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Providing opportunities for students to compete and be recognized for their achievements makes a huge impact on student motivation and confidence. Below are the guidelines for two writing contests for students. The first is the MTA’s Words on Wheel’s poetry contest open to Baltimore City Public School students in middle school. Entries are due DECEMBER 15th so act fast. The winning poems are illustrated by MICA students and hung on buses and lightrails. The second contest is open to Maryland students in grades 3-12 and is due February 1st. The contest is presented by Baltimore’s Child and CityLit Project. The winning students receive a scholarship to attend the Maryland Writing Project’s Student Writers’ Workshop in the summer.

Christine Stewart is the director for literary arts for the Maryland State Arts Council and is coordinating the program described in this post, which provides the opportunity for schools (preferrably high schools) to have a free visit from Maryland’s poet laureate.

This past summer I spent seven weeks in Greece studying, all expenses paid, as a Fulbright Scholar. This year, all of Fulbright’s programs for teachers and principals have been passed to American Councils for administration. The whole program was like getting backstage pass; we visited over 100 archaeological sites, museums, and laboratories and had over 60 guest tour guides (site directors, archaeologists, art historians, conservators, anthropologists) who took us behind the ropes at sites such as the Parthenon, into the conservation labs, and shared unpublished material. You can’t go, if you don’t apply. It might be just what you need to reinvigorate your teaching.

The International Artist Teacher Exchange (IATE) will provide an opportunity for educators to obtain George Mason University graduate credit while gaining professional development training in arts integration during a week-long Italian cultural exchange.

If you haven’t used or heard of DonorsChoose.org, now is a great time to get started as a teacher or donor. DonorsChoose.org opened to all 50 states in fall of 2007. Since then, the nonprofit has been matching people who want to support public education with teachers who post specific projects to enhance their students’ learning on the site. Below are current opportunities from a recent email I received from Donorschoose.org to receive matching funds on projects meeting the guidelines. Just go to the site to post supplies needed for your classroom or to give to a teacher’s project you wish to support. Good luck!

NEW AUDIO TOUR!
60 Objects | Countless Stories
FREE (admission to the Museum’s collection is also free for everyone, everyday)
Pick up the audio tour and map at the BMA Box Office.
http://www.artbma.org/visit/tours.html

The Baltimore Museum of Art
10 Art Museum Drive
Baltimore, MD 21218
443-573-1700

Hours: Wednesday – Friday 11 a.m. – 5p.m., Saturday – Sunday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.