Teacher Institute Application

Thank you for your interest in applying to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Teaching the Humanities Through Art Summer Institute. We’re seeking to build a cohort of teachers whose experience varies widely, but who share a desire to meaningfully engage their students as thinkers and develop their teaching practice in collaboration with others. Whether applying alone or as a member of a team, each teacher must submit a complete, individual application. Applications are due March 23, 2026.

 You will not be able to save your application or return to it once it has been submitted, so you may want to draft your responses to the essay questions in a separate document for editing. Make sure all sections of the application are complete before submitting.

  1. Introduce yourself: What is one of your core values as a teacher? How do you demonstrate that value to your students? (150-300 words)
  2. Introduce your school context: What would you like us to know about your school community and its student body? (150-300 words)

  3. Reflect on an interdisciplinary lesson: (350-500 words)

    The Institutes encourage an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. In broad strokes, describe a lesson you planned and taught that incorporated content and/or skills from multiple disciplines.

    1. What do you think your students gained from the lesson? How do you know?
    2. Based on your students’ responses to the lesson, what is one thing you might do differently if you taught it again? Why?
  4. State your intentions: How do you hope your participation in this Institute will benefit you, your students, and your colleagues? (150-300 words)
Contact Information
Email
Address
Maximum of two teachers per team. Each team member must submit an individual application.
School Information
School Address
Subject(s) you teach (select all that apply)
Grade level(s) you teach (select all that apply)
Institute Preferences
Tell us more about yourself

Introduce yourself: What is one of your core values as a teacher? How do you demonstrate that value to your students?

Introduce your school context: What would you like us to know about your school community and its student body?

Reflect on an interdisciplinary lesson: The Institutes encourage an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. In broad strokes, describe a lesson you planned and taught that incorporated content and/or skills from multiple disciplines.

  • What do you think your students gained from the lesson? How do you know?
  • Based on your students’ responses to the lesson, what is one thing you might do differently if you taught it again? Why?

State your intentions: How do you hope your participation in this Institute will benefit you, your students, and your colleagues?

How did you learn about the Institutes (select all that apply)?
Which of the following factor(s) influenced your decision to apply to the Institute (select all that apply)?
Would you like to be considered for a scholarship to support attendance costs?
If accepted to the Institute, will you receive any financial support from your school, district, or another organization?
Please add context:
Please add context:

Scholarship recipients are expected to do ONE of the following during the 2026-27 school year

  • Lead a professional development session for other educators.
  • Submit a report to SAAM staff documenting the impact of your Institute experience in your classroom.
  • Write an article or blog post about your Institute experience and the impact in your classroom, submitting to an educational publication.
Do you plan to earn graduate credit for your participation in this Institute?
Do you anticipate receiving professional development credits through your school or district for your participation in this Institute?

By submitting this form, you are granting the Smithsonian American Art Museum permission to use the information provided to review your application and contact you via email. Please see the Smithsonian’s Privacy Statement for more information.