District, UTPB host literacy conference
Jun. 2—Almost 300 Ector County ISD teachers gathered at the University of Texas Permian Basin gym Friday for Ignite Your Light with the Power of Literacy.
Presented by ECISD and UTPB, the keynote speakers were Kylene Beers and Gretchen Bernabei.
Director of Digital Learning Lauren Tavarez said both are well-known in the education world and have written many books centering on literacy, reading and writing and how to better support students.
"We're really fortunate to have them here. It's a big deal for dorky teacher people like me," Tavarez said.
UTPB students who are preparing to be teachers were also in attendance, she said.
"We thought what an awesome opportunity for them to be able to experience what a mini conference is like, but also to leave with lots of great strategies for the classroom before they even become teachers," Tavarez said.
According to the Literacy Coalition of the Permian Basin, one in three adults in the Permian Basin reads below a third-grade level and can be considered low-literate.
People forget how important literacy is, Tavarez said.
"It's everything," she said. "And so that is honestly the reason we decided to focus the whole day on literacy, because literacy impacts math and impacts science, impacts social studies. ... All of the sessions today, whether it be from our digital learning team, from our math coordinators, math specialists, they all focus on literacy, but from that lens. ..."
"... The direction we're moving in digital learning and curriculum and instruction is more how we bring those things together, so it helps teachers be more effective," Tavarez added.
The event is aimed at all teachers and even coaches, she said.
The idea for the conference came from Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Lilia Nanez. Tavarez said Nanez wanted to do this because of the literacy status in the community, but also to continue to support the growth ECISD students have shown this last year.
"They've made huge gains and so we're not done. We have to keep going with that," Tavarez said.
They've had summits and conferences before, but this is the first time they have taken it to this level, she said.
Curriculum and Instruction has done a great job leading and getting sponsors, Tavarez said.
"Every teacher that attends today is going to leave with a copy of one of the books that each of these authors has written. Lots of resources were poured into this thing. This is the biggest we've ever done, which is exciting," she added.
Tara Wilson, assistant professor of literacy and program coordinator for the literacy master's program said she thought the gathering was great.
The partnership between UTPB and ECISD is great and the conference gives teachers a chance to see the university, she said.
Wilson was also touched so many teachers attended on a Friday on their summer break.
The district used many of its own staff for breakout sessions, which Wilson thought was neat.
"It's learning from each other. Some of the teachers here are UTPB alumni, so that makes me happy," Wilson said. "I saw some students in there that were my students, so that makes my heart happy. We're passing out information about our graduate programs," she added.
Literacy has to be back in the spotlight, Wilson said.
"It kind of upsets me when I hear a teacher (say) oh I teach math, or I teach science so I don't have to worry about that. Yes, you do. ... Kids have to be able to read the math problem and the science, so it needs to be in the spotlight," she said.
