Q2, Western Security Bank, City Brew Coffee and Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools have teamed up for "One Class at a Time." It's a program that recognizes teachers who go above and beyond to help their students.
Meet Nels Jensen, an 8th-grade history teacher at Lewis & Clark Middle School who is pretty straightforward when it comes to his teaching technique.
"I try to make it relevant, as relevant as you can," said Mr. Jensen. "My wife says that I have the maturity level of an eighth grader so I'm not sure if that helps. I teach American history from revolutionary to civil war and the history itself is kind of interesting."
His passion for history is evident, but sometimes it's a tough course to teach.
"Figuring out what sources are credible. There's a lot of history that we even get from, you know, textbooks or primary sources. You have to know where it's coming from and whose voices are being heard and maybe whose voices aren't being heard so it's really important to know where it's coming from and what the motivation is."
And what does Mr. Jensen hope his students take from his courses?
"If they could just have a sort of love and respect for the country or the people that have been around that have made us who we are. It's kind of a big deal."
For being a teacher who keeps his students engaged in the subject and provides real world situations that reference back to historical concepts, Mr. Jensen was presented with a $500 Grant sponsored by Western Security Bank and a $150 gift card from City Brew Coffee. Congratulations!
If you would like to nominate a teacher, click HERE. We could be surprising a deserving teacher at your school next.
