A dedicated group of Montana educators are becoming “history missionaries” as part of the Teacher Leaders in Montana History program.
Eighteen teachers with a deep passion for Montana and its history, as well as social studies in general, are offering to share their expertise beyond their own classrooms as part of the Montana Historical Society program. The group will help write lesson plans, mentor teachers in best practices in history education, and share Montana and Indian education-related resources with fellow educators. They will do this in one-on-one sessions, as well as in regional and statewide conference presentations.
“We started the Teacher Leader program in 2017. Since then, Teacher Leader fellows have presented at regional conferences, worked with their district to introduce Montana history units into the curriculum, mentored new teachers, and created lesson plans. The Montana Historical Society is committed to serving every corner of the state—and working with Teacher Leaders who live as far east as Bainville and as far west as Eureka makes that possible,” Outreach and Interpretation program manager Martha Kohl said.
New Teacher Leader Fellows include Glasgow Middle School teacher Laurie Enebo and Lodge Grass Crow language and culture teacher Michelle Moccasin. Bainville 5th- and 7th-grade teacher April Wills, and Elysia Bain, who teaches high school social studies at St. Labre Indian School in Ashland, have both participated in the program for several years.
Enebo is excited to have joined the program in 2023: “What an honor to become a Teacher Leader in Montana History! It provides an opportunity to enhance educational experiences for myself, my students, and my colleagues. The staff at the Montana Historical Society provides so many learning opportunities and resources for students and educators. I am an educator, but I am also a lifelong learner. My learning and teaching journey continues.”
According to Bain, “Being a Teacher Leader in the Montana history program supports me in providing access to the wonderful resources that the Montana Historical Society has with other teachers. I have also grown as an educator through continuing educational support and trainings.”
Wills, who was also named the Centennial Bell Montana History Teacher of the Year in 2021, agrees: “The opportunity to grow as an educator in the content area I am most passionate about is both rewarding and exciting. Working with the Montana Historical Society as a Teacher Leader in Montana history is one of the greatest endeavors of my career. Sharing resources, ideas, and lessons with educators across the state and in my own community helps not only others grow and learn, but also allows me to expand my repertoire of tools as a teacher. The program has allowed me to develop into a leader in many faucets both educationally and outside of the classroom. I will be forever grateful that this program was created, and that I am a contributing part of it.”
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