Arts Partnerships at BMAC

The Art & Literacy Connection

The ALC trains elementary classroom teachers in VTS (Visual Thinking Strategies) through a year-long, mentoring program that includes school visits by museum staff, class field trips to BMAC,  and an in-service training field trip for teachers. Teachers use VTS as a means to support literacy and development of critical thinking skills using art as a tool for observation and group discussion. Students participate in viewing and discussing art throughout the school year. A writing component is part of the program in upper elementary grade levels.   For more information about VTS click here.  Funding for the Art & Literacy Connection comes from the Institute of Library and Museum Services, the Thomas Thompson Trust and the Wolf Kahn and Emily Mason Foundation.

Schools participating this academic year are:

Chester Andover Elementary School
Guilford Central School
Oak Grove School
Union Street School
Whitingham School

For more information on the 2008-2009 Art & Literacy Connection or to learn about how to join the partnership, please contact Education Curator Susan Calabria at education@brattleboromuseum.org.

Head Start Arts Partnership

BMAC and Early Education Services of Brattleboro (EES) collaborate to bring two teachers in the arts to Head Start classrooms in Brattleboro and surrounding towns. In 2009, with funding from the Vermont Arts Council, EES and the Ben & Jerry’s Community Action Team, fifteen classrooms received special arts instruction from Bonnie Stearns and Muriel Taylor.

Stearns brings “Creating with Clay” to preschool age students, and Muriel Taylor offers “Music and Movement” to infants through preschool age.  For more information on the Head Start ArtsPartnership, please contact Education Curator Susan Calabria at education@brattleboromuseum.org.