SAN ANTONIO — When you think of history or math, you probably don't think of the arts. But as the education field continues to find a way to evolve STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) into STEAM (STEM, plus arts) – that's starting to change.
The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts is putting out a call to local artists. They will select nine for part of a local "Teaching Artist Training" program through Generation NEXT – the first of its kind for San Antonio.
The goal is to train the artists in what's called the "Kennedy Center" method (as in the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.) – using their philosophy of arts integration so they can in turn help K-12 teachers and other local organizations throughout the Bexar County area.
Supporters of the program describe it as an "innovative and dynamic teaching approach which connects an art form with a core subject area, and leads to parallel learning in both."
Some examples include using theater in history, dance in science, visual arts in reading, music in math and puppetry in language.
The nine teaching artists chosen will receive training though a combination of asynchronous (view, read, interact and learn on your own time) and synchronous (scheduled, live via Zoom training) and will take around four months to complete. Exact dates for synchronous training will be scheduled with input from the selected participants.
Do you have what it takes? According to the Tobin Center's definition of a teaching artist, they are looking for "a practicing professional artist with the complementary skills of an educator, who can effectively engage a wide range of people in learning experiences in and through the arts, and who works in both the arts and education communities."
To learn more about the application process and what's covered in the training, click here. To see a list of required application materials, click here.
The deadline is February 15, 2021.