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Teacher Workshops

The Museum offers a wide variety of learning opportunities throughout the year to help K–12 educators integrate the arts into their classrooms. From object-based learning strategies to in-depth curriculum planning, development, and studio exploration, the MFAH is a place for teachers.

Most workshops are approved by the Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented. Workshops can be customized to address specific content areas, STAAR, etc. Contact teachers@mfah.org to discuss your needs.

MFAH teacher programs and resources are developed in collaboration with Houston-area teachers. Learn more about these collaborations.

“Learning Through Art” Educator Seminars

Learning Through Art at the MFAH connects the Museum’s collections of world art into classroom curriculum for art, literacy, math, science, social studies, and technology. Use the elementary and middle school curriculum to integrate higher level cognitive skills, such as observing and organizing information, making predictions, and communicating ideas and thoughts with art inquiry methods to promote development of 21st-century skills that are needed to succeed. LTA/MFAH bridges disciplines and curriculums to enable students to explore key concepts in the real-world context of the art museum.

Through discussions on works of art from the MFAH collections and hands-on art projects using everyday materials, LTA/MFAH teacher training introduces TEKS and STAAR-aligned lessons that use the visual arts to teach students how to think critically and creatively as well as encourage self-confident, self-motivated, and self-disciplined learners.

All “Learning Through Art” workshops are G/T approved.

Learning Through Art at MFAH Educator Seminar | #TeachingTools@MFAH for Elementary and Secondary Teachers
Saturday, March 29, 2025
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Fill your ‘teaching toolbox’ with works of art from the MFAH as they relate to process standards and project-based learning activities designed for use across the curriculum. ‘Nail down’ strategies for higher order thinking skills used with inquiry-based methods to build a community of motivated lifelong learners. Encourage thinking outside of the box with hands-on experiences designed for all students–from ELL to gifted.

Register

Hearst Foundation Educator Open Houses

The Hearst Foundation Educator Open House program provides educators with the opportunity to explore special exhibitions at the MFAH and connect with our permanent collection. Held on Thursday evenings, these events allow teachers to engage with MFAH education and curatorial staff and discover exciting opportunities for both teachers and students at the museum. See the workshops offered this fall below.

Hearst Foundation Educator Open House | 150 Years of Design: The AIA Houston Collection
Thursday, January 30, 2025
5 p.m.–7 p.m.
View the newly opened AIA installation at MFAH during this open house for educators. This event will offer an opportunity to gather with colleagues and to view the galleries. Connect with associate curator Cindi Strauss and MFAH educators and learn more about opportunities for teachers and students at MFAH.

Register


Hearst Educator Open House | Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within
Thursday, March 6, 2025
5 p.m.–7 p.m.
Educators are invited to an open house to view Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within. Of Okinawan heritage and born in Hawai‘i, Toshiko Takaezu (1922-2011) was a groundbreaking twentieth-century artist most celebrated for her prolific output of expressively glazed “closed form” ceramic sculptures that ranged in scale from palm-sized works to immersive sculptural environments. Informed both by her cross-cultural heritage and deep appreciation for nature, Takaezu radically reimagined the vessel form as a site for limitless experimentation, seeking to harness the expressive potential of both abstract painting and sculpture. Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within traces the evolution of the artist’s renowned practice, considering both the worlds she conjured within individual forms, and in majestic installations. Connect with associate curator Elizabeth Essner and MFAH educators and learn more about opportunities for teachers and students at MFAH.

Register

Hearst Foundation Make the Most of Your Teacher-Guided Visits

The Hearst Foundation Making the Most of Your Self-Guided Visit is designed for visual arts educators looking to elevate their museum visit with their students. Meet with our museum education staff to strategize ways to plan your visit in advance. Request a session by emailing teachers@mfah.org.

Workshops for K–12 Schools and Districts

The MFAH offers half-day, full-day, and multi-day seminars that bridge the Museum’s art collections with classroom curriculum throughout the year. Programs take place at the Museum, can be specially designed to suit the needs and interests of the group, and can be tailored based on subject area, goals, and grade levels. Are you interested in a focus on reading and literature? How about STEAM or Project-based learning? We would love to talk with you and customize a program for your school.