Global News

Voice From the Past!!! Give Voice to the Voiceless!!

Teacher Reflection…the TQ Program

As I look back at my experience in teaching, I compare the challenges and growth I have had in my first two years of teaching. I think growth benchmarks are critical to success and consistency as a teacher. What I consider, essential practices and habits, have changed in year two, primarily to increase my work-life balance and efficiency in workflow. In my second year of teaching, I was matched with a mentor who always checked in on me and made sure that I never felt that the challenges of teaching were not challenges I had to encounter alone. I also believe that the districts approach to curriculum had an immense affect in the way students interacted with TEKS and classroom decorum. Leadership was also something that I found critical to my growth from year 1 to year 2 because of the guidance and effective attention in support to a teacher’s classroom needs. My goals are to continue growing as teacher by learning to utilize a variety of teaching techniques, investing in my career by obtaining a graduate degree (preferably a Doctorates) and most importantly, continue to be consistent in my approach to improve as an education professional.

The TQ Program has taught me a variety of teaching strategies.  I have learned and utilized many teaching strategies in the classroom; to name a few, differentiated learning, utilizing technology in the classroom and inquiry-based instruction. My bachelor’s degree prepared me to understand human behavior and human development, but my Psychology degree is not focused in education. The TQ Program has bridged education modality gaps, since my bachelor’s degree was not primarily focused in education. This alternative certification program has allowed me to learn how to observe, assess and evaluate the most effective teaching strategies to maximize my effectiveness as a teacher.

Our effectiveness as a teacher also depends on a strong support system within and outside the campus. I have learned to create an active and reliable support system with my peers within school and around school campuses in our district. I have collaborated with teachers throughout district campuses to discuss classroom challenges and to share ideas about how we can better deliver align TEKS in our lessons to our students.  I have been able to problem solve challenges with teachers in subjects other than LOTE and found that interdisciplinary collaboration is such an effective way to connect ideas and build working relationships with foreign language content I teach and content that students learn in core classes.

Leadership at my campus has been instrumental in my growth as a second-year teacher. Our principal had a vision, he developed and implemented a mission, and as school I believe that teachers and administration grew from the depth of knowledge and support, we received from our principal and assistant principals. Leadership at Ojeda Middles School in comparison to IDEA charter school were like day and night in terms of how leadership developed and supported teachers and that resulted in growth as a teacher.  Leadership speaks to the strength of continuity and support of a team when we encounter challenges. Challenges are an ever-changing face in the classroom and around campus, but our leadership team assured and reassured teachers and staff that there was never an obstacle greater than an effective solution to those challenges. I feel there was always an air of confidence from our leadership team that was mirrored by staff and teachers and as a result, students at our campus community knew that they could count on effective and consistent expectations from the top down.

There are always areas for growth that we can identify as we take inventory of areas where we glow and areas where we need to grow. I am grateful for my T-TESS assessor Mr. Solis who shared a wealth of knowledge and motivating feedback through his observations. I would like to thank Dr Delia Quintanilla for admitting me into the TQ Program and working to get students in the program through the 2020 pandemic. I would also like to thank Dr Torrez and our amazing assistant principals at Ojeda Middle School, for allowing me the opportunity and responsibility to teach Spanish and be part of your community as a teacher of record. I hope to continue to grow as a professional and deliver quality instruction to our students.

Thank you for the opportunity to advance my career and the investment you placed in me,

Eliseo Barnes

Salute to @TQ Global Teachers

June 1, 2020 Give Voice to the Voiceless*

Greetings TEACH QUEST (TQ) Teachers:                        

Some are meant to plant the seeds, others are meant to nurture the seeds, and many are meant to only pass through challenging and cultivating the seeds. It seems as though our destiny was to serve by passing through the world of teacher preparation. Giving voice to the voiceless*, children, their parents, and teachers, since Dr. Q’s presentation before the Texas Education Agency (TEA)  State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) at their February 4, 2005 board meeting.

There are few words that can replace the countless hours we spent challenging and confronting tradition as we sought to pioneer new teaching and learning experiences and tools. But we did! A warm and thoughtful Thanks!! Your success is our success.

TQportal.com

The tqportal.com, designed and built in-house, improved e-learning rivaling delivery systems of the early 2000’s such as Blackboard, Jenzabar, 1^st Class, and, the more recent, UT Canvass delivery system. TQportal offers teachers interactive simulations, videos, lectures, treadings, module exams, and many more technological tools.

TQ Footprint will stream on!
www.checkteachercert.com
http://www.attqjobs.com
http://www.facebook.com/TEACH-QUEST
http://community.checkteachercert.com
http://teachquestdocs.weebly.com/
http://equalityteach.org/
http://board.checkteachercert.com/login/index
http://tqportal.com/user/login/

Traditional, Since 2005, Free of Charge Deliverables After Exiting:

• Access to the TQ Portal. If you should forget your password, simply, email us. We will re-set the password to 123456.
• Access to TQ TExES practice exams.  Simply, email us to schedule an exam.
• Access to Dr. Q’s robust tutoring. Simply, email us to schedule tutoring.

TEACH QUEST will march on! Look for us wherever folks are giving voice to the voiceless.  That is in our nature as a Lieutenant Colonel Tank Commander (also TEA Educator Preparation Programs Division Chair) and a baton wielding 4A and 6A High School Head Band Director (also TEA Chair of the Division on Standards for the Teaching Profession for the State of Texas). Dr. Kettler and I will forge forward!

Thank you to a few of our nurturing and most recent TEACH Supervisors:

Betty Williams, Annette Stephens, Susan Browne, Pixie Phillips, Susan Cody, Caroline Parks, and Dr. Derrick Love.

Thank you to our hardworking, global TQ Board Members:

Pamela M Baldez, Austin; Dr. Sylvia Little, Austin; Janie Maldonado, Austin; Vicki McKay, Houston; Ed Yeager, Cedar Park; Robin Andrews, Harare Zimbabwe; Susan Browne, Austin; Margarita Guerry, El Paso; Tom Guyton, Del Valle; Monica Sanchez, Falfurrias; Francesca Sganzerla, Zurich, Switzerland; Elizabeth Roger-Wallace, Eugene, Oregon

At Your Service,

Dr. Ron Kettler & Dr. Delia G Quintanilla

*Mantra birthed in Quintanilla’s Boston University 1993 Dissertation

Positions Abroad

Considering a position overseas? Check with us, we maintain connections in several countries.

Program Quality

Delivering a program online allows an individual more resources at his/her “finger tips”.  Onsite courses are limited to the “time on task” in the classroom. They are limited to the experiences/knowledge of the professor delivering the course.

Teacher Marketability

Where do districts find new teachers? Most often schools would rather hire from within. How do teachers position themselves for such hiring? Sometimes, through job fairs, recruiting events or, hold strong connections to district personnel? That will work! The best way, though, “to get your foot in the door” is to serve a 12 or 14 week student teacher internship. Making yourself invaluable, during the internship, to the administrators, teachers, and children. Developing strong contacts, relationships, and connections with everyone on campus will ensure that you are offered a teaching position in the future.

Status of Schools

The economy is improving and the Texas student population continues to grow. 

School districts are forced to open new schools, launch new programs, re-instate sideline programs, subsequently, hire more teachers for all such ventures.  Only, through growth can school districts meet the demands of the growing student population teaching & learning needs.