Area Science Teachers Honored and Recognized for Dedication

October 23, 2007

Twenty-eight area science teachers were honored and recognized at the annual Honoring the Teacher reception and dinner on September 13, 2007. The event was sponsored by the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching (TCR), the El Paso Corporation, and the Environmental Institute of Houston/University of Houston–Clear Lake.

The recognized science teachers are mentors who received more than 105 hours of training from the EIH/UH-Clear Lake in the latest methods and techniques to engage young students in science learning experiences that will excite and inspire more students to pursue careers in science and engineering. These mentors return to their schools and districts to assist other teachers in incorporating these methods and techniques into their curriculum.

"This year we had 28 science teacher mentors—seven returning for a second year—who completed an average of 128 hours even though they were only asked to complete 105," said Brenda Weiser, EIH Director of Environmental Education and UH-Clear Lake School of Education Lecturer. "They are very dedicated sciences teachers."

The teachers were honored with a dinner, presented two Certificates of Achievement and received special recognition from Texas House of Representatives John Davis, the keynote speaker.

The EIH/UH-Clear Lake Collaborative is part of a statewide network of science and math regional collaboratives that provide sustained and high intensity professional development to K-12 teachers across the state. The statewide collaborative includes more than 40 regional collaboratives representing institutions of higher education, education service centers, school districts and business partners.