Bard, A Place to Think - Master of Arts in Teaching

We believe in the value of continued learning and the importance of a professional community that emphasizes inquiry, supporting continued growth and renewal in our lives as teachers. Like any educational institution, we must define and determine how to develop standards without losing sight of what's authentic and what's important professionally.

Graduate Courses

Graduate courses will meet commonly held standards for academic work, which means that the courses will meet for a requisite number of hours and require the completion of appropriate academic work. All of these requirements as well as the credits to be earned will be described in the syllabi that accompanies a course offering, as in this year's literature course, Blood on the Page, or last year's biology course.

Workshop-Based Professional Development

Workshop-based professional development will be described as such and will earn "workshop hours" rather than graduate credit. In most districts, this kind of professional development can earn salary credits as per contract agreements but may require prior approval by local district administration. We will supply course descriptions and certification of completion of the workshop sequence as needed to comply with local contractual provisions and procedures.

Math Enrichment for Teachers 1.6 (February 25, 2009 - April 29, 2009)

This ten session course is facilitated by Professor Japheth Wood-PhD in mathematics, research mathematician and Bard MAT faculty member. The course is designed for high school math teachers who seek to deepen their understanding of number theory, algebra, and geometry, and to explore fundamental notions and some specialized topics.

The first math circle session meets this week on February 25, 2009 at the NYU Courant Institute, 251 Mercer St, Room 512, from 5-7PM, and registration is $100. MAT Mentor Teachers will be reimbursed the $100 registration fee upon proof of registration and attendance at a minimum of five sessions.

Middle School Math Teachers' Circle (March 11, 2009 - July 29, 2009)

The Middle School Math Teachers' Circle is a community of middle school math teachers interested in developing problem solving skills, deepening content knowledge and discussing pedagogy. The Middle School Math Teachers' Circle will meet on the second Wednesday of each month (starting on March 11th), leading up to a three day immersion workshop at Bard College at the end of July. The middle school math teachers' circle is provided at no cost to the participants, but registration is required.

More information and registration links for both teachers' math circle course can be found at the New York Math Circle website, or by contacting Japheth Wood.

2009 Bard MAT History Retreats: Teaching Controversy in Secondary Schools

Teaching Lincoln's Legacy in the Age of Obama
TBA Jan. 15 (4:30-7:30 pm)

Bard Center Fellow Philip Kunhardt, author of Looking for Lincoln, has written numerous books in American history and biography, and a longtime producer of documentary films for PBS and other networks. His richly illustrated book will be the companion to a two hour PBS special on February 11, 2009 hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The book explores the sixty year period following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln when his memory was contested by different parts of the nation and when key sources for his biography and mythic stature emerged. In the process of examining Lincoln's place in American memory and the fascinating, sometimes controversial figures who helped advance it, the book sheds light on his complex legacy and on why he continues to matter to this day.

The Museum At Bethel Woods
Sunday, Feb. 22 10a.m.-3 pm

Carpooling TBA
Group admission rate $13

Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator (1941)
Holocaust Remembrance Day
Tues. April 21
Bard College

Chaplin's courageous effort to make this film despite widespread opposition throughout Hollywood plus the fact that he uses comedic means to draw attention to fascism both raise important questions about teaching the Holocaust.  We will watch the film along with clips from Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will and the 2002 documentary Hollywood and the Holocaust.

Projected Fears: Social Adjustment Films from the 1950s Classroom
Tues., April 28: 6-8pm
Keegan Ales (Kingston)

In 1950s classrooms, American children absorbed their parents' fears and values from 16mm educational and social guidance films. We will look at examples of how these images of innocence often masked the real worries of the time.