Local teachers study with distinguished scholars at UT

In June, three teachers from San Marcos were selected to attend prestigious professional development institute in Austin sponsored by Humanities Texas in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin and the LBJ Presidential Library.

San Marcos High School teachers Gina Rodriguez and Keren Jackson, who both teach English, Language Arts, participated in “Teaching Literature,” which took place from June 10–13 on the UT Austin campus.

The institute provided strategies and resources for helping students to become better readers of fiction, poetry, drama and expository prose, while also addressing the critical reading and media literacy skills necessary for success at the post-secondary level.

Jackson attended the “Teaching Literature” institute to help improve her methods for guiding students to think and write critically. “This program offered approaches to teaching close reading that will help me to not only meet students where they are skills-wise,” she said, “but also help them to successfully analyze more complex texts.”

Taylor Hardy, who teaches U.S. history and world history at San Marcos High School, participated in “The Progressive Era,” which took place from June 17–20 at the LBJ Library.

“Teaching Literature” and “The Progressive Era” were made possible with support from the State of Texas and the National Endowment for the Humanities.