The Texas OnCourse Educator Blog

I hear two clear-cut positions from educators when I talk to them about Advisory Period. Some educators view advisory as a confusing and frustrating period that creates extra work. Other educators have conquered the advisory period challenge, and view it as a productive time in the school day to reach out to students on a deeper level.  

Earlier this summer, we welcomed a new cohort of leader fellows into the ranks of Texas OnCourse. This is a group of movers and shakers in college and career readiness who demonstrate a commitment to their students and professional development every single day. We’d like you to meet a few of our Texas middle school counselors and educators who are making a difference in their educational communities.

It’s the first week back at school for many Texas educators and students. Who knew summer could fly by so fast? Now that you’re getting back in the swing of things, we want to make sure you have all the tools you need to help your middle schoolers succeed. College and career readiness starts early, and it’s never too soon for your students to start dreaming of a fruitful life after high school. 

When you ask educators why they decided to enter the field, you’re likely to hear something akin to the following: a love of children, a sense of helping others and doing good, a feeling of making a difference in the world. Among all of these answers, a common thread runs – relationships and building connections are important to educators, inspiring and animating them.

With back to school around the corner, we want to make sure that parents and guardians have all the resources they need to support their student’s success this academic year. This is an especially big year for students making the transition from grade school to middle school – there are so many changes! Lockers, more class periods, more demanding schedules, more emphasis on personal responsibility, new students and teachers – the list goes on and on. And even if it isn’t your student’s first year in middle school, each new year presents new challenges.

Texas OnCourse will have two paid opportunities this spring for you and your colleagues to earn money while helping develop new tools and resources for middle school educators. You can earn $100 for pilot testing a new module for the Texas OnCourse Academy and $75 for reviewing a new middle school curriculum guide for social studies.

As a middle school educator, are you looking for ways to enhance career exploration at your school? Helping middle school students investigate career options can be quite the task. First, be sure to take a look at our Middle School Resources for in-class activities. Second, consider hosting a middle school career fair! In addition to giving students a better understanding of various careers, a middle school career fair can show how specific careers fit with each of the five endorsements offered in high school. Third, be sure to check out our comprehensive blog on the Basics of Career Exploration for Students.

Learning about career pathways during middle school is essential to prepare students for life beyond high school. This webinar covers career clusters and how the Texas OnCourse Academy can help support your instruction on this topic. Lori Knight, education outreach specialist for the Texas Workforce Commission, will discuss best practices to support students as they research and select career pathways.

Eighth-grade students in schools across Texas are getting ready to choose their endorsements and the personal graduation plans they intend to pursue in high school. It’s an exciting time, even though these choices can feel daunting. Fortunately, Texas OnCourse has a number of resources for middle school students, like MapMyGrad and the Grad Planner, to make the experience meaningful and engaging.

What are the differences between Career Clusters and Endorsements, and how do they hang together?