness facilitator offering assistance in selecting, preparing and enrolling in nationally recognized graduate programs.
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Associate Director/ EDITOR Adriana V. Lopez Designer/ PHOTOGRAPHER David Alvarado TGC OFFICES 1098 W. Expressway 83 Mercedes, Texas 78570
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In this issue... Harvard University Extension School
The Texas Graduate Center has partnered with the Harvard University Extension School to implement the Math for Teaching Graduate Program. Harvard Extension School is one of the twelve degreegranting schools of Harvard University, offering professional certificates and liberal arts-based undergraduate and graduate degree programs aimed at nontraditional students, as well as openenrollment continuing education courses.
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Creating a College-Bound Culture along the Texas Border
TGC, in partnership with Region One GEAR UP, welcomed Janine Robinson, a journalist and credentialed high school English teacher to lead a new initiative helping GEAR UP students.
Washington University, St. Louis Visit
The Texas Graduate Center is proud to announce a new initiative for Biology teachers in the Rio Grande Valley.
SHINE for Girls Math Program
An innovative math program for girls is coming to the Rio Grande Valley. SHINE for GIRLS incorporates kinesthetic techniques and team problem-solving lessons to help middle school girls improve their math ability.
The Philosophy of Teaching Series
This summer, Cohort I completed their final summer residency at Harvard. Their final course was a Teaching Projects/Capstone Course intended to give current and aspiring secondary math teachers an opportunity to become engaged in a variety of teaching-related projects.
Janine Anderson Robinson is a journalist and credentialed high school English teacher from Laguna Beach, California, who has spent the last eight years coaching collegebound students on their college application essays. Today, with more than 3 million visitors to her Essay Hell blog and thousands of students from all over the world, Janine is considered one of the foremost and influential experts on how to write essays that consistently land students in their dream schools and programs.
SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2015
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Creating a CollegeBound Culture along the Texan Border
T
he Texas Graduate Center, in partnership with Region One GEAR UP, welcomed Janine Robinson, a journalist and credentialed high school English teacher to lead a new initiative helping GEAR UP students prepare for college admissions. The College Essay Writing Project aims to help students from 30 high schools across the Rio Grande Valley write a successful college admissions essay. Students will meet in September, October and November of 2015 and again in February of 2016. The Writing Project culminates in a Writers Summit in April where students will finalize their essay through peer review workshops and share their work with the audience. Ms. Robinson is the first professional writing coach to promote the idea of using a narrative style in college application essays. She teaches students how to tap real-life stories to illustrate their unique qualities and characteristics in their essays. She is the author of four books on writing college application essays including Escape Essay Hell! and Essay Hell’s Writing Survival Kit.
SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2015
organization), and the Region One GEAR UP Program, whose mission is to help create a college-bound culture in this part of the U.S.
In her own words, Janine Robinson reflects on her experience working with RGV high school students. The following passage is an excerpt from her blog at essayhell.com
L
ast month, I had the privilege to work with a group of teachers and students on their writing and college application essays from the Rio Grande Valley in the southernmost tip of Texas.
Earlier in the year, their students toured top colleges and universities around the country, including Harvard, Princeton and other ivies. During these visits, the admissions officers from the various schools told the sponsors one thing over and over: The college application essay played a huge part in who they accepted, and urged them to help their students write better ones. So they got in touch with me.
I’d never spent time in that part of Texas, where the Rio Grande river winds up along the border between the U.S. Almost all of the 50-some English teachers and 165 stu- and Mexico. It’s been in the news lately, mainly as ground dents were Hispanic, and most of the kids will be the first zero in the U.S. for the flood of illegal immigrants, many in their families to attend college. children, fleeing unrest in Central America, and violence in Mexico due to drug-related activity. The College Essay Writing Workshop, which is a four-part series of workshops for the most promising students from On the flip side, this delta valley has a strong economy, 30 high schools in the Valley, was sponsored by the Texas rapid growth, world-famous wildlife sanctuaries and Graduate Center, which is an initiative of the Texas Val- hard-working families and community leaders. The citley Communities Foundation (a non-profit community ies I visited were welcoming and safe, and I got to stay
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Drawing on the “New Journalism” story-telling techniques, such as using anecdotal leads, concrete details, poignant examples, dialogue and a narrative style, Janine teaches students how to tell their own real-life stories. Using her step-bystep approach to essay writing, students can get past the fear and pressure, and tell a personally revealing story about themselves that others (college admissions officers) want to read.
in a charming 1918 Mission-style hotel in downtown McAllen, Texas. My goal at the workshop was to help these students understand that they had compelling stories to tell prospective colleges, and how to use their college application essays as a way to showcase their personal qualities—especially their grit in the face of adversity. In the past, I’ve mainly worked with privileged students. While working with these Rio Grande Valley students, I got a glimpse into some of the unique challenges of helping underrepresented students find and tell their stories. The English teachers were super receptive to learning new ideas on how to teach narrative writing skills and eager to share what they learned in their classrooms. (What a brilliant idea to teach their English teachers how to write these essays, so they can share that knowledge and writing skill set with hundreds of other students!)
The students worked hard to brainstorm moments and events from their past to illustrate their qualities and characteristics. Some had ridden busses several hours from outlying schools, but no one complained and they all were attentive, humble, focused and whip-smart. They spent hours working on drafts.
SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2015
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ST. LOUIS
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he Texas Graduate Center is proud to announce a new initiative for Biology teachers in the Rio Grande Valley. We will now offer a Master of Science in Biology for Teachers in partnership with Washington University in St. Louis. The two-year program works closely with the Washington University Medical School, ranked 4th in the nation for medical research. District representatives from PSJA ISD, La Joya ISD, McAllen ISD, Weslaco ISD, Mercedes ISD as well as STC, joined the Texas Graduate Center on a recent trip to Washington University in St. Louis to meet with the program directors and Washington University faculty and staff. The delegation met with institute faculty members, Sarah Elgin and Erik Herzog. Dr. Elgin is a Professor of Biology who studies gene regulation, gene silencing, and the aging process in fruit flies. She is a dedicated advocate for teaching innovations across K-12 and higher education life sciences, including active undergraduate involvement in research. Dr. Herzog specializes in the cellular and molecular bases for circadian rhythms in behavior and psychology. He is a member of the steering committee for the Neuroscience Pathway graduate and postdoctoral program at Washington University. We toured the Washington School of Medicine as well as the Missouri Botanical Garden and Danforth Plant Science Center which all contribute the latest research and expertise to the courses in the program.
SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2015
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SHINE for girls
A
n innovative math program for girls is coming to the the Rio Grande Valley. SHINE for GIRLS incorporates kinesthetic techniques and team problem-solving lessons to help middle school girls improve their math ability. One of the features that makes SHINE for GIRLS so unique is their dance component. The program incorporates dance to help explain math concepts through motion. The dance component also improves students’ self-confidence, teamwork and discipline. The Texas Graduate Center will launch the program in partnership with La Joya ISD in November. Emily Benz, a sophomore at MIT and president of the MIT Branch of SHINE, held a training for teachers and high school girls who will be implementing the program in La Joya. Three Lead Mentors and fifteen La Joya ISD high school students participated in the training.
Master of Science in Biology for Teachers Starts July 2016 • Earn a Master of Science degree in two years (online and 3-week summer residencies) • Learn from renowned life science faculty at Washington University St. Louis, one of the most prominent research universities in the country. • Participate in action research and laboratory work in state-of-the-art research facilities on campus and within the city of St. Louis. • Participate in professional networks with teachers from across the country. • Develop and apply skills in curriculum innovation.
Texas Graduate Center is a public-private initiative of the Texas Valley Communities Foundation. 1098 W. Expressway 83, Mercedes, TX 78570 | 956.903.4231 | alopez@tvcof.org
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GIRLS ENGAGED IN MATHEMATICS
Building CONFIDENCE and reducing MATH ANXIETY The notion that only boys can become scientists and engineers has persisted over time. Studies have shown that negative stereotypes about girls’ abilities in mathematics and science have impacted their performance in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and math) areas.
to schedule a gem camp at your school, contact: Executive Director, Dr. Mary Alice Reyes 956.903.4231 | mareyes@tvcof.org
Girls Engaged in Mathematics is a public-private initiative of the Texas Valley Communities Foundation
SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2015
The
philosophy of Teaching
SERIES: Part 2
This summer, Cohort I completed their final summer residency at Harvard. Their final course was a Teaching Projects/Capstone Course intended to give current and aspiring secondary math teachers an opportunity to become engaged in a variety of teachingrelated projects. Students completed a series of research and presentation requirements during the course focused on issues such as the impact of various pedagogical approaches, the use of technology in classrooms, assessment techniques, and curriculum design, among other topics. The Capstone Course was led by Dr. Andy Engelward, director of the Math for Teaching graduate program. All students were required to write a teaching statement outlining their experience and philosophy on their profession. This is the first of a series of statements we’d like to share.
Alejandro De La Garza Lyford CISD
Having a positive attitude at all times helps create a good atmosphere where student understand that making mistakes is part of the learning process and perseverance is an important aspect of success. 14 | Texas Graduate Center
M
y goals as a teacher are to help students develop their problem solving skills and to help them enjoy learning. Developing students’ problem solving skills mainly involves working on problems and discussing how results were obtained. Teaching mathematics involves letting students explore their own ideas about solving a problem, rather than giving them solution methods ahead of time. Learning goals can be accomplished through individual work, group work, and whole class discussions while small doses of direct instruction can be useful for clarifying misunderstandings and concluding main ideas. An important part of students’ mathematical knowledge that will
be developed throughout the school year includes facts, procedures, formulas, and reasoning skills used to solve a variety of problems. To help students enjoy learning, I create a positive environment where effort is praised and collaboration encouraged. Interesting and relevant materials are chosen to increase student engagement. Having a positive attitude at all times helps create a good atmosphere where student understand that making mistakes is part of the learning process and perseverance is an important aspect of success. In the end, I hope my students see that solving problems and exploring ideas can be an enjoyable journey worth taking.
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no specific philosophy in education written or taught that I should use, but I am constantly guided by my strong beliefs and convictions, which are the following: I believe that my love for math and the joy of playing, discovering, creating, and learning (in fact!) keep me enthusiastic to help others learn math and make it feel easy for them. I want my students to experience the joy of learning math too.
The
philosophy
of Teaching
Corazon Bautista Hidalgo ISD
as a teacher my goal is for my students to have confidence in their ability to learn to think rationally and clearly organize ideas to accurately apply concepts 16 | Texas Graduate Center
Plants are shaped by cultivation and men by education… We are born weak, we need strength; we are born totally unprovided, we need aid; we are born stupid, we need judgment. Everything we do not have at our birth and which we need when we are grown is given us by education. – Jean Jacques Rousseau
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ith unprecedented rapid growth in technology, the tradition that “education starts from home” is declining. The school and the teacher, for that matter, are now considered the most important instruments in passing on education from one generation to the next. The task of teaching can be very challenging and daunting and this applies especially to teaching math. Michel de Montaigne (1533- 1592), one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance, in the field of education wrote, “…But in truth I know nothing about the philosophy of education except this: that the greatest and the most important difficulty known to human learning seems to lie in that area which treats how to bring up children and how to educate them.” As such, I am in constant search of a particular philosophy of education to guide me in my teaching, even after more than two decades of teaching. My teaching and learning experiences along the way have taught me a lot. There is
I believe that every child has the ability to learn though they may differ in the way they learn and how fast they can learn new ideas. I have to be mindful of individual differences so that I am able and ready to differentiate instruction if needed. I believe that it is important to listen to a child speak, for it is through their communication that the teacher understands what the child is thinking. We learn from them as well. I believe in Vygotsky’s idea of the existence of ZPD (zone of proximal development) which is the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he/she can do with help. Individual problem solving can define this ZPD in a child, but with proper guidance from the teacher the child can gradually develop the ability to solve on his/her own, encouraging and advancing individual learning. I believe that a child needs to visualize mathematical ideas so that he/she can conceptualize it through the use of language, then connect these ideas to give meaning to his/her learning experience. In this manner, the child remembers it and knowledge is acquired. The teacher should encourage and exemplify use of good mathematical discourse at all times. After all, the child follows and learns from the teacher.
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BUILDING THE CAPACITY TO MAXIMIZE IMPACT
MISSION
The mission of the Principals Academy is to build the capacity of principals to lead for instructional improvement within their schools and districts by creating the conditions for building a collaborative culture of efficacy and high performance expectations focused on results.
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PROGRAM COMPONENTS
8 Training sessions with Resource Guide 3 Follow up sessions Book: The Principal: Three Keys to Maximizing Impact External campus visits Speakers to enhance curriculum On-site support On-line support Principals Academy shirt Certificate of Completion
PROGRAM MODEL
Each meeting will consist of training based on the work of Michael Fullan, Lyle Kirtman, Keith Leithwood, Robert Marzano and other leading authorities in educational leadership.
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The Changing Role of the Principal
Urgency and Drivers of Change
Striking a Leadership Balance
Building Professional Capital
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Building System Coherence
Principals as Agents of Change
Change Challenges and Strategies
Designing a Maximizing Impact Plan
FACILITATOR
Dr. Mary Alice Reyes has extensive years of experience in educational leadership as a campus principal, district-level administrator and superintendent of schools. Her expertise will lend to developing a personal and practical learning community environment that will build on the principals’ strengths and address their unique needs. “The role of the principal needs to be balanced between content and organizational leadership. The educational leader is the overall leader of instruction, but he or she needs to have time and skills to motivate and build teams and develop leadership capacity in his or her school for change.” – Kirtman, 2013 Texas Graduate Center is a public-private initiative of the Texas Valley Communities Foundation | 1098 W. Expressway 83, Mercedes TX, 78570 | 956.903.4231 | for more info, contact Mary Alice Reyes at mareyes@tvcof.org
SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2015
Cohort IV now forming...
• 3 Year Master’s Program in partnership with Harvard University Extension School • Mathematics for Teaching Program • Cohort Learning Model • Summer Residency at Harvard University • Classes Begin January 2016 APPLICATIONS ARE DUE
NOVEMBER 24, 2015 For more info, please contact: alopez@tvcof.org WWW.TXGRADCENTER.ORG
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MATHTEACH Collaborative Professional Development 2015 - 2016
NOVEMBER
13 2015
Febuary
5 2016
Maria Pizano Maximizing the Impact of Parental Engagement Researcher and Consultant formerly with the Harvard Family Research Project. Workshop #: 49290
James Tanton
Mathematician and math educator, founder of The St. Mark’s Math Institute, scholar at the Mathematical Association of America, author of over ten books on mathematics, curriculum, and education. Workshop #: 49184
JUly
Harvard Graduate School of Education
2016
Leadership: An Evolving Vision
10-16
Superintendents Leadership Series
SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2015
Thank you to our MATHTEACH Collaborative Partners:
The Texas Graduate Center is a public-private initiative of the Texas Valley Communities Foundation. 20 | Texas Graduate Center