January 19 - April 27
All seminars are on Tuesdays from
5:30-7:30 PM unless otherwise noted.
The Institute was established in 1998 and is affiliated with the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. It is a partnership between the University of Houston and area public schools whose purpose is to increase subject matter skills for Houston area teachers. All seminar leaders are senior faculty members at the University of Houston. Fellows must be classroom teachers in the Houston Independent School District. Applications are due by November 15, 2009.
The Institute wishes to acknowledge its gratitude to the following foundations for their very generous support:
The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation
Dewitt-Wallace Reader’s Digest Fund
Houston Endowment Inc.
The Powell Foundation
The Simmons Foundation
The Rockwell Fund
What are the Benefits to Participants?
For additional information on these seminars and an application to become a Fellow in the Houston Teachers Institute, please contact us at 713.743.3986, or e-mail hti@uh.edu.
CSI and the Chemistry Classroom
Dr. Simon Bott, Department of Chemistry
Seminar meets on Monday evenings from 5:30-7:30 pm.
The recent surge of interest in forensic science due to the CSI TV series (and the various spin-offs and imitations) provides fresh and different ways to introduce a range of topics into the chemistry curriculum. In this seminar, we shall first examine the available textbooks, journal articles and even TV shows and movies to compare different approaches, applications and case studies. Each Fellow will then develop a curriculum unit and lesson plans designed to teach a broad conceptual area using forensic investigative techniques and theories from a variety of scientific disciplines. The materials emerging from this seminar will enhance the higher order thinking and analytical skills of students.
This seminar will be of particular interest to science and math teachers.
Life Stories in the Classroom
Dr. Ted Estess, Dean Emeritus of the Honors College
Of course, all teachers teach a subject matter. We expect—and assist—our students to learn. At the same time, our ability to teach—and the capacity of our students to learn—the What of our discipline is inextricably connected to Who we and our students are.
The idea guiding this seminar is that both teaching and learning benefit if we pay some attention to life stories and storytelling. And why? For one thing, stories are a means by which we connect with students. Longstanding teachers are often confounded to hear a former student say, “I don’t remember anything you taught us, but I do remember a story you told us about yourself.” Students also bring their stories to the classroom. A teacher’s capacity to engage them is inexorably linked to the teacher’s ability to hear and validate those stories.
This seminar, then, will focus on life stories in the classroom. To do so, we shall do the following: 1) the leader will present some guiding principles regarding life stories and read a few of his own; 2) each Fellow will write a life story and present it to the seminar; 3) we shall study four published life stories, two selected by the leaderNight by Elie Wiesel and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass—and two selected by the Fellows; 4) each Fellow will present stories from students currently in his or her classroom.
A Look at Modern China
Dr. Xiaoping Cong, Department of History
This seminar explores the history of China from 1600 CE to the present, the centuries in which China experienced its most dramatic political, social, cultural, and economic changes. We will be examining a number of important issues: (1) Social and political crises in the period of Manchu rule. Fellows will compare the early modern era in China with that of Europe and North America. (2) Chinese modernity and the challenge of the West. Fellows will study the conflicts and interaction of Chinese and Western culture in the last two centuries. (3) Major transformations in China since the eighteenth century. Fellows will acquire a better understanding of political reforms, from the Republican to the Communist revolution, as well as the consequences of wars and social movements in this period. (4) Changes in the family and the position of women in the last hundred years. (5) Contemporary China and its opportunities and challenges for future development.
This seminar will be of special interest to teachers of history, social studies, language arts, and foreign languages.
How Many Kinds of English Are There?
Standard Written English and Its Siblings
Dr. Michael R. Dressman, Department of English
Seminar meets on Monday evenings from 5:30-7:30 pm.
A major responsibility for language arts teachers, as well as teachers in other fields, is helping students use Standard English successfully. This seminar examines the grammar(s) of English and looks at what it means for language to have rules. Every human language has some rules that are extremely important; if these rules are violated, communication may not take place. However, there are other “rules” that are matters of fashion or style. Violating these actually may conform to a different set of rules, as speakers communicate meaning, possibly projecting additional signals.
We will explore presuppositions about school English and other forms of the language, focusing on register—that is, appropriate use and style in various circumstances. We will also identify the characteristics of Standard Written (American) English, one variety that is very important in school contexts. But we will also look at how other varieties of English work and how language changes in a diversity of settings, such as literature. Teachers from all levels are welcome.
Combating Childhood Obesity:
An Interdisciplinary Approach to an Epidemic
Dr. Norma Olvera, Department of Health and Human Performance
Childhood obesity has become a major health problem in the United States, affecting all children, particularly minority children. This seminar is designed to examine the prevalence of obesity, its diverse causes (from physiological to environmental factors), its impact on the well-being of the child (e.g., sleep apnea and body image), and recent research on nutrition, exercise, and self-esteem. The development of healthy lifestyle programs will be presented within the context of families, schools, and communities. We will discuss the relationship between academic performance and health outcomes as well as innovative methods for assessing health and fitness. This seminar should be of interest to teachers, especially at the elementary level, responsible for health, science, physical education, and nutrition curricula.
American Presidents on the World Stage
Dr. Nancy Beck Young, Department of History
Seminar meets on Monday evenings from 5:30-7:30 pm.
2010 will be a pivotal year for determining changes in the relationships between the United States and other countries. This seminar will study the role and effectiveness of previous presidents in determining short- and long-term foreign policy. We will evaluate the contributions of individual presidents to problems faced by the United States, and the extent to which a president can influence geopolitics. Fellows will be able to focus on the presidents of their choosing. This seminar should appeal to teachers preparing an elementary, middle, or high school curriculum.
Remember: the application deadline is November 15th!