Celebrating Teachers and Educators for the Work They Do in Shaping the Futures of Children

Town Square with Ernie Manouse airs at 3 p.m. CT. Tune in on 88.7FM, listen online or subscribe to the podcast. Join the discussion at 888-486-9677, [email protected] or @townsquaretalk.

Teachers and educators are one of the most important influences on our children’s lives and go above and beyond to enrich the lives of our students. Today, we honor them and share the unique ways they bring learning to life in the classroom.

Houston Public Media’s Dave DeJohn is out in the Houston area each day meeting great educators. He joins us to discuss his role as Director of Education and PBS’s commitment to learning through its various free educational resources for parents and teachers.

To learn more about PBS Learning Media, click here.

We also talk with several educators from our community about the various methods they use to engage students and keep them excited about learning.

We talk with Humble ISD first grade teacher, Angelia Courtney, who shares how she creates real-life experiences for her students through virtual learning. Students get virtual field trips, meet-ups at parks and libraries, and guest speakers like a NASA firefighter or children’s book author.  

Arjaunese Williams, a first grade teacher at Stafford Elementary School, was named the 2023 Elementary Teacher of the Year by the Texas Council of Teachers of English Arts. She makes learning fun for her students through hands-on and interactive activities.

2023 Cypress Ridge High School Campus Teacher of the Year, Maureen Thomas, explains how her students create materials that fly on the International Space Station through the NASA Hunch program.  They’ve sewn cargo bags, sleeping bag liners and they are currently constructing hygiene kits for astronauts.

Rita Graves, 2023 HISD Secondary Principal of the Year, from Lamar High School discusses the “flipped” classroom model, which allows students to complete their assignments at home and then have class time for problem-solving and access to the teacher. She also shares her thoughts on the current challenges and successes in education.

Plus, listeners call in to give special shout-outs to teachers and educators that have had a positive impact on their lives.

Guests:

Dave DeJohn

Director of Education, Houston Public Media

Angelia Courtney

First Grade Teacher, Humble ISD

Arjaunese Williams

First Grade Teacher, Stafford Elementary School, Stafford Municipal School District

Maureen Thomas

Fashion Design Teacher, Cypress Ridge High School, Cypress Fairbanks ISD

Rita Graves

Principal, Lamar High School, Houston ISD

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