Hopefully you were able to join us at the Kansas Social Studies Conference earlier this month or were fortunate enough to get to attend National Council for the Social Studies annual conference in San Francisco just before Thanksgiving. If you’re already looking for your next social studies fix or haven’t had the opportunity yet, might I suggest a trip to Kansas City?
Greetings, my fellow Kansans! With any luck the year has settled in for you. It has been a beautiful beginning, and the kids are just as wonderful as ever! My name is Jeff Benes and I am the Past President of the Missouri Council for the Social Studies. I live in Westwood, Kansas, but work in Gladstone, Missouri (be honest, how many of you had to Google those two locations). This school year, at the end of February, the Missouri Council is hosting our annual conference, and we wanted to reach out to you as neighbors and fellow teachers.
The conference will be held on the Missouri side of Kansas City, at the National World War I Museum and Memorial, the weekend of February 23 and 24 (Friday and Saturday). If you have never had a chance to visit, this is the time. The museum itself is worth the weekend to come visit (and if you are a museum buff, you will need more than one day). On top of that, there will be great presentations in both content and practice, incredible speakers, a great lunch, and the opportunity to network with people just like you: Passionate teachers looking to hone their craft.
We will even invite you to come out with a presentation (the deadline is fast approaching, so be sure to move quickly if you’d like to present).
Some of the highlights will include Quinn Rollins, famous for his work, Play Like a Pirate. He will share a new vision for your classroom, along the lines of Glenn Wiebe’s passion for video games and maps. Dr. Michael Davis will present on the role of civil liberties during World War I (that sounds incredibly intriguing to me). Both are prominent names and are well worth the effort to come on out. The Kansas Council has pulled off some great conferences. Take this opportunity to check out what your neighbors have to offer.
The Missouri Council is working on getting discounted museum visits, prizes opportunities, and lots of time to learn from each other. You are truly welcome to be a part of our gathering. Kansas and Missouri share a city. Let’s continue to share our passion. Please think about coming out and learning with us this winter. You won’t be disappointed. This conference promises to be one of our best in years (and we have had some good ones)!
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at Jeffrey.benes@nkcschools.org, or any member of the Board of the Missouri Council. Our website is pretty easy: mosocialstudies.com. Brian Anton has been our lead in planning this conference and if you haven’t met Brian, you are in for a treat. We are here to serve and look forward to seeing you. Thanks for taking the time to read this! Check out the conference page on our website at moscialstudies.com/conference.
