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🎓 Best Little Teachers’ Workshop in Texas: Texas Before the Lone Star

📘 The Heritage Society hosts a professional development workshop for teachers of Texas history. Educators will hear presentations by Texas historians on topics that fit within the second semester of 7th grade Texas history from the Mexican War to modern times. The program includes hands-on strategy and resource sessions focused on the use of primary documents in the classroom and aligned to TEKS. Teachers receive lesson plans and copies of all demonstrated resources. This workshop is in the process of being approved by TEA for 3.5 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE).

📅 Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026 ⏰ Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 📍 Location: The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park, 1100 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002

💵 Price: $10

🎖️ CPE Credit: 3.5 hours (pending)

👥 In-Person: Limited seating (70 spots). Coffee, lunch, and drinks provided. 💻 Online: Participate from your office or home. Archived seminar access is being researched.

🎟️ Tickets: Best Little Teachers' Workshop in Texas | The Heritage Society

🌟 Workshop Overview

Teachers will explore the most up-to-date research on life in Texas before Anglo-American colonization (pre‑nineteenth century). 🎤 Dr. Tim Seiter (UT–Tyler) leads Sessions One and Two on Native Texas and Spanish Texas. 🍽️ After a free lunch from our sponsors, 📚 Educator Keiren Velez joins Dr. Seiter to demonstrate classroom integration strategies for various age groups.

This workshop is inspired by the exhibit Spanish Texas During the American Revolution: Life and Legacy, 1775–1783, on display at The Heritage Society until January 31, 2027 and later traveling across Texas.

🧭 Session Descriptions

🪶 Session One: Native Texas

Learn about the well-connected, diverse, and powerful Native cultures residing in Texas and how they mastered their environments. This session dispels common myths about Texas’s Native peoples.

🏰 Session Two: Spanish Texas

Explore Spanish entry into Texas, the challenges of conquest, common professions, dangers of frontier life, and how the Crown extended its influence. Includes a guided tour of the Spanish Texas During the American Revolution exhibit.

📝 Session Three: Classroom Integration

Educator Keiren Velez and Dr. Seiter demonstrate how to integrate workshop content into TEKS‑aligned lesson plans for multiple grade levels.

🎁 Texas‑Sized Goodie Bags

In-person participants receive: 📚 Peer‑reviewed books 🗺️ The most accurate map of eighteenth‑century Texas 📂 Additional teaching materials

All participants receive: 🎫 A certificate for two free historic house tours

👩‍🏫 Who Should Attend

  • 7th grade Texas history teachers

  • 4th grade Texas history teachers

  • Gifted & Talented educators (TAGT‑aligned)

  • Curriculum specialists

  • Social studies coordinators

  • Museum educators

📘 TEKS Connections

This workshop supports TEKS strands including:

  • Native peoples and cultures of Texas

  • Spanish exploration and settlement

  • Missions, presidios, and colonial life

  • Geography and cultural regions

  • Primary source analysis

  • Critical thinking and historical interpretation

👥 Presenter Credentials

Dr. Tim Seiter, University of Texas at Tyler Historian specializing in Native Texas, Spanish Texas, and early colonial life. Published scholar with extensive research on eighteenth‑century Texas.

Keiren Velez, Educator Experienced classroom teacher and curriculum designer specializing in TEKS‑aligned instructional strategies and primary‑source integration.

🚗 Logistics and Arrival Information

  • 🅿️ Parking: Available at City Hall Annex and nearby paid lots.

  • 🪪 Check‑In: Opens at 9:30 a.m. at the Museum Gallery entrance.

  • ♿ Accessibility: ADA accommodations available; contact us in advance.

  • 💼 Materials: Laptops/tablets optional; printed materials provided.

🔄 Refund and Transfer Policy

Tickets are non‑refundable. The session will be filmed and will be distributed to teachers after the event.

🤝 Sponsors

Underwritten and sponsored in part by: Dr. Tim Seiter, Humanities Texas, and Council Member Twila Carter

📞 Contact

📱 713‑655‑1912 📧 info@heritagesociety.org

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