MAT Supports Class V Licensure

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program provides several pathways for new educators to enter the profession. It now supports teachers-of-record on Class V licenses to complete the education preparation coursework required for a Class II license.

The MAT program offers applicants, with a bachelor's degree, pathways to complete a teacher preparation program and become a licensed Montana teacher. The MAT is offered online, with the exception of one, seven-day summer residency on the MSU campus. This allows educators to remain in their communities. Coursework can be completed in as little as one year or spread over a three-year period depending on cohort availability, consistent with Class V licensure requirements.

Read more about the MAT program here. Please reach out directly to Jamie O'Callaghan for questions about how we can support candidates.

MRTP Graduate Highlight

The Montana Rural Teacher Project now has 28 graduates from two cohorts and 25 are currently teaching in Montana schools. We are excited to highlight how our graduates are doing in their classrooms. This month we feature Gabriel Furshong.

Gabriel is a graduate from the first cohort of MRTP and is his second year teaching second grade at Central Elementary in Helena. In addition to his responsibilities as teacher of record he is the Indian Education for All (IEFA) coordinator for the school this year.

This fall Gabriel teamed up with Joe Pichardo to arrange workshops in 15 different classrooms. Mr. Pichardo is a Blackfeet educator who works as an IEFA tutor at Capital High and teaches traditional games like Make-the-Stick-Jump and Run-and-Scream. The students and teachers involved enjoyed their time and learnings with Mr. Pichardo.

Our MRTP participants are happy to be in the classroom and contributing to the life of their schools and communities. They are receiving two years of MRTP-provided mentoring as well as support from their local school leaders. MRTP partners--SAM, MFPE, MREA, MSSA, SSoM, WMPLC, MTSBA, OPI, and OCHE--are also providing key support for all MRTP participants.

Research Experience for Teachers

Elementary teachers: Apply for a six-week paid research experience at MSU this summer; deadline is Feb. 4, 2023

Montana State University will host a six-week Research Experience for Teachers (RET) for elementary teachers in Summer 2023. The experience includes a stipend plus housing and travel expenses.  

In the energy-themed program, teachers gain hands-on experience in state-of-the-art engineering research labs and will visit multiple energy facilities such as hydroelectric dams and oil refineries. The field trips include visits to nearby American Indian cultural sites and discussions about Indigenous perspectives in engineering, with a focus on integrating STEM with Montana's Indian Education For All curriculum. The application deadline is Feb. 4, 2023.

Please visit www.montana.edu/ret for more information and a link to the application. No STEM degree or prior experience is required, and all elementary teachers and pre-service teachers are encouraged to apply.