College of Education - University of Montana

We are currently inviting applications for an Academic Advisor II who will oversee all functions relating to advising students interested in or enrolled in the academic and professional licensure programs within our Teaching and Learning, Educational Leadership, and Counseling programs.

Learn more and apply here:

Job Opportunities | University of Montana, Helena College & UM Western Welcome to the job application process for the University of Montana, Helena College, and the University of Montana Western!

Our Learning and Belonging (LAB) School has Transitional Kindergarten and Afternoon PreK openings for the upcoming school year! Affiliation with the University is welcome but not a requirement.

The LAB provides clinical experience to education and human service majors under the supervision of highly qualified early childhood teachers. Grounded in Project Based Learning, the LAB’s curriculum creates an engaging learning environment for young children to build friendship skills, explore, play, and create as they develop competence and confidence in their academic abilities.

The LAB accepts Montana’s Best Beginnings Scholarship for eligible families. To enroll or request information and a tour, please call 406-243-4262 or email [email protected]. Learn more on our website: https://www.umt.edu/education/specunits/learning-and-belonging-preschool/default.php

Our new Accelerated Teaching Licensure Program is a graduate-level certificate for middle and high school teachers that can be completed from anywhere. Learn more and enroll today!

https://www.umt.edu/education/departments/teaching-and-learning/atlp/default.php

Our Department of Educational Leadership has been working on some fantastic research this summer!

UM Educational Leadership Department Undertakes Research Projects This Summer UM Educational Leadership Department Undertakes Research Projects This Summer

FREE Zoom training for educators on August 14th! Earn 6 CEUs for license renewal from the comfort of your home (or beach or office or...). Feel free to share, and contact Emily Sallee with any questions.

We are thrilled to have Dr. Mike Perry join our college!

UM hires new associate dean for College of Education Mike Perry says he hopes he can leverage his new role as associate dean to show people the impact of public education in local communities.

Check out this fantastic work being done by one of our alums, Ms. Mckenna Akane!

Alberton teacher wins Discovery Education's Educator of the Year Award First-year teacher Mckenna Akane is being recognized for her work inside and outside of the classroom.

Great article about one of our teacher candidates, Simon Hill!

UM Teaching Graduate Jumps Aboard AI Education Train You can try to ignore artificial intelligence or get out of the way, but one University of Montana student has firmly stepped onto the tracks to embrace AI.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all of the amazing educators out there!

Teaching can often be an underappreciated profession. To show our gratitude, we select one Montana teacher each year to receive the Maryfrances Shreeve Award for Teaching Excellence. We are proud to share the 2023-2024 recipient, Ms. Abby Stitt, a fourth and fifth-grade teacher at Potomac School!

On Monday, May 6, we surprised Ms. Stitt with the award during a ceremony at Potomac School. Fellow teachers, students, administrators, family, friends, and a special guest, Monte, were in attendance.

Ms. Sarah Schmill, the principal of Potomac School, says that Ms. Stitt always goes “the extra mile” to facilitate each student’s learning.

“Ms. Stitt is a powerful teacher who has taught at Potomac for 15 years. She goes above and beyond for the students and the staff of the school. She deserves to be recognized for all of her hard work,” she said.

Ms. Stitt said that she’s grateful for this recognition.

“It’s huge, it’s absolutely huge to be recognized for it and to be recognized by people that I care about so much,” she said.

Ms. Stitt will receive a $3,000 personal check with an additional $1,000 going directly to the school.

Please join us in congratulating this fantastic teacher!

Congratulations, Ms. Stitt! Thank you for all you do for your school, students, and community. Well deserved!

Rural educator given University of Montana teaching excellence award The Maryfrances Shreeve Award for Teaching Excellence began in 1992 as a way to honor elementary or middle school teachers in Montana.

Yesterday, we hosted our Annual Research Symposium and had six fantastic scholars present their research on various education-related topics.

The research presented was so good that our judges couldn’t pick just one winner. Congratulations to our co-winners:

-Connor Brandon for his research titled “Analyzing differences in middle school students’ recess experiences, based on self-reported race and ethnicity, gender, and disability status.”

-Lillian Martz for her research titled “Happy Groups: A single case research design evaluating a brief positive psychology intervention with adolescents.”

In honor of Earth Day🌏, our LAB School held a story walk for the children featuring "Old Rock (is not boring)" by Deb Pilutti!

This story follows Old Rock as he recounts his fabulous tales of adventurous travel, exotic scenery, entertaining neighbors, and more. The students progressed through Old Rock's story with each stop along the story walk.

Last week, the University of Montana Institute for Early Childhood Education hosted the 2nd Annual Early Childhood Education Summit! The summit included free trainings, professional development opportunities, panel discussions, and featured keynote speaker Dr. Kauerz, the executive director of the National P-3 Center and associate clinical professor at the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Education and Human Development.

Thank you to the many incredible attendees for your engagement and enthusiasm. You are each a vital member of our collective ECE work!

And a big shoutout to Dr. Allison Wilson and the Early Childhood Institute team for their hard work and dedication to making this event possible!

Come learn about practicing philosophy with children at our UM Democracy Summit session tomorrow, Wednesday, March 26th, from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. in room ED 314!

We will read a children's story, ask philosophical questions, engage in a lively discussion, and explore how to facilitate inquiry-based dialogue with kids. The pedagogy presents a real opportunity to engage in deliberative democracy and fosters democratic habits for an emergent citizenry.

See the full schedule here: https://www.umt.edu/strategy/democracysummit/schedule.php.

Wednesday is our campuswide summit on democracy and democracy education! The day will feature lots of ways to engage across multiple locations, student-led activity, faculty voices, creative approaches to participatory dialogues and performance/art.

Three questions will guide our activities and conversations across the day’s events:

What does UM do, in the classroom and beyond, to prepare students to be active participants in a democratic society?

What do UM students want from the University when it comes to democracy education?

What can we imagine together - UM students, faculty and staff - that can build and sustain institutions and communities rooted in healthy democratic practices?

More info and the schedule of events👉 umt.edu/strategy/democracysummit/default.php

Dr. Jason Neiffer, executive director of the Montana Digital Academy, was selected by the Montana Educational Technologists Association (META) as the 2024 META Empowered Superintendent of the Year!

Carol Phillips, president of the META Board of Directors, presented the award to Dr. Neiffer at the METAtechED Conference in Helena on Monday, March 11th.

“As Executive Director, Dr. Neiffer has led the Montana Digital Academy (MTDA) to new heights, championing the integration of artificial intelligence in education, enhancing digital learning access, and advocating for meaningful technology use across Montana. His dedication to expanding educational equity, fostering critical support for schools, and guiding essential conversations about technology's role in education exemplifies visionary leadership,” said Phillips.

Congratulations, Dr. Neiffer!

Read the full story on our website:

MTDA Executive Director Receives 2024 META Superintendent Award MTDA Executive Director Receives 2024 META Superintendent Award.

Mark your calendars, Grizzlies! The Experiential Learning and Career Success Center is thrilled to invite you to the Hire Griz Spring Career Fair on March 28th, 2024! Whether you're a soon-to-be graduate or exploring your career options, this is your golden ticket to meet top employers from all industries under one roof. UM students and alumni, this is your chance to connect, network, and discover full-time professional opportunities waiting just for you. Don't miss out!

Missoula County Public Schools has partnered with the UM Safe Schools Center to implement safety protocols through staff training, info sessions, and adopting the Safer Montana anonymous tip line.

"The systemization of school safety is a community issue that requires community collaboration and support." We are so proud to be a part of this partnership!

Read the full editorial piece in the Missoulian:

Guest view: Community partnerships enhance school safety As part of their commitment to continually enhancing school safety, leaders within Missoula County Public Schools are forming new partnerships in the Missoula community and across the state.

Stop by the University of Montana Educators' Career Round Table TODAY from 1:00 - 4:00 PM!

Attention Future Educators! Join us at the University of Montana Educators' Career Round Table on March 14, 2024! This is your chance to meet with recruiters from Montana and beyond, looking for UM's next top educators.

Whether you're aiming for a local classroom or an out-of-state adventure, this event is key to unlocking teaching opportunities and insights into your future career.

All education majors, especially those from the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education, mark your calendars! Let's get ready to shape the future, one student at a time.

Curiosity, Exploration, and Creation: PBL with 3 & 4 year olds — ECPBL The Learning and Belonging (LAB) school is part of the Teaching and Learning department at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. We are in our second year of PBL implementation with 3-5 year olds in three classrooms.  We’ve learned so much in just two years and wanted to share th

Today is the BIG day! The UM Big Give will run from noon today, March 6th, to noon tomorrow, March 7th. This 24-hour period presents a chance for everyone who loves UM to support life-changing opportunities for students under the Big Sky.

Thanks to the generosity of our Development Advisory Board, the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education has a unique chance to unlock a $5,000 challenge grant, but we need your help to achieve it. If 25 people contribute to the College of Education during the Big Give, these funds will be directed toward supporting students who aspire to enter the education profession, thus addressing the critical teacher shortage facing Montana.

Your support means the world to us, and every contribution, regardless of size, makes a significant impact!

You can contribute to the Big Give by visiting the following link: https://umt.scalefunder.com/gday/giving-day/83397/donate?des=591657&dept=83446

The University of Montana Safe Schools Center (MSSC) recently received a $150k grant renewal from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation to continue their work with the Montana Happiness Project (MHP) on mental health and well-being resources for Montana teachers.

Thanks to this collaborative grant, which was first awarded in December 2022, the MHP and the MSSC have developed and delivered low-cost happiness courses and workshops to teachers across the state.

Read the full story on our website:

$150k Renewal Awarded for Mental Health and Well-Being Grant $150k Renewal Awarded for Mental Health and Well-Being Grant

UM Music, Wildlife Biology Students Finalists for Prized Truman Scholarship Two University of Montana undergraduate students are national finalists for the prestigious Truman Scholarship, the nation’s premier graduate fellowship for those pursuing careers as public service leaders. UM photo by Tommy Martino

We are thrilled to share that Dr. Kristie Kauerz will not only be our keynote speaker for the 2nd Annual Early Childhood Education Summit, but will also host a P-3 Leadership workshop on Friday afternoon.

Dr. Kauerz is the executive director of the National P-3 Center and associate clinical professor at University of Colorado Denver’s School of Education and Human Development. Kristie specializes in education reform efforts that address the continuum of learning from birth through 3rd grade, integrating early care and education (ECE) system building and PreK-12 reforms.

Kristie’s expertise spans policy, research, and practice. Her P-3 work is anchored in collaborations with school districts, state agencies, and early learning stakeholders. Her research interests straddle the paradigmatic, pedagogical, and policy divides that exist between ECE and PreK-12 systems. She has served as policy advisor to two former Colorado governors, director of early learning at Education Commission of the States, and director of PreK-3rd grade initiatives at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Prior to joining the faculty at CU Denver, she was at the University of Washington’s College of Education.

To learn more check out the National P-3 Center: https://nationalp-3center.org/

And don't forget to register for the FREE 2nd Annual ECE Summit: https://2024ecesummit.sched.com/

Zero to Five Montana Zero to Five Missoula Child Start Inc., Head Start of Missoula, MT Mtaeyc Montana College of Education - University of Montana Child Care Resources Raise Montana Montana Office of Public Instruction State of Montana Office of Public Instruction

Save the date for UM’s fifth annual giving day! is back, and we’re calling on our community to join together under one Big Sky to build bright futures.

Your gift in support of the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education empowers outstanding new teachers and school counselors to make a difference in young lives.

Your gift of any amount supports:

✏️Recruitment and support of students going into the teaching profession to address the teacher shortage in Montana.

🍎Experiential learning and training opportunities for teaching and counseling candidates.

📚The Learning and Belonging (LAB) Preschool — our local childcare center and teaching environment for UM’s early childhood education students.

Thank you for supporting UM and the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education during The Big Give.

Donate between noon on March 6 to noon on March 7 and make a big impact in just 24 hours. Learn more and give at SupportUM.org/BigGive.

Teaching & Learning doctoral student Sisilia Kusumaningsih was awarded the 2024 Excellence in SEL Research Graduate Student Award for her paper, “Teachers’ Scaffolding and Its Potential to Support Social-Emotional Skills in A Collaborative Learning Context.”

Sisilia will be recognized at the upcoming annual convention of the American Educational Research Association in Philadelphia, the largest conference in the field of education, with over 15,000 people attending. Congratulations, Sisilia!