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Posted: Feb 17 2012 - 11:06am

Reaching the Sky: Using Building Technology to Understand our Community

In July 2012, the Salvadori Center is offering its annual three-day Summer Institute.  The Institute is open to teachers of all grade levels who will unlock the math and science embedded in the built-environment through concepts of architecture/engineering. They will see first-hand how hands-on/minds-on learning can promote critical thinking and problem-solving in their students as well as coherent instruction in their own teaching.

 Objectives:
Participants will be able to:

  • Connect the built environment with math and science
  • Incorporate built environment themes to align with math and science concepts
  • Become familiar with concepts of architecture and engineering

Summary of the Institute: In this intensive three–day institute, participants will acquire a deep knowledge of the built environment and use it to extend their students’ application of math, science and the humanities. The Institute will begin with participants investigating different components of architecture and engineering that are essential to the construction of structures.  Participants will apply their knowledge from these investigations by designing and constructing their own scaled model of a structure.  One goal of the Salvadori Institute is to align the Center’s methodology with the Department of Education’s Common Core Standards. Therefore, the Institute will culminate with participants creating an interdisciplinary lesson outline based on a built environment theme that they can later implement in their classroom.

Date:
Tuesday July 10- Thursday July 12 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Cost:
The 3 day intensive workshop costs $350 per teacher.Two (2) or more teachers from the same school receives a 10% discount ($315 each)

Teachers' Scholarships:
A limited number of Summer Institute scholarships are awarded to teachers who have an interest in and in the effectiveness of Project-based-learning (PBL). One (1) full and two (2) partial scholarships are awarded based on available funds together with the quality and quantity of applicants.  Scholarships allow a teacher to participate in the intensive Salvadori Institute and immerse him/herself in the PBL methodology and teaching using the built environment.  Scholarship information will be posted in March 2012.

Dates:
Tuesday July 10- Thursday July 12
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Insitute Outline:

 

DAY 1: Foundation: Why Do Buildings Stand Up?
On this first day, participants will analyze why structures stand up.  They will investigate different shapes and forms that are used in the construction of structures and evaluate their properties.

Objective:
Teachers will be able to:

  • Analyze different structures (using paper templates) and discuss their properties and strength
  • Identify the differences between various kinds of structures
  • Determine why some structures are chosen over others in construction

Concepts:Concepts include but are not limited to: forces (tension, compression, gravity), equilibrium, strength through form. 

DAY 2: “Reaching the Sky”
On this second day, participants will use the knowledge acquired from the previous day on the strength and form of structures to design and construct a skyscraper.  Participants will also take a neighborhood walk and analyze the height of the structures surrounding the workshop local. 

Objective: Teachers will be able to:

  • Design and build a skyscraper to scale
  • Understand why a skyscraper is an efficient way of building in an urban area
  • Explore the role of population density in relation to building in NYC
  • Analyze how zoning affects the height of structures in NYC

Concepts:
Concepts include but are not limited to: zoning, scale, design process. 

DAY 3: Salvadori in Your Classroom
On this third day, participants will apply the methodology of PBL into subject areas that they have to teach, by writing a lesson plan outline with a focus on the built environment.  They will also develop an assessment tool that will allow them to assess students as well as the lesson itself. 

Objective:
Teachers will be able to:

  • Design a coherent lesson plan outline with a focus on the built environment
  • Design an assessment tool that will assess the students’ learning and the instruction
  • Identify additional methods of lesson planning

Concepts:
Project-Based Learning (PBL), PBL planning, PBL assessment, Salvadori Methodology 

Registration:
Teachers can register for the Summer Institute and apply for scholarships (posted in March 2012) by contacting the Salvadori Center at:

Email: thecenter@salvadori.org
Telephone: (212) 870-3970 (ask for Erin McCluskey, Education Director)
Posted: Feb 17 2012 - 10:29am

The Salvadori Center seeks an Education Director to implement and oversee the Center’s educational programming – including but not limited to school-based, after-school, and professional development programs as well as family and community workshops. 

The Education Director manages day-to-day program operations, including budgets, staffing schedules, program assessment, and program alignment with National Common Core Standards and New York grade-specific learning objectives.  Supervising the Center’s education coordinators and full and part-time teaching staff, the Education Director oversees the development of curricula and program assessment (potentially working with outside consultants), and collaborates with Center staff to create new program initiatives and publications. The Education Director answers inquiries from schools and organizations and represents the Center at educational events. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Education Director is a key member of the Center’s Leadership Team, and serves as liaison with schools, the New York City Department of Education, and other educational and cultural organizations.  The Education Director works closely with the Center’s Development Director to align programs with funding opportunities and ensure that the Center’s marketing materials accurately promote program objectives to appropriate target audiences.

Additional Qualifications:Successful candidates will have direct experience with program and budget management, curriculum development, program assessment, and staff supervision.  A working knowledge of NYC and other large public school systems and/or informal or formal teaching experience is preferred.  Interest/experience in architecture and engineering concepts, hands-on, project-based learning as well as in promotion and marketing is a plus.

The Center is looking for a candidate with strong creative and critical thinking skills who is a team player with effective management and organizational skills.  Cover letters should address personal or supervisory experience with:

  • Evaluating curricula (working with curriculum consultants)
  • Creating strong linkages curricula to grade-specific learning objectives
  • Developing program and student assessment (working with curriculum consultants)
  • Developing an in-house training and professional development program
  • Managing and evaluating a team of full-time and part-time educators
  • Working with the NYC DOE or other large departments of education

Last date for application: 10 March 2011

Application Instructions:
Send resume and cover letter, as attachments, in the following format: lastname_firstname_resume and lastname_firstname_coverletter, to thecenter@salvadori.org (PDF preferred). No phone calls please. 
Posted: Jul 18 2011 - 5:30pm

Thanks to a grant from Time Warner’s Connect a Million Minds program, the Salvadori Center will deliver BRIDGES in three community centers.
Posted: Jul 18 2011 - 5:28pm

National Endowment for the Arts generously supports the Salvadori Center’s GLOBE program.
Posted: Jun 30 2011 - 10:52am

Download the new 2011-2012 Program Flyer HERE.
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