We are excited to highlight the American Visionary Art Museum in this year’s Arts and Cultural Spotlight series! Their program, Supporting & Teaching Neurodiverse Students in Art Education Professional Development, empowers educators to engage neurodivergent students through the arts. In partnership with Baltimore City Schools, the museum offers a dynamic workshop including a guided tour of the Judith Scott exhibition, followed by group discussions, curriculum planning, and hands-on art activities. Teachers leave the workshop with resources and strategies to support neurodiverse students in artmaking and create an inclusive environment in their classrooms.
Educators can explore Supporting & Teaching Neurodiverse Students and other exciting options from the American Visionary Art Museum in our Art Directory. Today, we’re shining a spotlight on this impactful professional development program!
What can educators expect from Supporting & Teaching Neurodiverse Students in Art Education Professional Development?
The American Visionary Art Museum education department partnered with Baltimore City Schools Visual Arts department to create a professional development workshop supporting neurodiverse students through arts education. Educators started their day with a tour of ” The Secret Within: The Art of Judith Scott” exhibition and discussed Scott’s impact on the art world. Educators delved into group discussions, lesson planning, and curriculum analysis of how the arts can support neurodivergent students’ learning and exploration in the art classroom. We ended the session with a make-and-take art activity called “Memory Sculpture.” The Memory Sculpture project, inspired by Judith Scott’s artworks, explored the memory of a close friend or family member by intertwining colorful yarn, foil, fabrics, and objects into various forms. Ultimately, Teachers created resources and strategies to galvanize neurodiverse students in their artmaking and sustain a supportive art environment.
How is this program an arts integration lesson?
Our program addresses the needs of neurodivergent students in the classroom by incorporating various artmaking practices as an asset to their education. Educators can adapt different art resources/projects to support neurodivergent students in their critical thinking, discussion activities, and exploring learning materials in their subjects.
TWhy should teachers and students be excited about this program?
We’d love for teachers to access our fantastic collection of self-taught artists, some of who are from Baltimore! At the American Visionary Art Museum, our artists come from different walks of life, and we believe that every individual is a “Visionary Artist” and has the power to create. We would love for students to experience that at our museum through group visits and artmaking workshops, which are free for Title 1 schools in Maryland! Lastly, we provide free arts-integrated lesson plans for PreK-12th-grade students that cover various subjects. Through our educational materials, we hope each student finds a visionary artist within themselves and passes that passion on to others!
Anything else teachers should know about Supporting & Teaching Neurodiverse Students in Art Education Professional Development?
The American Visionary Art Museum offers fully funded group visits, artwork shops, and bus transportation for Title 1 schools in Maryland. Please contact Education Coordinator Diamond Gray at diamond@avam.org or groupvisits@avam.org.
Learn more about The American Visionary Art Museum on their Educator Resources page and website!
Don’t forget–for SY24/25, all Baltimore City Schools are able to apply for up to $2,500 in funding support for school-day arts experiences booked through AED’s Arts Directory, including Supporting & Teaching Neurodiverse Students in Art Education Professional Development!