Juan Garcia
Houston Independent School District
Katy,TX
2
Languages
22
years of professional experience
Transformational instructional leader and curriculum designer with over 20 years of experience in classroom instruction and district administration. Trained and supported over 1,000 educators as a Teacher Development Specialist, leveraging artificial intelligence and emerging technologies for instructional planning and curriculum development. Committed to enhancing high-impact learning through differentiated instruction and collaborative decision-making.
Work History
3rd Grade ELA Dual Language Teacher
2 Years 7 Months- Deliver standards-aligned ELA instruction for emergent bilingual students, designing explicit scaffolds that preserve grade-level cognitive demand while increasing accessibility.
- Use MAP, district assessments, formative data, and student work to diagnose needs, differentiate instruction, monitor progress, and accelerate academic growth.
- Achieved recognition for exceptional MAP student-growth performance, contributing to campuses maintaining B accountability ratings.
- Integrated AI-assisted workflows to enhance planning, align assessments, develop bilingual resources, differentiate instruction, and improve delivery.
- New Education System (NES)
Art of Thinking Teacher
1 Year- Designed and delivered learning experiences emphasizing critical thinking, reasoning, problem solving, communication, and academic discourse within HISD’s evolving NES model.
- Implemented explicit instruction and frequent checks for understanding, fostering structured engagement and purposeful questioning to enhance student learning outcomes.
- Contributed to campus-level initiatives resulting in accountability rating improvement from F to B.
- New Education System (NES)
Teacher Development Specialist – Interventions Department
5 Years- Trained and supported over 1,000 teachers and campus administrators through districtwide professional development, instructional coaching, and implementation support, enhancing instructional practices across the district.
- Delivered job-embedded coaching through classroom observations, instructional modeling, collaborative planning, actionable feedback, and individualized educator support.
- Designed and facilitated professional development, workshops, PLCs, and adult-learning experiences for teachers, instructional leaders, and administrators.
- Collaborated with campus leadership teams and curriculum specialists to identify instructional needs and develop targeted supports, leading to effective implementation of instructional materials and professional-learning resources.
- Analyzed classroom observations and student-performance data to identify instructional gaps, fostering sustainable educator and campus leadership capacity for long-term improvement.
- Oversaw district administrative functions
Professional Developer / Literacy Coach
2 Years- Delivered K–3 professional development and individualized literacy coaching through modeling, co-teaching, observation, and reflective feedback to enhance instructional practices.
- Collaborated with teachers to set literacy goals, refine pedagogical strategies, and determine instructional next steps based on analysis of student learning evidence.
- Developed engaging literacy programs tailored for diverse learner needs.
- Collaborated with educators to enhance curriculum effectiveness and student engagement.
- Implemented assessment tools to track student progress and literacy development.
Program Manager / Curriculum Writer
2 Years- Collaborated with educators and researchers to create Developing Talkers, a bilingual English/Spanish curriculum enhancing reading comprehension and vocabulary through read-alouds.
- Facilitated professional development sessions and provided implementation support for eCIRCLE and Classroom Observation Tool, improving instructional practices.
- Led cross-functional teams to design and implement educational programs for children.
- Developed strategic partnerships with community organizations to enhance resource availability.
- Analyzed program outcomes to drive continuous improvement and optimize initiatives.
Bilingual Education / Dual Language Teacher
6 Years- Taught PK, 1st, and 3rd grade; developed literacy instruction fostering bilingualism, biculturalism, and biliteracy, enhancing learning outcomes for emergent and transitioning bilingual students.
- Mentored novice dual language teachers and wrote district curriculum for Math, Science, and Gifted & Talented education.
- Developed and implemented dual language curriculum aligned with state standards.
- Facilitated collaborative learning environments promoting bilingual proficiency among students.
- Integrated technology to enhance language acquisition and student engagement.
Bilingual Education Teacher / Teacher Assistant
2 Years- Supported emergent bilingual students through instructional and family translation assistance.
- Designed and implemented engaging lesson plans to enhance student learning outcomes.
- Utilized various educational technologies to support diverse learning styles and needs.
Education
Master of Education - Curriculum & Instruction in Bilingual Education
Alternative Certification Program - Bilingual Education
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Skills
Bilingual/Dual Language Education
Literacy
Curriculum Design
Assessment Alignment
Data-Driven Instruction
Instructional Coaching
Teacher Development
Professional Learning
Adult Learning
Program Development
Instructional Leadership
Educational Technology
AI Integration
Intervention Systems
LANGUAGES
English – Fluent
Spanish – Fluent / Bilingual
Timeline
3rd Grade ELA Dual Language Teacher
Houston Independent School District
01.2024 - CurrentRead More
Art of Thinking Teacher
Houston ISD – Eliot Elementary
01.2023 - 01.2024Read More
Teacher Development Specialist – Interventions Department
Houston Independent School District
01.2018 - 01.2023Read More
Professional Developer / Literacy Coach
Children’s Literacy Initiative
01.2016 - 01.2018Read More
Program Manager / Curriculum Writer
Children’s Learning Institute
01.2014 - 01.2016Read More
Bilingual Education / Dual Language Teacher
Austin ISD – Blazier Elementary
01.2007 - 01.2013Read More
Bilingual Education Teacher / Teacher Assistant
Houston ISD – Stevenson Elementary
01.2005 - 01.2007Read More
St. Edward’s University
Bachelor of Arts from Psychology
Read More
The University of Texas at Austin
Master of Education from Curriculum & Instruction in Bilingual Education
Read More
Region 4 Education Service Center
Alternative Certification Program from Bilingual Education
Read More
AI-ENHANCED INSTRUCTION & INNOVATION
- Integrate generative AI into instructional planning and curriculum development to improve efficiency while maintaining alignment to standards, assessments, and student learning needs.
- Use AI-assisted workflows to analyze materials and assessments, identify cognitive demands, develop scaffolds, and create differentiated and bilingual learning resources.
- Developed Mr. Garcia’s Reading System, a teacher-directed AI-assisted workflow that connects assessment demand → student thinking → explicit scaffold → guided practice → visible exemplar → independent mastery.
- Evaluate, revise, validate, and contextualize AI-generated content using professional judgment rather than treating technology as a replacement for educator expertise.
SELECTED LEADERSHIP & PRESENTATIONS
- National Association of Bilingual Educators (NABE), 2012 – Presenter, “Critical Encounters: Literature Discussions in the Early Grades.”
- Adelante Conference for Dual Language and Bilingual Educators, 2013 – Presenter, “Dual Language in the 3rd Grade Classroom.”
- Austin ISD Teacher Induction Program, 2010–2012 – Identified as a “highly effective” teacher and selected to support first-year educators.
- Austin ISD Bilingual Teacher Orientation, 2010–2012 – Supported first-year bilingual teachers and developed a model first-grade Dual Language classroom.
SELECTED IMPACT
- Trained and supported 1,000+ teachers and campus administrators through districtwide professional development, job-embedded coaching, and implementation support.
- Recognized for exceptional MAP student-growth performance while serving within Houston ISD’s New Education System (NES).
- Contributed to high-accountability NES campuses earning B accountability ratings, including service during a campus improvement from F to B.
- Developed AI-assisted instructional workflows connecting standards, assessment demands, thinking scaffolds, structured discourse, exemplars, bilingual supports, and independent student application.