Hofstra University (Hofstra University Museum)

Hofstra University Museum will hire a part-time educator to strengthen the impact of its Art Travelers Through Time program, serving underserved third graders and their teachers. The program uses experiential study of authentic objects from the world’s cultures to enrich classroom curricula, building 21st century skills in creative thinking, problem solving, collaboration, visual literacy, and communication. Students receive classroom instruction from museum educators; visit the museum; create and share stories, poems, folk tales, and art; and write letters to pen pals from other Art Travelers schools. The expansion of the program will increase participation to at least 700 students annually, and provide enhanced resources and additional workshops for teachers. Family outreach will also be improved through bi-lingual communications and museum educator presentations at PTA and Board of Education meetings. Evaluation will include pre- and post-testing to assess the program’s effectiveness in regard to learning objectives related to the Common Core and New York Learning Standards.