The Houston Teachers Institute was founded in 1999 as an outreach and professional development program of the University of Houston dedicated to strengthening teachers and teaching. Over the years we have found that collegial seminars in which professors provide the academic foundation and teachers bring their teaching experience are rewarding to all participants. Since 2010, the Honors College has adapted the HTI model for a variety of professional and academic enrichment opportunities for area teachers and schools.
Traditional seminars meet after school during the typical academic semester. Our model—friends, food, and lively discussion—facilitates both teacher camaraderie and independent research. Small and selective to allow for collaboration, each of our seminars is limited to about twelve teachers, or fellows, and a seminar leader—an outstanding member of the University's faculty. Fellows will be able to direct the focus of their seminar by agreeing on common readings and by conducting independent reading suited to their classrooms. Topics are always changing, but the principle remains the same—to allow fellows time to read, to think, to collaborate, and to refresh—with the ultimate goal of deepening their subject knowledge and strengthening their curriculum.
The Honors College can customize seminars and deliver them directly to your campus. Schools may request on-site seminars specific to the interests of their teachers and adapted to their students' curricular needs. Seminar meeting times and duration will be determined by your school.
Once a semester, current and former fellows are invited to the Honors Commons where visiting scholars share their research and creative work through lectures, readings, and craft talks. These coffee-and-cake events (or, occasionally, wine-and-cheese) are free, informative, and open to the public.
