History
in Spanish.
We are a 501 C (3) non-profit organization founded in Texas in 1991. In the Houston area we work in strategic partnership with the Independent School Districts (ISDs)and since 2002 with Houston Independent School District (HISD). Many ISD and/or schools have embraced our program since the very beginning, having enjoyed the immediate benefits it brings to all involved. It is an immersion program that requires the use of a computer laboratory. We are also offering our courses at the following school districts in Texas: Houston ISD, Aldine ISD, Beaumont St. Anne Catholic School, Port Arthur ISD, Channelview ISD, Humble ISD, Cypres-Fairbanks ISD,San Antonio's Bob & Jeanne Billa Learning Center, St. Mary's Learning Center and Northside ISD, Katy ISD, Garland ISD, Irving ISD, Spring Branch ISD, Pasadena ISD, Waco ISD and organizations as Aldine YOUTH, AAMA Houston, Avance Houston, and, Adult Reading Center. They proudly host an MIGH Community Learning Center.Parent Engagement: The most important achievement for the schools has been the significant increase in Hispanic parent involvement our program produces. Those parents attending our courses can better supervise and motivate their kids to excel at school, and effectively communicate with their teachers. Some of the parents become volunteers for many school activities while their own self-esteem goes up.
Our surveys confirms that parents who educate themselves become role models for family advancement. We feel an integral part in the development of progressive families whose socio-economic achievements based on increased educational attainment produce solid advancement in life. Partnering with area school districts and other institutions, we are continuously producing the avenues for upward mobility. We utilize existing resources and bring Hispanic parents into their children’s schools where they become involved in their children’s education in several positive ways.
Courses at our Community Learning Centers (CLC's) using the Internet and a classroom instructor.
We enhanced our Basic Computer Course curriculum with 10 Power Point Presentationsthat provides important information about: Health, Family Violence, Nutrition, School System, No Child Left Behind, and Basic Financial Literacy. It also provides instruction about the rights and responsibilities of individuals in our society, among other topics.
Our groups have an average of 20 students and convene twice a week for three hours sessions to cover the material during the 100 hour in the classroom courses. Each student is assigned an on-line tutor who supervises their progress.
In 2010 thanks to the federal stimulus grant (BTOP- Broadband Technology Opportunities Program), part of the stimulus package to the economy (see our News tab), and a our partnership with the Texas Learning and Computation Center (TLC2) at the University of Houston, the MIGH was able to launch our own educational platform. This allows for interactive online learning, which proves to be an effective method of teaching.
In 2011 we celebrated the Mexican Institute's 20th Anniversary! Thanks to private donors, supporters and sponsors we have continued a great legacy in education for the Hispanic community.In 2012 we are Celebrating 10th years Teaching Computer Literacy in the State of Texas. MIGH is moving forward with technology.
Courses available through the MIGH include:
1.“Basic Computer Technology Course” (a 100 hour hands-on program). Our students learn how to work with the most popular Microsoft programs, such as Word for Windows, Excel, and Power Point.
a) Language of instruction: Spanish b) Language of instruction: English - will be launch in the Spring of 2012.2."Microsoft Word, Level 2, Beyond the Basics" (a 50 hour hands-on program). This course is an in-depth study of the one of the most widely used word-based programs.
3. "Microsoft Excel, Level 2, Beyond the Basics"
(a 50 hour hands-on program). This new course will be launched in the Spring of 2012, as a second level in-depth study of a powerful tracking and calculating tool for everyday affairs.
Most of our students are low income individuals with low educational levels, and most only speak Spanish. Many are first generation Hispanic adults who came here from almost every Latin American country. We focus on parents and adults, about 82 percent are women. They usually do not have any basic computer technology knowledge and cannot supervise their children's performance at school. Those parents feel somewhat intimidated to enter the school building and to establish the continuous necessary communication with their children’s teachers. Due to this and other factors, Hispanic parents' self-esteem usually goes down as they struggle to integrate. Our educational program helps Hispanic parents acquire necessary skills in a short period of time and aspire to better paid jobs. Since we started the program we have graduated more than 8.2 thousand individuals.
Over 750 refurbished computers have been sold for no more than $200.00 each to program participants in the last five years.
