The Texas OnCourse Educator Blog

Hi everyone. This is Rose from Texas OnCourse with your latest news on COVID-19 and Texas education. Last week, a few of you mentioned you were looking for information about summer school, so we have some updates and resources for you.

College-bound high school seniors have a big transition ahead of them. In addition to choosing their college, they’ll need to keep track of financial aid deadlines, make housing plans, and schedule orientation. We compiled the top five ways high school seniors can stay on track through the end of high school and into the summer to have a stellar freshman year.

This academic year has been unlike any other for students around the world. In particular, students making big transitions in the fall (like entering high school as a freshman!) are facing unique challenges.

This month, we shifted our usual monthly webinar to make space for educators to learn from one another and discuss resources for teaching and advising during COVID-19. More than 600 people registered to join the conversation. If you weren’t able to join the discussion live, watch the recording:

February is CTE Month! In order to celebrate career and technical education, we’re going to look at the ways you can build your students’ awareness of CTE courses and the opportunities CTE can provide as they transition from middle to high school. 

Exams like the SAT and ACT can feel big and scary for many students. It can seem as though the stakes are high and a lot is riding on the outcome of one or both of these exams. Let’s look at some of the ways students can start early, breathe deeply, and use test prep techniques to conquer the SAT and ACT.

In this webinar, we highlight information and resources for supporting students from special populations. These include highly mobile students – those from military-connected families or whose parents or guardians are migrant workers – and students with disabilities.

Winter break is one of my favorite times of the year. As a high school counselor, I look forward to the long, quiet lull between mid-December and the new year when my schedule frees up and I have more control over my day. I’ve learned that it’s important to harness the gift of free time and use it to recharge and prepare myself for a strong spring semester. Students can and should do the same in order to become college and career ready. Here are three tips for educators and three tips for students on how to return to school in January refreshed and more focused than ever:

What’s a student to do during the summer? After a time, another day at the pool or afternoon spent playing video games can seem humdrum. Summertime offers a wonderful opportunity for students to broaden their life experiences. The more life experiences, the more well rounded the student – and the more potential college essay material! It’s all about changing it up. Here are several options:

Summertime is a great time to make (and fulfill) wish lists. In a perfect world, what are some things you wish you had the time or energy to do? For some, having a little more free time means considering how they can positively impact their communities. When you have extra, you might be more apt to consider sharing the extra that you have.