Urgent Museum Notice

ABC Teacher Institute

Two individuals sit at a table and create art.

About the Program

Empower and inspire your students through art! Each July, the museum offers a weeklong program led by museum educators, professional book artists, and art and literacy specialists. This graduate-level course centers on our signature Art, Books, and Creativity (ABC) curriculum. The curriculum was originally designed for 4th and 5th graders, though if you enjoy the challenge of adapting lessons for students of different ages and abilities, this institute is for you!

This low-cost program ($50 materials fee collected upon registration) takes place for one week, Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 4 pm each day, and includes daily homework assignments.

Optional: Participants can register to earn three graduate credits through Trinity Washington University in Washington, D.C. Trinity tuition fees announced upon acceptance to the institute.

No prior art experience is necessary. Classroom teachers are especially encouraged to apply.

Upon acceptance into the ABC Teacher Institute, educators will receive information about tuition fees and registering for graduate credit through Trinity Washington University.

Apply for the Monday, July 8, through Friday, July 12, 2024, ABC Teacher Institute, by Tuesday, April 30. Applicants will be notified of decisions by Friday, May 10.

If you have questions about the ABC Teacher Institute, please email education@nmwa.org.

What To Expect

During the week, participants:

  • Learn book formats: accordion books, flag books, pop-ups, and more, as well as writing exercises from the ABC curriculum.
  • Practice the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) method for facilitating art discussions.
  • Brainstorm ideas for integrating visual arts with language arts, social studies, math, and science in their own classrooms.
  • Create arts-integration lesson concepts. 

Related Quote

I am very excited about all the possibilities for integrating art. The artists’ books are new for me, and I love them. I know my students will be excited to work hard with these lessons.”
ABC Teacher Institute attendee
A birds-eyed view of a display of artists books showing a variety of folded paper and works of art.
Photo credit: Deborah Gaston, NMWA

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