Professional Learning

Professional Learning workshops are an integral part of City Lore’s Education Programs. We offer workshops, training, and community building opportunities to classroom teachers, administrators, teaching artists, and other educators both within our network and beyond. For our cohort of residency teaching artists, we generally host four workshops over the course of the year. They often include deep exploration of a timely arts education topic, skill-building & -sharing, conversation & exchange, art-making, reflection, and all grounded in supporting and sustaining our community. We also survey our artists each year for their suggestions for professional learning they could use to improve their teaching practice. Additionally, we offer mentorship and training to artists who are new to teaching in school settings. We train artists on using ethnographic tools in their teaching, such as inviting and interviewing guests in the classroom, conducting close looking of an artifact, or organizing a neighborhood mapping activity.
 
In addition to these ongoing professional learning workshops, City Lore also has a few dedicated programs engaging classroom teachers and teaching artists to explore specific topics through long-term collaboration, co-teaching, and curriculum development. 

Here are a few of our signature professional learning workshops:

Harikatha to Hip Hop Program

From Harikatha to Hip Hop: Integrating Library of Congress Primary Sources on Traditional Music and Dance into the Humanities Curricula

Roots Routes & Rhythms Program

Roots, Routes & Rhythms: Integrating Social Studies, Community Resources, and the Arts

Artist-Teacher Mentorship Program

Artist-Teacher Mentorship Program
Rawya El Chab performs theater storytelling for our Library of Congress HArikatha to Hip Hop professional Learning, 2024
Rawya El Chab performs theater storytelling for our Library of Congress HArikatha to Hip Hop professional Learning, 2024
Educators engage with the "I think, I notice, I wonder" activity for a professional learning program, 2024
Educators engage with the "I think, I notice, I wonder" activity for a professional learning program, 2024
Sahar Muradi, City Lore Director of Education Programs, gives classroom teachers a demonstration of Afghan Chai brewing. Part of the Roots, Routes, & Rhythms program, 2019
Sahar Muradi, City Lore Director of Education Programs, gives classroom teachers a demonstration of Afghan Chai brewing. Part of the Roots, Routes, & Rhythms program, 2019
Classroom teachers of PS69 in Jackson Heights, Queens participate in a community building exercise, 2019
Classroom teachers of PS69 in Jackson Heights, Queens participate in a community building exercise, 2019
Choreographer and Dance Parul Shah performs and gives classroom teachers a lesson on dance traditions, 2019
Choreographer and Dance Parul Shah performs and gives classroom teachers a lesson on dance traditions, 2019
Teachers work with Visual and theater artist George Zavala.
Teachers work with Visual and theater artist George Zavala.
Musician David Oquendo and Music teacher Eric Saasto prepare for the culmination of their residency. They worked together as part of the Paul Simon Music Fellowship program, 2023
Musician David Oquendo and Music teacher Eric Saasto prepare for the culmination of their residency. They worked together as part of the Paul Simon Music Fellowship program, 2023
Dancer and Choreographer Potri Ranka Manis shares her story with teachers as part of an interview activity led by teaching artist Karl Orozco, 2019
Dancer and Choreographer Potri Ranka Manis shares her story with teachers as part of an interview activity led by teaching artist Karl Orozco, 2019
Kindig Sindaw, Potri Ranka Manis' dance company, performs for participants of the 2019 Roots, Routes, & Rhythms Summer institute, 2019
Kindig Sindaw, Potri Ranka Manis' dance company, performs for participants of the 2019 Roots, Routes, & Rhythms Summer institute, 2019
Participants of the 2022-2023 Artist Teacher Mentorship Program.
Participants of the 2022-2023 Artist Teacher Mentorship Program.
Teaching artists and Mentors Hector Morales, Libby Mislan, and Dionne Kamara participate in hand-map making workshop led by teaching artist Haifa Bint-Kadi, 2023
Teaching artists and Mentors Hector Morales, Libby Mislan, and Dionne Kamara participate in hand-map making workshop led by teaching artist Haifa Bint-Kadi, 2023
Malini Srinivasan Performs as part of the Roots, Routes, & Rhythms summer institute, 2019
Malini Srinivasan Performs as part of the Roots, Routes, & Rhythms summer institute, 2019
Malini Srinivasan Performs as part of the Roots, Routes, & Rhythms summer institute, 2019.
Malini Srinivasan Performs as part of the Roots, Routes, & Rhythms summer institute, 2019.
Educators and City Lore staff do a closing reflection and movement circle after a PD, 2024
Educators and City Lore staff do a closing reflection and movement circle after a PD, 2024