The Houston Teachers Institute helps public school teachers by offering seminars taught by university faculty on subjects public school teachers themselves request. The Institutes's purpose is to support teachers as they work to educate their students. Teachers play a leading role in determining how the Institute and each seminar it offers can be of assistance to them. The Institute is interested in fostering a love of learning among all seminar participants, believing that the best teachers are those who are passionate about their subjects. The Houston Teachers Institute is part of a national project led by the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, and supported by grants from The Houston Endowment, The Rockwell Fund, Washington Mutual, The Powell Foundation, The Simmons Foundation, and the McNair Foundation. Both the University of Houston and the Houston Independent School District contribute significant financial support for the Institute. No tuition or fees are charged by the University for the participants.

The Houston Teachers Institute, a collaboration between the University of Houston and the HISD, seeks to develop a collegial spirit among teachers at all levels in Houston. Our seminars seek to be collaborative in their approach to learning. Each seminar concludes with each of the participating teachers (or Fellows, as they are called) preparing what is termed a “curriculum unit,” a completely scripted story of how the Fellow will teach a particular topic to his or her students. These curriculum units are written for one main audience: other teachers.

Upon completion of the curriculum unit–a narrative of some 15-25 pages which will be published by the Institute–and after other Institute requirements have been met, all Fellows receive an honorarium of $1000 from the Institute for their participation and efforts. No tests or papers are required of Fellows. Writing the curriculum unit is the vital and concluding or summarizing experience of the seminar and is essential to its success.