Working with students can be challenging, and working with parents can be even more challenging. As an educator, there will be times when you’re required to work with parents. At Families First we see parents from all walks of life. Whether court ordered, stay-at-home parents, coming to us from the pre-release center, and/or successful business owners, each parenting scenario presents unique challenges and anxieties. For some parents, reaching out for help is second nature; for others, it can feel very scary and threatening. Building on concepts from the book "How to Talk So Parents Will Listen and Listen so Parents Will Talk", we will explore techniques and tricks that we use at Families First when working with parents in our 1:1 consultations, dads’ groups, and parenting classes. By the end of this presentation, we hope that you’ll have a few nuggets to take along as you continue the amazing work you already do with some of the most important people to your students, their parents.
Delivering a keynote address.
Billings Artist in Residence Terri Porta challenges listeners to incorporate in the city landscape. How does art enhance the life in a community? Listen to the talk and then join Terri in conversation down the hall.
We think our technology works for us but our technology and its designers are constantly shaping our ideas about math, students, teaching, and learning. A former math teacher and current education technologist will help you understand how technology often diminishes math classes and then look together at technology that empowers math learning instead.
Hear 2023 Montana Teacher of the Year Catherine Matthews share her experience as a special education preschool teacher and how important relationships, inclusion, and early childhood education can be in educating every child.
Bill Stockton
Craig Beals has spent his teaching career at Billings Senior High creating fun and engaging science demos and lessons to inspire kids. Craig will show you how to “Teach with Fire” and share other ‘bad’ ideas from he’s learned from 18 years of teaching.
Whether we recognize it or not, stories control our lives—from our family narratives to the way we frame educational and professional experiences. Through a variety of examples, we will explore the role narrative plays in students’ and educators’ sense of belonging, perseverance, and success.
