Robert McPherson welcomes future educators at the 32nd annual TAFE Conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel near NRG-Medical Center on Sunday January 31, 2016.

The University of Houston, College of Education (UH-COE) hosted nearly 2,000 high school students interested in becoming educators.  The Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE - pronounced "taffy") held its 32nd Annual Teach Tomorrow Summit January 30-February 1, 2016 at UH and the Crowne Plaza Hotel Near NRG-Medical Center.  Robert McPherson, Dean of the UH College of Education and Amber Thompson, Director of Teacher Education welcomed the students during selected general sessions.

Dave Burgess speaks at the 32nd annual TAFE Conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel near NRG-Medical Center on Sunday January 31, 2016.

Dave Burgess, author of Teach Like a PIRATE: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity and Transform Your Life as an Educator, was the keynote speaker. He inspired students and talked about creating classroom experiences that are life changing.  Additionally, motivational speakers and educators Nick Jackson, Lisa Schwarz, and Danny Ciamarra energized the crowd and spoke about how teachers should inspire students.

Nick Jackson, Lisa Schwarz, and Danny Ciamarra motivated future educators at the 32nd annual TAFE Conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel near NRG-Medical Center on Monday February 1, 2016.

Competitive events and workshop sessions were held on the University of Houston campus.  General Sessions and Sunday night special events were held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Near NRG-Medical Center.

COE Undergraduate Studies staff member, Laura Lee led a workshop session entitled Secrets to Student Success: Learn Them Now and Thank Me Later.  Lee unveiled secrets to college success from the mouths of successful UH students.  The focal point of the presentation was a video with information students wish they had learned before stepping foot on a college campus. "This session gave me tips about college life," said one TAFE future educator.  "I really enjoyed listening to the students' experiences and the tips they personally gave us." 

A Cappella group, Rhapsody from UH’s Moores School of Music after their performance at the 32nd annual TAFE Conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel near NRG-Medical Center on Sunday January 31, 2016.

Sunday night, a cappella group Rhapsody, from UH’s Moores School of Music performed.  In addition, there was a special viewing of the documentary He Named Me Malala, an intimate portrait of Malala Yousafzai, who was wounded when Taliban gunmen opened fire on her and her friends’ school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley.

Associate dean of Undergraduate Studies,” Andrea Burridge said before the conference, “this conference gives students a chance to meet peers from across the state with similar interests.  They have the opportunity to attend sessions to help them learn what it takes to be successful in college, and to learn skills necessary to become a successful educator.  We hope that this conference will inspire students to continue to pursue a career in education.” The conference did not disappoint.  Many future educators and their advisors said that the College of Education did a fantastic job and they were impressed by the UH facilities and campus. 

High school students attending the TAFE Teach Tomorrow Summit, had the opportunity to:

• Compete in 31 scholarly events
• Earn scholarships in:
  • Public Speaking Competition
  • TAFE Student of the Year Competition
  • Children’s Literature, Pre-K Competition
  • Children’s Literature K-3 Competition
  • University of Houston Scholarships
  • Meet other students who want to be teachers
  • Speak to university representatives from the top schools in Texas
  • Explore the University of Houston
  • Teach, share, compete, celebrate, and have fun!

The Texas Association of Future Educators, or TAFE is a co-curricular statewide non-profit (501 c3) student organization created to allow young men and women an opportunity to explore the teaching profession. ​The organization was created in 1984 to provide the best and brightest high school and middle school students in Texas with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions about pursuing careers in education. TAFE is sponsored by the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals and is governed by a board of directors comprised of teachers, students and principals.