Bringing Superstars to Montana...Virtually

I confess: I pouted for a few days after we decided that the health risks of holding an in-person history conference was too high. Gathering with teachers and Montana history enthusiasts in September is one of the highlights of my year. But after a few days of being down in the mouth, I worked with colleagues to come up with an alternative plan. And what a plan it is!

We decided, if we are going to have to go virtual, let's see if we can bring in people we could never hope to attract to an in-person conference. My partner in crime, Deb Mitchell, reached out to Stanford Professor Sam Wineburg and National Museum of the American Indian Education specialist Colleen Call Smith to see if they'd present. They said YES! So now, instead of being sad, I'm pumped, and I hope you are too!

We've moved the 47th Annual Montana History Conference Educator Workshops to August (because we're no longer confined by time or place) and we invite you to join us for one or both of these interactive online learning opportunities.

August 7, 2020, 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.: National Museum of the American Indian Education Specialist Colleen Call Smith will lead an hour and a half interactive session on the digital inquiry, "Native Knowledge 360° and Montana Essential Understandings: More Complete Narratives About Native American."

August 14, 2020, 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.: Stanford University Professor of Education Sam Wineburg will lead an hour and a half interactive session on "Historical Thinking and Civics Education," based on his work with the Stanford History Education Group's Reading Like a Historian and Civic Online Reasoning.

Register for one or both of these workshops. Renewal units will be available.

Need more to get excited?

Here's a little background on our presenters:

Colleen Call Smith  serves as an Education Specialist (Materials Developer) in the National Museum of the American Indian’s Office of Education. She earned her master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Kentucky and taught middle and high school social studies for a number of years in Kentucky, Virginia, and D.C. and has experience in inquiry-based social studies instruction. Colleen supports the education office in the research, development, writing, and production of online resources for the Native Knowledge 360° initiative. She collaborates closely with NMAI departments, Native communities, and members of the education department.

Sam Wineburg is the Margaret Jacks Professor of Education and, by courtesy, of History & American Studies at Stanford University. He heads the Stanford History Education Group, whose curriculum and assessments have been downloaded nearly ten million times, making it one of the largest providers of free curriculum in the world. His latest book, Why Learn History (When It's Already on Your Phone), was published by the University of Chicago Press.  

Need even more incentive? 

We're going to give away free copies of Sam's book to the first 50 people who register for his session on August 14, and free copies of Do All Indians Live in Tipis: Questions and Answers from the National Museum of the American Indian to the first 30 people who register for the NMAI session on August 7. (NMAI session is limited to 50 people total).

So what are you waiting for? Register now.