Roles and Responsibilities
Teaching Artist
- Collaborates with the teacher to identify learning targets or school & classroom priorities.
- Authentically connects arts to classroom content areas.
- Creates opportunities for creativity through art-making and/or performance.
- Develops clear and attainable assessments.
- Fluent with National & State Arts Standards in artistic discipline.
- Attends training and vetting when scheduled.
- Partners and interacts professionally with teachers and learns teaching techniques and methods from them.
- Openly shares their art form & mentors teachers to add artistic practices to their teaching.
- Contributes positively to School Working Groups.
- Adapts instruction for diverse populations, cultures, special needs.
- Honestly assesses their own teaching & the overall program effectiveness.
- Is organized, flexible, punctual, and dependable. Creates realistic schedules and works fluidly within school constraints & limitations.
- Communicates with SPARK! office concerning contracting and any programming concerns that may arise.
Teaching Artist Steps in a Residency
- When you meet with a Classroom Teacher please use the Pre-Residency Meeting Agenda & Notes form, linked here: Pre-Residency Meeting Agenda & Notes to guide your conversation. (This is simply a tool, you do not need to turn this in).
- After you meet with Classroom Teachers, please complete the SPARK! Residency Registration Form. *Based on this Registration form, Sienna will create a contract and send it you, and Kirsten will update our Teaching Artists Calendar – please be sure details on the Residency Registration are as accurate as possible, and email us if any details change.*
- Double check that you have your MCPS ID Badge and MCPS paperwork is up to date. All Teaching Artists must review the MCPS Volunteer Manual, and submit a volunteer application and confidentiality agreement as well as a background check (background check must be updated every two years).
- Before and during your Residency be sure to complete these residency to dos!
- Upon completion of the Residency, please submit a TIMESHEET (and any residency photos!) to Sienna via email so that you can be paid for your hard work!!
New Artists
Your application will be reviewed by a SPARK working team that consists of a combination of district employees and community members. Upon acceptance, we will update the directory to include your information. Our review process for directory updates is ongoing. After acceptance, we can update your offerings as needed throughout the year. This flexibility allows for educators and district administration to utilize your resources more efficiently and to know of current offerings.
Apply via the Teaching Artist Application Form. Please email ssolberg@sparkartslearning.org with questions.