What do teachers do in the summer? Sometimes they sign up for further training themselves.
More than 100 science and math teachers from across the Coastal Bend and dozens of current education students and future teachers attended the 19th annual Me by the SEa STEM Teachers Conference at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi on Friday.
“I really enjoy coming and learning about new projects or new programs or new software that teachers are using that helps them improve learning in the classroom,” said Laura Rivera, a high school math teacher at Bishop CISD.
Over the course of the day, attendees heard from keynote speaker and Texas Teacher of the Year Taniece Thompson-Smith and participated in sessions on technology in the classroom, integrating nature into lessons, strategies for student growth, burn -out among teachers and research projects.
Many students are visual and tactile learners, Rivera said.
“It’s fun to both integrate into math instruction and give them real-world situations where they don’t realize they’re using a lot of the topics and concepts we’ve learned in class,” Rivera said.
Moody High School teacher Chris Cavazos, who teaches at the school’s CITGO Innovation Academy, led a session on the design and problem-solving process he uses in his classes, and instructed attendees to use the process to make a beanbag slingshot to build.
The activity is similar to the mini-labs he uses in class with students. Cavazos teaches principles of engineering and 3D design.
“They get to build and break things and have fun,” Cavazos said, explaining that through projects, students are introduced to mathematical and engineering concepts, as well as practical skills that prepare them to earn industry certifications while still in high school .
Gary Leary, science teacher at Coles High School, attended a session on outdoor activities and bringing nature into the classroom in the morning. Later that afternoon, he and fellow science teacher Angelique Fernandez-Leary led at Coles High School on how a school garden can increase students’ knowledge of biology and food science.
“We had (the garden) a few years ago, and we brought it back this year because when you ask kids where the food comes from, they say ‘HE-B,’” Leary said. “We were like, ‘We’re going to try to grow our own food.'”
The students grew food that was then used in food science classes.
“The kids had to grow their own food and then cook it,” Leary said.
Leary has been attending the annual conference for nearly a decade and has given presentations in recent years.
“It’s a great networking opportunity for teachers, to learn about the cool projects other teachers are doing and how you can bring that back into your classroom,” Leary said.
Most participants are not required to come to the conference by their school districts, said organizer and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi professor Faye Brunn, but they do so voluntarily.
“They meet other people in their profession,” Brunn said.
Teachers can see how other Coastal Bend teachers approach the same topics and connect with others to turn to for advice if they have a question or concern.
Faculty also serve on the conference’s leadership council.
Robstown ISD Instructional Technology Coordinator and conference chair-elect Rachel Medrano said that after years of attending the conference, she now knows teachers throughout the region she can contact. She remembers learning new ways to teach fractions and new hands-on activities to bring learning to life.
“I’ve been in contact with people from Gregory-Portland, Bishop, Calallen, Corpus Christi and West Oso,” Medrano said. “Now I have people in all those neighborhoods that I can reach if I come across a concept that I can’t quite figure out.”
Texas Education Agency highlights South Texas grades in new reading books
Rural Schools Innovation Zone in South Texas is growing with state support
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi holds a new teacher retention workshop
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Practical Teaching Ideas Shared at the STEM Conference for Teachers
