Articles
Throughout 2024, Humanities Texas is celebrating twenty years of conducting statewide teacher professional development programs. Over the last two decades, we have provided educators across Texas with opportunities to study with leading humanities scholars and gain effective classroom strategies and resources. Free to teachers and their schools, our workshops and institutes explore topics at the heart of the state's humanities curricula in U.S. history and government, Texas history, language arts, and media literacy. To date, Humanities Texas has served over 7,500 teachers, 2,300 schools, and over 375,000 students with our professional development programs.
In honor of this milestone, we are pleased to share the following reflections from teachers who have participated in these programs over the past twenty years.
Anthony Zanin, Farley Middle School, Hutto ISD
10 Years Teaching
Humanities Texas has transformed the way that I view professional development. Each program is specifically designed to meet my need of expanding my content knowledge. As a beginning teacher, Humanities Texas afforded me opportunities to hear from amazing historians and learn from them and colleagues who have greatly impacted the work in my classroom.
Whenever someone asks me about professional development opportunities, I direct them to Humanities Texas. Each program is always of the highest quality. I walk away feeling inspired and with tools to take back to my classroom.
Tracy Scott, W. E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy and Middle School, Dallas ISD
17 Years Teaching
I chose to take part in Humanities Texas teacher programs because I am passionate about the subjects offered and wanted to expand my capacity to provide high-impact lessons for my students. Humanities Texas is vital because it places teachers in a highly academic experience that provides discussions and resources that keep the love of learning alive. Teachers leave invigorated and full of creative energy to bring back to the classroom. Humanities Texas is especially meaningful to me because I was able to read important texts, especially poetry, and engage in discussions that reminded me of all my favorite things about being a student, and I brought that spark back to my students each year.
Elizabeth Swoopes, Whitewright Middle School,
Whitewright ISD
17 Years Teaching
Humanities Texas brings immense value to the education world. The programs they offer specifically target what Texas teachers need to be successful. In addition to the topics being spot-on, the speakers are leaders of their fields. The intention of Humanities Texas is clear: to be a place that Texas teachers can come to get the training necessary to be STAARs in their subject.
Janie Guetzow, South Texas ISD Medical Professions, Olmito
21 Years Teaching
Twenty-one years in, I remain very passionate about my profession and craft. Humanities Texas has helped me stay current with the most relevant research-based practices that help me continue to serve the students in my community. . . . Attending Humanities Texas's professional development programs makes me feel like a respected professional. Their sessions and presenters share the latest research-based practices that help enhance my classroom instruction. Every summer and new school year, I look forward to the new programs being offered! The fact that their programs are offered across the state means that educators througout our wonderful state are making a difference with countless students!
Todd Stovall, Noel Grisham Middle School, Round Rock ISD
23 Years Teaching
I have had the privilege of attending numerous Humanities Texas offerings, both in person and online. I have chosen to attend because of the high caliber of presenters. Tenured professors helping me know the story I am teaching better speaks to my lifelong learning quest.
I see the value in these programs is not only that you get to be a student of a subject you love but also that you are treated like the professional that you are. I always come away from my Humanities Texas experiences energized and feeling that there is one more person in my corner. The tools and resources I have been exposed to have made me a better teacher and sparked my creativity. Better lessons and more student engagement speak for themselves.
This has been particularly helpful as I have supported junior teachers or just teachers new to Texas with Humanities Texas material and sources. The fact that this is coordinated for the teachers free of charge means there is no reason not attend. Even substitute teachers are paid for. There is no content-related training that is offered through my district that compares to this quality and attention to detail. [They provide] not just fascinating topics but also pedagogy support from fellow teachers.
The thing that stays with me most through my Humanities Texas experiences have been the discussions with the professors. It is a history nerd's dream come true to be able to be exposed to sources that experts found meaningful and then get to ask them questions directly. And to hear the questions of other participants that you didn't know you wanted to ask! Humanities Texas has made me a better teacher and given me personal and professional satisfaction. I have learned something at every program I have attended. And they do a mean lunch!
Bill Ford, San Antonio
8 Years Teaching
I loved being a part of your programs during my years in the classroom. Keep up the good work. You are the highlight PD for all Texas teachers.
Faith Moore, Central Office, East Central ISD, San Antonio
7 Years Teaching
When I was in the classroom, the Humanities Texas teacher program was the best content professional development I attended. Humanities Texas sessions are content-rich, something teachers need as more and more people entering the field do not have a degree in a content area relating to the subject they teach. Humanities Texas bridges the gap between pedagogy and content. They are also valuable for knowledgeable teachers as humanities is such a broad subject that it is impossible to be an expert in every topic you teach.
Art Rios, Ninth Grade Center, Hutto ISD
27 Years Teaching
I heard about Humanities Texas when I began in San Angelo the first year y'all began, and I attended the summer institute at the University of Houston. After that year, I attempted to get into the training. I have attended over ten Humanities Texas trainings; the speakers have been great, and the training with activities have been the best.
Robert Blain, G. W. Carver Magnet High School,
Aldine ISD, Houston
19 Years Teaching
I had heard that Humanities Texas had good programs, so when I heard there was a workshop at the University of Houston that I could commute to, I jumped at the chance.
Then, that moment hit when I heard H. W. Brands give the keynote for "The Making of Modern America" institute, and I was hooked. I realized these workshops are the best in the country.
From [Brands's] talks to Charles Flanagan [of the National Archives] to all the other presenters (I'd be doing a disservice to name all the remarkable historians and educators involved), I wouldn't be half the teacher I am without their new insights.
I've attended week-long, in-person, and online (thanks, COVID), single-day, and evening sessions. I have grown, and my students' understanding of history and government has grown by the perspectives given.
Honestly, I would have probably burned out as a teacher by now if not for the great workshops, and I consider [Humanities Texas Co-Director of Education] Liz James and other staff at Humanities Texas not just professional colleagues but friends and partners in education.
Jessica Kouba, College Station High School,
College Station ISD
16 Years Teaching
Humanities Texas has provided some of the best content and professional development that I have experienced as a social studies teacher. The professors have always been excellent lecturers and open to questions from the teachers. There have been several lessons I have been able to take back and use in the classroom. The staff is always helpful and friendly, and I truly value the learning experiences I have enjoyed through the programs.
Scott Lloyd, Lockhart High School, Lockhart ISD
17 Years Teaching
I first signed up for a Humanities Texas professional development program my second year teaching, primarily for the continuing education credits. I was blown away by the quality of the facilitators and instruction I received through the program. Since then I have attended several; every time they've been a high-quality learning experience for me. They are by far the best professional development opportunities I've had as a social studies teacher. The impact these programs can have in improving student engagement and incorporating Texas history into other classes is essential for building student interest in our subjects.
Kathleen Voormolen, Waypoint Montessori,
Grapevine-Colleyville
10 Years Teaching
I first found out about Humanities Texas through a general public talk through my public library a few years ago. I was so impressed and looked for more. Now it is my primary source of professional development for my current student age—kindergarten through elementary—to my forthcoming goal to restart a Montessori middle school program. The sessions are not just filling in my knowledge of U.S. and Texas history and literature but are fascinating to me personally. The range of content is wide, and I have been connected to so many valuable resources and strategies with many other organizations. I have told my colleagues about the programs and shared the resources beyond Texas internationally with fellow Montessori colleagues in Africa and Asia. I look forward each time for what is on offer for the next season.
Phillip Jenkins, Forney High School, Forney ISD
14 Years Teaching
I chose to take part in the Humanities Texas program to gain resources and improve my teaching skills. Humanities Texas did all of that and more! Although I have not been able to attend a workshop since before COVID, I still have a wealth of knowledge gained from attending Humanities Texas events! Congratulations on year twenty and many more to come!
Darin Larkin, Ball High School, Galveston ISD, and
Galveston College
25 Years Teaching
By a longshot the best one-day and week-long continuing education program. Excellent professors give lectures and hold short discussion groups over primary sources. It's sort of like going back to graduate school for a day. Great content and useful for the classroom. This program has the highest standards and feeds my intellectual needs—also free books and the Texas biographies on the flash drive are nice extras. I sign up for these programs every year—it encourages deeper discussion and teaching. Made me a better teacher.
Melissa Rankin, Dallas Lutheran School
36 Years Teaching
Humanities Texas has been a great resource, providing me with excellent teaching, great ideas, and helpful collaboration.
Diana Garcia, De Zavala Elementary School, San Marcos CISD
29 Years Teaching
I chose to take part in a Humanities Texas professional development institute because I enjoy learning about history, and I felt that the more I learn, the more I can share out with my students. This summer I participated in the "The Cold War: History, Literature, and Culture." We had eleven different professors present a theme of the Cold War. I learned about the popular music being played during the Cold War years, about the films influenced by Cold War politics, about how women were viewed, and how women's roles changed during these years. And those are just a few examples of what I learned! I felt excited because all my senses were being engaged via music, film, photos, and primary sources. The professors modeled how all teachers should teach during the regular school year. You want to engage all your students through different resources and multiple perspectives. That was a big take-away for me. For example, I teach second grade and do not teach specifically about the Cold War, but one of our units is on immigration during 1820–1880 and includes short stories on immigrants from Italy, England, Germany, and China. I can look for popular songs from that time that also reflect different cultures. I can add photos or art from that time. I can bring in food samples brought to the USA by immigrants. (Something simple, like Chinese fortune cookies, would still engage a second-grader!) Because I also work with adults seeking a GED once a week at night, I know there are questions regarding the Cold War on their GED test. Having the collection of Cold War resources compiled by the eleven professors, I can dive more deeply into the many facets, causes, and effects of the Cold War.
Humanities Texas plays a huge role in advancing humanities education by providing these summer institutes to teachers for free! We get excellent lectures, thought-provoking discussions, and a compilation of related resources. We also get multiple perspectives, as each professor has his/her own focus, and this adds up to a better appreciation of the history we are being taught. What was meaningful for me is the passion each professor had for his/her presentation. Teaching with enthusiasm, with lots of experience and sources to illustrate their views, motivated me to try to be just as excellent and exciting this year with my second-graders and adult students. I love learning, and I love sharing what I learn. I thank Humanities Texas for all the planning they do to provide teachers with excellent professional development.
Adrian Jurado, Del Valle High School, Del Valle ISD
13 Years Teaching
Humanities Texas has been beneficial to my professional development in several important ways. First, they provide help teaching topics that are important through standards-based content. They also bring amazing professors to work with us. This inspires me to keep learning. Seeing the experts interact with us and talk about their expertise gives me fuel to keep teaching students.
Elisa Murillo, Central Office, San Antonio ISD
15 Years Teaching
I attended my first Humanities Texas summer institute ten years ago. I had a few years of teaching experience but needed more help with content. The workshop I attended was a wonderful experience! I felt like a student again! It provided the content knowledge I was lacking! I immediately became a supporter and advocate of this organization. I shared resources and knowledge about the organization with my colleagues. Since then, I have continued to attend workshops to better support my current role. I know that it will be time well spent!
Carey Petkoff, Marcus High School, Lewisville ISD
20 Years Teaching
My experience as an attendee at a number of Humanities Texas institutes is unmatched by all other professional development that I have been a part of over the course of my twenty-year career in education. The thoughtful attention to detail, the resources, the AMAZING professors and speakers that have contributed their time to the betterment of the education of Texas teachers, and many other behind the scenes details unknown to us, is what makes Humanities Texas a world-class model for humanities education. Outside of the educational experience of these institutes, Humanities Texas truly values teachers. Teachers aren't often treated as "professionals" in the way that is the norm of employees in the private sector. Humanities Texas goes out of its way to ensure that we feel valued and necessary to the future of Texas students. Without a doubt, I am a better teacher because of Humanities Texas. Thank you, Humanities Texas!
Video filmed during the 2018 "America in the 1920s and 1930s" summer institute held at the LBJ Presidential Library featuring testimonials from teachers and scholars who have participated in our education programs over the years.