Free Trainings from the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Christy Mock-Stutz, English Language Arts & Literacy Instructional Coordinator, at the Montana Office of Public Instruction sent me information about three live webinars that the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) has designed specifically for Montana educators. Here's more direct from SAAM:

In this special three-part webinar series Montana teachers will learn how educators at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) use inquiry-based approaches with artwork to engage students as thinkers, readers, and writers, while supporting content across multiple disciplines. Gain practical strategies for integrating art effectively into your teaching, and learn to navigate the Smithsonian’s online resources for educators. Webinars are open to all Montana teachers, though they are especially recommended for English/language arts, social studies or history, and art teachers for grades 5-12. Renewal units will be available.

1. Thinking through Art: Landscape and Place
Wednesday, February 21, 2018 (3:30 – 4:30 p.m., MT)
Explore inquiry-based strategies for guiding close looking and analysis with American art, and ways to make students’ thinking visible. Highlighted SAAM artworks for this session center on the theme of Landscape and Place. Join the live online presentation here: https://zoom.us/j/212806679

2. Native American Art & Artists: How Do You Find Artworks to Use in Your Classroom?
Tuesday, March 20, 2018 (3:30 – 4:30 p.m., MT)
You want to try using American art in your teaching, but how do you know where to find the right piece? Learn how to navigate the Museum’s online resources for teachers, with an emphasis on art by and about Native Americans. Join the live online presentation here: https://zoom.us/j/183416399

3. Art as Argument: Contemporary Artists’ Voices
Monday, April 16, 2018 (3:30 – 4:30 p.m., MT)
How do contemporary American artists use visual tools to persuade? How can persuasive artwork be a springboard to help students construct their own arguments?
Join the live online presentation here: https://zoom.us/j/127740159 

If you can't make the live webinars, Christy says that all the sessions will be recorded and eventually be posted on the Teacher Learning Hub. (If you don't know about the Teacher Learning Hub, I highly recommend that you check it out. They have all sorts of free online courses there--including a series of four short (hourlong) courses Deb Mitchell and I created with Colet Bartow on MHS resources.) But that may take a while, so check out the live webinars if you can.

Happy learning.