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WISIT Summer Institute 2026
WISIT Summer Institute 2026

August 3 to 7, 2026
Washington International School, Tregaron Campus
Type: Museum Course 2 clear filter
Wednesday, August 5
 

2:15pm EDT

Dear America: An Interactive Museum Course
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Gallery of Art - West Building
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
Ready to become a civic architect? This dynamic course invites you to step into the National Gallery of Art's groundbreaking "Dear America" exhibition and transform your understanding of American history through the powerful lens of justice-centered design thinking.

Participants will meet outside of the Dear America exhibition located by the 7th St ground floor entrance to the National Gallery of Art's West Building. 
Speakers
avatar for Kerri Redding

Kerri Redding

Savoy Elementary School
Kerri Redding is a lifelong educator and digigriot fueled by curiosity and a love of humans. A founding member of DC-Project Zero (DC-PZ) and WISIT, she has served on the faculty of WISIT since its founding. Kerri currently serves as an elementary Library Media Specialist for DCPS... Read More →
avatar for Sheryl Anderson Petty

Sheryl Anderson Petty

Anderson Petty Consultants LLC
Sher Anderson Petty is an innovative & reflective teacher-leader with 20+ years experience fostering the development & growth of learning communities, facilitating professional development, and writing curriculum. In K-12 education, she has crafted curriculum for and taught AP and... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Gallery of Art - West Building
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

Engaging Students with Plant Science: Sensational Seeds
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
Take a deep dive into the world of seeds to explore plant reproduction! Participants will investigate seed structure in familiar plants , engage in hands-on plant dissections, and explore plants and pollination throughout the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory and outdoor gardens. Throughout this course, participants will reflect on ways to adapt the classroom and garden-based learning activities demonstrated for their own teaching contexts. Participants will leave with inspiration for using seed plants as a springboard for scientific thinking. 

Participants will meet at the front entrance of the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory.

Speakers
avatar for Lilly Andersen

Lilly Andersen

US Botanic Garden
Lilly Andersen is the U.S. Botanic Garden's Family Education Specialist. She works to build connections between people and plants through science education, focusing on the child/family audience.
avatar for Grace Anderson

Grace Anderson

US Botanic Garden
Grace Anderson is the Science Education Specialist at the U.S. Botanic Garden. She works to incorporate science learning into the Garden’s programming for diverse audiences. She holds a Masters in Entomology and especially enjoys teaching about the fascinating relationships between... Read More →
avatar for Emily Hestness

Emily Hestness

US Botanic Garden
Emily Hestness is a Senior Education Specialist at the U.S. Botanic Garden. Within the Garden's Learning and Engagement team, she leads teacher professional development, program evaluation, and educational partnerships.
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory 100 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20001
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

Finding Your Flow: Explore the Power of Water Through Contemporary Art and Art-Making
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Museum of Asian Art
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
 Join the National Museum of Asian Art for an afternoon exploring art and art-making inspired by the exhibition, Into the Waters with Senju and Bingyi: Two Contemporary Paintings. THrough conversation, close looking, thinking routines, and hands-on ink-painting, participants will explore how two contemporary Asian artists blend traditional techniques with innovative practices to express the movement, power, and beauty of water. As we engage directly with ink painting processes, teachers will reflect on personal connections with water and nature. Together, we will brainstorm strategies for bringing inquiry-based artmaking and visible thinking into your classroom. 

Participants will meet at the Moongate Cafe in the East Building, Sackler Pavilion accessible through the Enid A. Haupt Garden. 
Speakers
avatar for Brigitte Pollio

Brigitte Pollio

National Museum of Asian Art
Brigitte is the Education Specialist for K-12 programs at the National Museum of Asian Art. Prior to coming to NMAA, Brigitte worked as a gallery teacher at the National Gallery of Art’s Art Around the Corner program, a Project Zero based multiple visit program with the DC Public... Read More →
avatar for Scarlett McCullough

Scarlett McCullough

National Museum of Asian Art
Scarlett McCullough is the Tour Coordinator at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, and was previously a K-12 Museum Educator for over two years at NMAA, where she has scheduled, co-created, and facilitated both virtual and in-person educational programs with adult school... Read More →
avatar for Bryn Vasquez

Bryn Vasquez

National Museum of Asian Art
Bryn Vasquez is an Education Specialist at the National Museum of Asian Art. She develops programs for K–12 audiences, bringing the cultures, arts, and histories of Asia to students nationally and internationally. Her work focuses on inquiry-based learning, artmaking, and connecting... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Museum of Asian Art 1050 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20004
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

Homelands: Exploring Complexity through Close Looking at Art
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Gallery of Art - East Building
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
How might works of art help deepen understanding of complex ideas and nurture empathy? How does “place” shape our identity? Participants will explore the exhibition Homelands, which shares diverse experiences of migration, immigration, displacement, and resettlement. The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the power and catharsis of telling one’s story through art. Through slow looking and thinking routines, we’ll consider how homeland stories reveal the complex and changing relationships between people and ideas of place, land, and home.
On view through August 1, 2027, the exhibition Homelands includes works by Kay WalkingStick, Luis Cruz Azaceta, Freddy Rodriguez, Do Ho Suh, Hung Liu, Hank Willis Thomas, Rashid Johnson, and Guadalupe Maravilla.

Participants will meet at the entrance to the "Homelands" exhibition on the Mezzanine of the National Gallery of Art's East Building. 
Speakers
avatar for Nathalie Ryan

Nathalie Ryan

National Gallery of Art
Nathalie Ryan is a Senior Educator at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, where she has led programs for educators, families, teens, and the adult public since 2002. Her current work at the National Gallery is researching awe and well-being in the museum with Professor Dacher... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Gallery of Art - East Building
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

Learning on the Fly: Explore. Play. Design. Share.
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Air and Space Museum
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
Experience the National Air and Space Museum through the lens of playful learning. Explore awe-inspiring scientific and technological phenomena, ask big questions, and create “on-the-fly".
Gather information on an interactive gallery tour, then take on a collaborative design challenge inspired by what you discover. Prototype ideas, test them in the museum, and share your work with visitors because learning is better when it’s done together. We’ll iterate, reflect, and reimagine how museums and classrooms can spark curiosity and agency in learners navigating a tech‑driven world.
Participants will meet at the staff entrance at Independence and 6th St SW.


Speakers
avatar for Elizabeth Dale-Deines

Elizabeth Dale-Deines

National Air and Space Museum
Elizabeth Dale-Deines loves sparking curiosity. Since launching her museum career in 2009 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, she’s used museum collections to get students, teachers, and lifelong learners asking big questions. She’s collaborated with the Boys and Girls Clubs... Read More →
avatar for Ashley Rattanawan

Ashley Rattanawan

National Air and Space Museum
Ashley Rattanawan is an Education Specialist for Teacher Professional Development at the National Air and Space Museum. She has a B.A. From the University of Georgia (go dawgs!) in Science Education. Ashley manages teacher professional development and training at Air and Space with... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Air and Space Museum
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

Let's Play: Early Childhood Education in Art Museums
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Gallery of Art - East Building
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
This session is designed for early childhood educators (PreK3-Kindergarten). Participants will experience a hands-on tour of the National Gallery of Art designed for early childhood students. We will meet in the Atrium of the East Building, do a brief introduction, and then engage in a mock tour designed for our youngest learners. Participants will engage in a variety of activities including modified thinking routines, sketching, sculpting, movement, song, and playful exploration. Following the tour, participants will be challenged to brainstorm one activity that they would design for an early childhood group using a work of art before spending time reflecting together as a group. 

Participants will meet by the information desk on the Atrium level (street level) of the National Gallery of Art's East Building. I will be holding a stuffed animal cat!
Speakers
avatar for Dena Rapoport

Dena Rapoport

National Gallery of Art
Dena works as a museum educator for the National Gallery of Art where she coordinates out-of-school programs for families. In this capacity, she enjoys helping families feel more connected to creativity and to the process of art making. She received the biggest resume boost after... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Gallery of Art - East Building
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

Making Place, Making Meaning: Solidarity, Story, and the Art of Nick Cave
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
This course explores solidarity through the work of Nick Cave's Mammoth exhibition. Grounded in a developing solidarity framework, participants move through making place, learning, and creating harmony. Participants will reflect on identity, culture, and belonging, engage deeply with Cave's themes of visibility, resistance, and joy, and transform their insight into creative or civic action. With this course, the museum becomes a living classroom where art sparks dialogue, critical consciousness, and connection. Participants will leave with tools to cultivate solidarity, amplify voice, and contribute to more just and humanizing communities. 

Participants will meet at the G Street Lobby of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. 
Speakers
avatar for Gerald D Smith Jr.

Gerald D Smith Jr.

Smithsonian
Gerald D. Smith Jr. is the former Principal of St. Thomas More Catholic Academy in Washington, DC, where he led with a focus on equity, innovation, and community partnerships. Currently he is the Lead Education Specialist for Youth Development Programs at the Smithsonian Institution... Read More →
avatar for Jaime Chao Mignano

Jaime Chao Mignano

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart
Jaime Chao Mignano is the Director of Technology and Innovation at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, MD. She has been a technology and maker educator in Washington, DC for over a decade, serving schools and nonprofit organizations in developing and delivering curriculum... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Smithsonian American Art Museum 8th and G Streets, NW Washington, DC 20004
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

Material Value: Making Meaning with Sculpture
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Gallery of Art - East Building
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
What do you think is the most important aspect of art: the material used, the process of making, or the meaning behind it? In this interactive course for elementary school educators, we will explore how artists use repurposed materials to intertwine the importance of material, making, and meaning. We will use a thinking routine to compare and connect a variety of sculpture, and engage in collective and individual making in response to what we see.

 Participants will meet at the large elevator by the coat check at the National Gallery of Art's East Building entrance. 
Speakers
avatar for Emily Mendonca

Emily Mendonca

National Gallery of Art
Emily Mendonca is a Museum Educator for Art Around the Corner, a partnership program with DC Public Schools at The National Gallery of Art. In this role she manages logistics, develops curriculum, and aims to infuse the power of joy into teaching and learning at all levels. She earned... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Gallery of Art - East Building
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

My Other Set of Wheels is a Synagogue (and Other Stories of Jewish Washington)
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
Explore one of DC's newest museums and see the city's history from a new perspective. We'll deep dive into local stories that range from 1790 to today, with a focus on inquiry that fosters connection to and curiousity for Jewish life and culture. How long has DC been home to Jewish communities? What was it about this city that brought Jewish immigrants here, and how did these communities develop, change, and respond to life in the nation's capital? And... how did DC's first synagogue end up cut in two on the back of a truck?!? Together, we will pair artifacts and thinking routines to answer these questions and more, empowering educators of all backgrounds to bring complex and diverse stories of Jewish Washington into their classrooms and curriculums.

Participants will enter up the ramp on F St NW, go through the security checkpoint, and be guided by staff to the 2nd floor Community Action Lab. 
Speakers
avatar for Anna Barr

Anna Barr

Capital Jewish Museum
Anna (she/her) is the Senior Manager for Education at the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum. A former public high school teacher and always a history buff, Anna prioritizes empathy, justice, and open inquiry in her educational practice. She has been developing and leading... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum 575 3rd St NW, Washington, DC 20001
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

Out of Many, One
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
Educators from the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) and The Phillips Collection come together with WISIT participants to celebrate American artists of color, consider the power of creative communities, and experience the rewarding complexity of looking at artwork pairings. Through gallery discussions using Harvard Project Zero thinking routines, and engaging in intentional jotting, playful doodling, and a culminating collaborative art activitiy, participants will learn about the rich and restorative stories of the featured artists. Participants will be empowered to create both independently and collectively. Time will be set aside to reflect on how activities can be adapted for the classroom. 

Participants will meet in the Great Hall at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. 
Speakers
avatar for Ashley Harris

Ashley Harris

National Museum of Women in the Arts
Ashley W. Harris (she/her) is the Associate Educator at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) where she is responsible for coordinating group tours as well as managing the museum's volunteer corps. She joined NMWA's staff in 2013, but her introduction to the museum was during... Read More →
avatar for Carla Freyvogel

Carla Freyvogel

Phillips Collection
Carla White Freyvogel is an educator with more than 25 years of experience teaching in museums, including the National Building Museum, National Portrait Gallery, National Gallery of Art, Phillips Collection, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She engages audiences of all ages with... Read More →
avatar for Adrienne Gayoso

Adrienne Gayoso

National Museum of Women in the Arts
Adrienne (Addie) L. Gayoso (she/her), Ohio native, has been a museum educator in Washington, D.C., since 2004. As the senior educator at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), she develops programs for school, teacher, and multigenerational audiences as well as interpretive... Read More →
avatar for Monica Cohen Lenoff

Monica Cohen Lenoff

Phillips Collection
Monica Cohen Lenoff is a museum educator, special education teacher, and practicing artist with over 16 years of experience across diverse settings. She is a Museum Educator at The Phillips Collection, leading professional development grounded in Project Zero and Visible Thinking... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
National Museum of Women in the Arts 1250 New York Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20005
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

Revolutionary Questions: An Inquiry-led Exploration of America's Founding Documents
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Library of Congress
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
How can we hep students broaden their understanding of the founding of the U.S. and its impact on the world? Together, we will hone our primary source analysis skills with an iconic founding document and explore the Library's new exhibition, "The Declaration's Promise," guided by our own wonderings. Participants will also have the opportunity to discover the wealth of free resources available online and onsite for educators and students. 

Participants will meet at the Whittall Room on the ground floor of the Jefferson Building (main visitor building). We will station a staff person to direct participants as they enter. 
Speakers
avatar for Abby Krolik

Abby Krolik

Library of Congress
Abby Krolik is an Educational Resources Specialist at the Library of Congress. She has over ten years of experience working in both museum and school settings and has dedicated her career to supporting educators of all kinds to use museum, library, or archival objects and resources... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Library of Congress 10 First St SE, Washington, DC 20540
  Museum Course 2

2:15pm EDT

This Is Not Recess: Learning Through Play
LIMITED
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Ford's Theatre
Limited Capacity seats available
Feedback Survey
"This Is Not Recess: Learning Through Play" is a workshop that positions play as a rigorous and essential strategy for learning. Participants will explore arts integration as an approach to teaching. Through theater-based warm-ups, scaffolded activities, and collaborative play, educators will engage in practices that support comprehension, collaboration, and student voice. Participants will leave with adaptable strategies that can be immediately applied across disciplines. 

Participants will meet in the Malek Carlucci Hall of the Lindner Center on the 5th Floor of Ford's Theatre. 
Speakers
avatar for Axel Cruz

Axel Cruz

Ford's Theatre
Axel Cruz (he, she, they) is the Manager of Arts Education at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., where he leads the design and implementation of nationally recognized programs that integrate the arts, literacy, and civic learning. His work focuses on equipping educators and students... Read More →
avatar for Tricia Patrick

Tricia Patrick

Ford's Theatre
Tricia Patrick is an arts administrator who believes in the arts as a catalyst for conversation and change. Her pursuit of a performance career took her across the country and beyond, eventually landing in Berlin, Germany. There she developed her skills as an educator and workshop... Read More →
Wednesday August 5, 2026 2:15pm - 4:15pm EDT
Ford's Theatre 511 Tenth St NW, Washington, DC 20004
  Museum Course 2
 
WISIT Summer Institute 2026
From $500.00

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Monday, August 3
Tuesday, August 4
Wednesday, August 5
Thursday, August 6
Friday, August 7
Black Box Theater - Middle School Building
Carriage House Room 103
Carriage House Room 105
Carriage House Room 106
Carriage House Room 107
Ford's Theatre
Huffard Hall - Le Centre Brown, WIS Campus
Library of Congress
Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum
Middle School Building Mad Lab (2nd Floor)
Middle School Building Room 110
Middle School Building Room 111
Middle School Building Room 112
Middle School Building Room 210
Middle School Building Room 211
Middle School Building Room 212
Middle School Building Room 214
Middle School Building Room 215
Middle School Building Room 216
Middle School Building Studio Sol (1st Floor)
National Air and Space Museum
National Gallery of Art - East Building
National Gallery of Art - West Building
National Mall
National Museum of Asian Art
National Museum of the American Indian
National Museum of Women in the Arts
National Portrait Gallery
Smithsonian American Art Museum
The Gallery - Le Centre Brown
U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory
Various Rooms Across Campus - See Description for Room #s
  • Art Happenings
  • Interactive Course
  • Learning Groups
  • Lunch
  • Museum Course 1
  • Museum Course 2
  • Plenary Session