The Center for Applied Creativity

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the Center for Applied Creativity! This open-resource center provides practical, TEKS-aligned lessons that are adaptable for Spanish Dual Language (DL) and Gifted/Talented (GT) Social Studies. My work focuses on strengthening the Texas talent pipeline by equipping students with real-world communication, literacy, and workforce-readiness skills. This is a World Readiness Initiative for the future leaders of Texas.

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If this initiative resonates with you, then let’s collaborate! Let’s connect on Linkedin! My LinkedIn

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- Chris Vasquez-Wright​​, Ph.D.

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The Vision 

This site pilots a teacher-led model for open educational resources that could inform future statewide efforts to strengthen Spanish DL and GT instruction with World Readiness. This refers to the skills and competencies students need to communicate effectively, interact appropriately, and participate successfully in a diverse, interconnected local/global society. The vision is to support real-world student success for college, career, and civic readiness through a practical, innovative, cross-curricular, TEKS-aligned curriculum.

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The Mission

The mission is to create and share TEKS-aligned, teacher-designed and field-tested, cross-curricular materials that strengthen social studies instruction and prepare students for the international Texas workforce. These resources provide evidence-based results and develop academic knowledge, intercultural competence, literacy, and employability skills.

 

The Resources 

These cross-curricular resources enrich the existing Social Studies curriculum by integrating the “Cultures” and “Connections” of ACTFL’s World-Readiness Standards with the skill of applied creativity. These lessons are adaptable and intentionally align with TEKS from Languages Other Than English (LOTE) for cross-cultural understanding, English Language Arts (ELAR) for literacy, visual and performing arts to make the cultural content come to life through arts integrated learning, and Career & Technical Education (CTE) for employability skills. Through this approach, students build a more interdisciplinary understanding of social studies with real-world connections and applications of social studies to thrive in the global workforce of Texas.

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Why the Texas Workforce?

Texas has one of the most diverse and globally connected economies in the US, including energy, agriculture, healthcare, transportation, technology, manufacturing, construction, and finance. To succeed in these sectors, students need employability skills, literacy, intercultural competence, and a strong 21st-century skillset.

 

Strategic enrichment of Spanish DL and GT Social Studies through cross-curricular instruction (ELAR, LOTE, and CTE TEKS) will help prepare students for high-demand, internationally connected careers. This approach builds culturally informed, interdisciplinary thinkers prepared to solve real-world challenges across Texas.