Marcia Tate Presents Teacher Expectations and Student Achievement: Feb. 12th

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Marcia Tate is BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND – with her popular and highly engaging session, “Teacher Expectations and Student Achievement”. 

Would you like to improve student behavior, increase academic achievement of all students, and increase attendance? If so, you won’t want to miss out on this session. It will be Thursday, February 12, here at Region 7. This session is FREE to many of our Title I/II contracted member districts, with a nominal fee of $100 for all others. See the attached flyer for more information. 

To register, please click on this link: https://misweb.esc7.net/mis/sess1.asp?type=DATE&sessNum=043376

For those of you who have attended any of Dr. Tate’s sessions regarding use of brain-based strategies, this session builds on those, but is quite different. While she does utilize brain-friendly strategies, Marcia Tate delves more comprehensively into the use of specific behaviors that encourage higher-level thinking and questioning. Attendees will come away with model questions and key words to use in developing questions based on Bloom’s Taxonomy . . . and so much more!

Dr. Marcia Tate is an acclaimed international presenter who uses highly-engaging brain-based strategies to teach participants how to incorporate the same strategies in their classrooms. Her sessions are well-attended and well-received. 

In fact, Region 7 ESC has hosted her for four sessions during the past 16 months, and the participants’ remarks included, 

• “Her use of the strategies she recommends reinforces how well they will work!,” 
• “Every idea is relevant to my teaching. So positive!,” and 
• “Best workshop ever!” 

If you’ve never heard or seen Marcia Tate in action, please check her out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b58ofU_SVO8

Participants will come away with at least 15 interactions which you can use to convey high expectations to any student – in all grades/courses!

For more information, contact Debbie Taylor, EdD.
Assistant Director, Federal Programs 

dtaylor@esc7.net

How Connected is Your District for 21st Century Digital Learning? TEA Wants to Know

Public School Network Capabilities Survey

The Texas Education Code (TEC), §32.005, directs the commissioner of education to conduct a study to assess the network capabilities of each school district. As part of the activities related to the study, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) will soon send a survey to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools across the state. Data from the Public School Network Capabilities Survey will be shared with state leadership to inform important decisions and determine future directions regarding technology in Texas K-12 public schools.

The Public School Network Capabilities Survey includes targeted questions related to the Internet connection speed of each individual campus and the network connection speed between the district and each of the school campuses in the district. A copy of the survey questions will be sent with the letter. Answers to the survey questions should be provided by the individual in the district who is most knowledgeable about the network capabilities of the district. Often this is the district technology coordinator. The agency has sought to identify the technology coordinator in each school district and open-enrollment charter, with the assistance of the regional education service centers.

Are the New Math Standards Sending Signals of Stress?

Resources for K–8 Revised Math TEKS


A valuable list of free resources is available to help both teachers and parents transition to the revised math Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS.)

Since the revised math TEKS for high school students are not scheduled for implementation until the following school year in 2015–2016, the Texas Education Agence (TEA) resource page is currently specific to K–8 TEKS math resources only. The free TEA resource webpage may be accessed here.

Learning Session:
Jane Tarr and Region 7 math teachers will explore Quality Math: Using Small Groups in the structure of stations and centers to provide a powerful way to succeed with the new standards for math.

Date: February 17, 2015

Session: # 044808

For more information, contact Jane Tarr, jtarr@esc7.net

The Parent Connection: Resources to Share

Raising a child diagnosed with a disability can be overwhelming. But parents need not walk that journey alone.

One example included in the newsletter is The Parent Companion - First Five Years, which is a website that connects Texas parents of children from birth through 5 years of age to information, inspiration, and resources.

The site is intended as a guide through the complex world of services and everyday scenarios you encounter when raising a young child with a disability.

The Parent Companion offers a custom search function to narrow down the abundant resources available to you.  Click here to view and read more about this and other services.