Continuing education is an ongoing requirement of our state’s educators

Continuing education is an ongoing requirement of our state’s educators. Valley County MSU Extension aims to bring professional development to local teachers, offering 16 renewal units or one undergrad or graduate credit to participants. In the 2018 workshop, teachers applied their inquisitive minds to solve a historical murder mystery. Following an escape room theme, all disciplines were incorporated into the process. Forensic science, historical data, literature, and technology lessons at all grade levels were included. Because incorporating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in the classroom is important, teachers were introduced to STEM boxes which were distributed to every elementary, middle and high school in Valley County. Designed and created through a grant from the Valley County Community Foundation and MSU Extension, these boxes included lesson plans and supplies to teach a multitude of STEM topics. The teacher workshop also included art in the form of barn quilts, transforming STEM to STEAM. Participants reported the following impacts from the workshop:

-created a learning environment to explore innovative teaching methods

-savings of between $75 - $300 per teacher

-making teachers think outside the box in our teaching strategies