Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston will produce an educator-tested, curriculum-based resource to expand opportunities for high school teachers using the arts to augment traditional, in-classroom teaching. Working with a cohort of area students, high school teacher fellows, and educator evaluators, the museum will conduct an in-depth study to assess the connections between formal and informal learning environments, as well as educators' and students' perceptions of museums as places for teaching and learning. Based on these findings, the project team will establish best practices for collaborative work between the museum, school administrators, educators, and students, and co-develop and test interdisciplinary curriculum lesson plans, using works of art from the museum's modern and contemporary collections. Project deliverables will include professional development opportunities for high school educators, reimagined school tours, and new teen programming at the museum. The museum will disseminate project findings and outcomes through professional meetings, online reports, local presentations, and submissions to national publications.