The Answer - A blog about Education, Preparation, and Commitment.

Join us for the 2nd Annual YES Prep Author Night

February 22, 2012 by Brittany Baize

By Leigh Anne Rayburn

We hope you will join us for the 2nd Annual YES Prep Author Night!

The Author Study is a three-month project that AP English Language students in the twelfth grade undertake in the spring semester.  The objective is to explore one author in great depth and breadth.  Students must read over 700 pages by the writer they choose, and the reading may be a collection of nonfiction, fiction, drama, poetry, and essays.  They are charged with becoming fluent in that author’s style, attitude, and influence to the literary canon. 

At Author Night, seniors from YES Prep Southeast, Southwest, and North Central come together to present their findings and converse with literarily-minded folks from around the community:  not just staff members within YES, either.  Last

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YES Prep Teacher Lauded for Changing Students’ Lives

February 20, 2012 by Brittany Baize

Congratulations, Jeremy Tullis, instructor at YES Prep Southwest, for winning the Crystal Award from the Spring Branch Education Foundation!

"I've been in public schools for almost 30 years, and there's no one like him," said counselor Judy Kajander, who with school director Chris Claflin nominated Tullis.

Tullis' planning and leadership skills, high expectations of his students and the achievement results of his classes led to his recognition as teacher who has made a significant difference in his students' lives.

You can read the whole Houston Chronicle article

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YES Prep Professionals: Service, Leadership, and Socializing

December 15, 2011 by Brittany Baize

We want to thank all of our YES Prep Professionals (YPP) members who brought their friends to our first annual holiday party on Tuesday, December 13th to learn more about how to get involved and support the mission of YES Prep.  Over 50 people attended the celebration at Guadalajara, and, thanks to the dedicated recruitment efforts of our YPP corps, 40 attendees were new faces!  We are well on our way of reaching our big goal: 100 volunteers at our next service day on Saturday, January 28th.

We also want to thank our generous sponsors for this event: Liskow & Lewis and Guadalajara Bar & Grille.

If you missed the holiday party mark your calendar for our biggest YPP recruitment event yet!  On Thursday, January 19th, YPP will be hosting a party at St. Arnold Brewery - complete with

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Teaching Excellence: Why Years in a Classroom Don’t Always Define Great Teachers

December 08, 2011 by Nella Garcia

As the fall school semester comes to a close, teachers from all over Houston are reflecting on their work so far this year.  This is especially true at public charter schools like YES Prep, where our intensive Teaching Excellence program ensures that our novice teachers—up to a third of our overall teaching program—receive the support and development they need to perform well in the classroom.

A recent article in the Huffington Post points to an often heard criticism of charter schools, Teach For America, and of the education reform movement as a whole.  The looming questions proposed in the aforementioned article include:

-    How can inexperienced teachers effectively teach high-risk students, a group that has traditionally needed the most attention and assistance?

-    If

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“Human Talent is Both the Constant and the Differentiator”

August 29, 2011 by Brittany Baize

1,000 educators from YES Prep Public Schools, KIPP: Houston, and Teach For America gathered on Saturday, August 27^thto celebrate their collective impact in Houston public schools.  The celebration honored fifteen Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award winners – who took home a total of $225,000 in cash awards thanks to the generous philanthropy of Nancy and Richard Kinder. 

Among the special guests and speakers was Jeff Cohen, Editor of the Houston Chronicle, as well as families traveling in to surprise the award winners.  The theme of the evening was summed up when Cohen toasted attendees saying, “When it comes to facing challenges, team beats individual. ”  The three organizations collectively educate about 27,000 students in Houston and have redefined the look, feel, and achievement

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