Contact: Tom Cook 406-444-1645 Release: Receipt
MONTANA TEACHERS CAN HELP COUNTIES CELEBRATE HISTORY
The Montana Historical Society is offering a three-day institute for teachers to help celebrate local government milestones and provide their students with skills to contribute to the future of their communities.
Teachers can sign up now for "Celebrating Community: County History in the Classroom," which is the Society's 2008 Summer Teacher Institute from June 25 to June 27 in Helena. There is no charge for the institute, but registration is limited and first come first serve.
The Institute is in conjunction with the Society's statewide "County History Initiative" an ongoing effort to provide research and other outreach resources for the large number of Montana counties that will be celebrating centennials over the next several years, and the eight original Montana counties that will celebrate sesquicentennials in 2014.
The free institute features noted historians, heritage education leaders and celebrated authors. There are a limited number of "travel" scholarships to help teachers attend.
"We hope that local governments and schools will recognize the importance of this effort and provide other incentives to get teachers to the institute," Society Education Officer Linda Wruck said.
Teachers will be given the skills to return to the classroom with new ways to teach the significance of local history and the need to preserve it. The classroom activities also will teach students research and writing skills.
Wruck said researching for local government milestones and other projects will put the students in touch with older people in the community and encourage intergenerational communication.
"The students will be giving gifts of scholarship that can deepen their commitment to understanding themselves as well as others in the community," she said.
Teachers can earn professional credits for the workshop. Contact Wruck at 406-444-4794 or email lwruck@mt.gov for complete information and schedules.
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