State Teacher Conferences | Video

Chris Williams | 10/15/2012

Students will have the day off Thursday and Friday, as their teachers take on the student role. Teachers will be heading to Fargo for their annual conference and administrators are going to Bismarck for theirs.

Both conferences allow teachers and administrators to learn and share ideas with each other.

One of the things administrators will be talking about is a new learning system that is sweeping the country.

"Collectively we`re able to bring in very strong speakers that are talking about very relevant things like Common Core, which is a very big initiative right now through the United States," said Williston High School Principal Chris Kittleson.

Common Core standards will make sure that students around the country are learning the same general concepts in every subject. The goal is to help kids who move to a different school district, which is happening quite often in Williston.

"It will truly benefit us, because in August we had over 100 kids register at Williston High School from everywhere in the United States, and it will definitely help us," added Kittleson.

Every teacher has his or her own techniques, and this conference lets teachers from across the state share what concepts work best for them.

"When kids have a teacher that excited about teaching, and can bring information back to them at a different level than what they did before they get more out if it. It`s more interesting for them too," said Williston High School Science Teacher Dr. Lanny Gabbert.

And that is everyone`s goal, to get students to understand.

"We`re all in it for the same reason, that is to teach and get kids to learn. Whether we give information to one teacher or another it`s a open and free sharing of all ideas, so that all teachers get better," Gabbert added.

The conferences are to help make learning easier for students, but it does benefit teachers, too.

"It just helps you become a better person, better administrator, and realize some if the issues that you`re challenged with are things that other schools are being challenged with as well," added Kittleson.

The meetings get started on Thursday.

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