|
School and educator programs use works of art in the Whitney's permanent collection and temporary exhibitions as a foundation for learning. Programs at the Museum and in the classrooms offer opportunities for teachers and students to develop an informed, critical understanding of American art and culture, and its relationship to their own lives. Inquiry-based exhibition tours, multi-session outreach programs, professional development workshops, and interdisciplinary resource materials are designed to facilitate in-depth exploration of the works of art on view, create a forum for ideas, dialogue, and exchange, and enhance visual literacy and critical thinking skills. All programs address the New York State Learning Standards as well as the NYC DOE Blueprint for teaching and learning in the visual arts.
 Students listen to Ken Feingold's mannequin heads as they exchange existential dialogue.  Students complete an abstract painting as part of the Museum's multi-session program for k-12 schools. 
Students engage in a drawing activity after a conversation about the work of art with the museum educator. |
Guided ToursGuided tours reflect the Whitney's pedagogical approach of engaging students in dialog while looking at selected works of art. Museum educators lead school groups in kindergarten through twelfth through the Whitney's permanent collection and temporary exhibitions, inviting students to explore American art and culture through discussion and integrated gallery activities. All tours are tailored to meet the curricular needs and interests of participating school groups. Supplementary teaching materials for use before and after your group's visit are are available on our online education site. Learn all about the programs we offer for K-12 students. Reservations must be made at least four weeks in advance. We are now taking requests for Fall 2008 school group visits! To request a tour, please fill out the online tour request form – this is the only way school group tour requests will be processed, phone and email requests will not be honored. Tours requests should be made no more than three months and no less than one month in advance. If you have any questions, please e-mail schoolprograms@whitney.org |
|
|
||
Self-Guided ToursHigh school groups are able to schedule self-guided visits to the Whitney. These tours allow students and chaperones to arrive at the Museum together and then disperse through all of the Museum galleries in small groups of 4-5. Supplementary teaching materials for use before and after your group's visit are are available on our online education site. Self-Guided tours are available Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am-5pm and on Friday from 1pm-5pm. Reservations should be made no more than ten weeks and no less than four weeks in advance. The Museum is wheelchair accessible. To schedule a self-guided tour, please contact our visitor services department at: (212)-671-8350 or groupvisits@whitney.org. Cost: Self-Guided tours are free for New York City public schools. All other schools and groups are offered a discounted fee of $6.00 per student and $10.00 per adult.
Please note: The maximum group size is 60, with one chaperone for every 10 students. Students must explore the galleries in small groups of 4-5. If guidelines are not met, groups may be asked to leave. |
||
|
||
Classroom Collaborative (Three-part Program)Whitney educators collaborate with classroom teachers to plan a three-part program designed to support classroom curricula and themes. The program includes an initial visit in the classroom with a Museum educator, a tour at the Museum, and a follow-up classroom visit designed to enhance and build on the first two sessions. The final session may include a slide discussion, writing activity, or hands-on project. Cost: Classroom Collaboratives are free for New York City public schools. For all other schools and groups the cost is $500. To schedule a classroom collaborative, please fill out our online classroom collaborative request form If you have any questions or would like more information, please e-mail schoolprograms@whitney.org |
||
|
||
Programs for educators offer diverse ways to integrate works of art into school curriculum and use the Museum as a primary resource for teaching and innovative classroom practice.
The Museum's professional development workshops for k-12 educators feature hands on projects in the galleries.  Museum educator Kristine Marx, at lower right, leads a group critique of workshop projects.  Participants at a Summer Institute experiment with projects to assign students. |
Open Houses for Educators and AdministratorsEducators and administrators are invited to collaborate with the Whitney Education staff to explore techniques for integrating works of art into classroom curriculum. During special viewings of our world-class collection of twentieth- and twenty-first-century American art and special exhibitions, educators will learn how to approach visual resources using ideas, themes, strategies, topics, and activities that enhance instruction. Open House This is a FREE event, but registration is required. |
|
|
||
Whitney Teacher ExchangeK-12th grade teachers from public, independent, and parochial schools are invited to apply to become a member of the Whitney’s first ever Teacher Exchange Program. In this year-long paid program, teachers and museum educators will work as equal partners to exchange and try out ideas about how to use the works of art in the museum’s collection and exhibitions. Applications are due September 1, 2008. |
||
|
||
Professional Development WorkshopsThe Whitney offers professional development workshops for schools, districts, or groups of educators. Museum staff collaborate with each group to create workshops that address issues specific to their curricular or professional needs. Workshops can focus on works of art from the Whitney's collection or from special exhibitions and can cover a wide range of themes or topics including identity, American art and culture, history, community, using a sketchbook in the classroom, or teaching with works of art. Special workshops dedicated to exploring the Whitney's rich online resources are also offered. Alexander Calder Teacher Workshop: Focus on Drawing Educator workshops are $25 for Whitney members and $30 for non-members. Registration is required. To register, please email teacherprograms@whitney.org Workshops can accommodate up to sixty participants and may be scheduled Tuesday through Friday. The Whitney is a New York City Department of Education - contracted vendor. Cost: $300.00 for 25 or less teachers for 1 1/2 hour gallery tour For more information or to schedule a workshop, call (212) 570-7717. |
||
|
||
Summer InstituteIn collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art presents a comprehensive in-depth institute for 3rd through 12th grade educators. Through observation, analysis, and interpretation of modern and contemporary art, educators develop techniques for integrating the study of visual images into their classroom curricula. This week-long professional development seminar includes guided tours, lectures by leading scholars in the field of education, research projects, and curriculum planning. For more information, call (212) 570-7717. |
||
Educator PassesEducator passes provide an opportunity for educators to preview Museum exhibitions for free prior to a class visit. Requests for passes can be made by fax at 212-570-7711, or by a letter on school letterhead to the following address: Whitney Museum of American Art |
The Whitney Museum of American Art's School and Educator Programs are made possible by an endowment from the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Fund.
Generous support is provided by 
Additional support is provided by Susan and Jack Rudin in honor of Beth Rudin DeWoody, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Inc., Newman’s Own, and by members of the Whitney's Education Committee.