School: Marshall ES
Years Teaching: 2 years
Ms. Rios teaching style is unique, because she always tries her best to design her instructional material to match all the different learning styles her students need. Her goal is always to make sure her students are understanding the science concepts she teaches them. Therefore, she makes sure they are able to explain these concepts to their peeps by doing fun activities such as writing, art, movement or group discussions. Finally, she believes her class stands out in the way that she allows her students to utilize time and space to explore and learn from their own mistakes.
Fun Fact: Ms. Rios has spent her teaching career teaching fifth graders at Marshall ES!
As technology keeps advancing, Ms. Rios tries her best to always include an opportunity for her students to use technology to further their knowledge. Although she works at a school with limited funding and technology, she has learned that if you have your students participate in virtual labs, virtual field trips, engaging videos, or interactive science games it can help students create a life-long meaningful love for learning.
The advice Ms. Rios would like pass on to other educators is to make it your goal to inspire students. She has learned, that inspiring students can lead them to become lifelong learners. Providing students with the opportunity to learn through hands-on or project-based learning with limited guidance allows them to become independent learners. Students make meaningful connections with learning when they make their own mistakes, lead their own experiments, and learn to fix problems because they solved it on their own.
Ms. Rios is one of the six Houston Independent School District (HISD) teacher finalists of the 2020 alliantgroup HISD Elementary Science Teacher Award! This award was created to reward local teachers who, through innovative lesson plans that emphasize both the importance and fun aspects of science, are increasing student achievement and engagement.
Five of the finalists will receive a cash prize of $1,300 and $500 for their classroom and the grand prize winner will receive a cash prize of $3,500 and $500 to put toward improving their classroom! Good luck!
