Rate My Professor Curtis Smeby

As TOPP Project Coordinator and Director for the Teachers of Promise Pathways (TOPP) at Montana State University-Northern, Smeby leads a grant-funded Grow Your Own Educator program initiated in 2021 by the Montana Commissioner of Higher Education. TOPP targets high school juniors and seniors in rural and remote areas, offering free online dual-enrollment courses such as EDU 201 Introduction to Education, which explores the history, purpose, and scope of U.S. education along with curriculum standards and professional development (requiring 10 hours of fieldwork); EDU 225 Educational Psychology, focusing on learning theories, diversity, and special needs; PSYX 230 Developmental Psychology, examining human development across the lifespan; and HTH 110 Personal Health and Wellness, addressing nutrition, fitness, stress management, and other health topics required for pre-education majors. Through partnerships with Great Falls College MSU, Havre School District, Great Falls School District, and local high schools, TOPP provides work-based learning experiences, mentorship from teachers and professors, and transferable credits toward education degrees, facilitating faster paths to teacher certification and addressing Montana's educator shortage by encouraging students to serve their home communities. Smeby's academic interests include teaching and learning, pedagogy, online learning, blended learning, educational evaluation, and lifelong learning. He has been affiliated with MSU-Northern's College of Education since 1998.