The 2006 Program

From approximately 700 to 1600 C.E., West Africa was controlled by the great empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. This Institute will explore the societal structures and artistic creations of these complex civilizations. How did various pressures—both from within Africa and outside of it—begin to transform them? How did the creative productions of these cultures change as artists were exposed to new materials and ideas? Over time, how did West African art serve both private and public needs—social, political, and religious? How does the world today continue to feel the influence of the aesthetic and cultural climate of West Africa centuries ago?

Teachers attending the Institute will increase their knowledge of arts integration as they create lesson plans that use the arts to teach other core subjects, such as reading, science, literature, or social studies.

The Institute

Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries is a multidisciplinary professional development institute designed for Maryland school teachers interested in more fully implementing the fine arts into their classrooms and in integrating the fine arts across school curricula. Each year, the Institute focuses on different artistic and cultural periods. Participants explore exemplary artistic products as well as the artistic processes, theories, and philosophical currents that provide a context for understanding them. Like its predecessors, this year’s Institute will:

  • INTRODUCE YOU to new scholarship in the arts and arts education
  • ENCOURAGE YOU to explore the potential of the arts in teaching other core subjects
  • SUPPORT YOU in creating an innovative lesson plan that meets Maryland’s Essential Learner Outcome guidelines
  • PREPARE YOU to work collaboratively with other core discipline teachers
  • STRENGTHEN the position of the arts and arts education in your school

This nine-day residential program, now in its sixth year, offers a core curriculum of lectures, hands-on performance classes, and collaborative lesson-planning workshops. Additional activities include a museum field trip, self-guided library research, and a technology training session.

At the Institute, teams of teachers will create a set of interdisciplinary lesson plans around a common topic. On the last day of the program, teachers will present their new plans formally to the entire Institute. Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries will then archive the plans on its website for the benefit of the participants and teachers around the world.
Follow-up sessions (October 14, 2006 and April 28, 2007) will allow participants to attend additional lectures and discussion sessions, as well as to share their classroom experiences after the Institute. These sessions help sustain a learning community among the teachers, where conversation and assessment continue to improve the quality of the archived lesson plans.
Participants who complete the entire program, including the fall and spring follow-up sessions, will be eligible to receive 5 MSDE Continuing Professional Development credits, which will be awarded after the spring follow-up session.

Enrollment in the program is FREE OF CHARGE to all Maryland public school teachers and includes tuition plus room and board. A non-refundable application fee of $30 does apply.

Residency Requirements

July 17-20: On-campus residency is required.
July 21-24: On-campus residency is optional. Applicants who wish to stay on campus for these four nights should check the appropriate box on the application form.

Participants must attend all scheduled activities, including evening, weekend, and follow-up events, in order to earn MSDE credit. Accommodations and food will be provided on the University of Maryland campus.

To Apply

APPLICATION DEADLINE: APRIL 24, 2006!

Teachers from different disciplines within one school are encouraged to apply in teams of two to four.
Individual applicants will be placed in teams at our discretion.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE APPLICATION FORM.

Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability in matters affecting eligibility or providing access to programs. Please inform us if you have special needs due to dietary restrictions, mobility impairment, or any other disability.

For more information, keep checking this website, or contact Jordan McMullin at the Center for Renaissance & Baroque Studies, telephone 301.405.6832, email mcmullin[at]umd.edu.