
Activating
the Art in
Language Arts
with River Gallery School
Project Design Lab / June 23-27
Burlington, Vermont
This course brings K-6 classroom and art teachers together with River Gallery School teaching artists to design a project plan that will deepen student engagement and learning in Language Arts curriculum.
Collaborate with River Gallery School teaching artists to develop a series of practices that encourage flexible and creative thinking, the innovative use of creative materials, and kind-hearted community building.
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All workshops center “learning-by-doing” and model easy and fun ways to activate your student’s creativity and deepen their engagement in your language arts curriculum.
Who Should Attend?
K-6 classroom and art teachers, and support staff in southern Vermont schools who are currently participating in River Gallery School's Art In Schools program.
Participating schools will receive on-site support from River Gallery School teaching artists throughout the 2025-26 school year.
NOTE: This course is open to all K-6 classroom and art teachers, but only southern VT schools are eligible for River Gallery School teaching artist residencies.
Guiding Questions
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How can art-integrated lesson plans captivate the attention of students that often have a hard time focussing?
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What are the skills of careful observation that help us sharpen our awareness of how the language we use impacts us?
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How can arts-integrated activities help us to identify and explore our own assumptions?
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How can arts-integrated activities lead students to slow down and pause for deeper observing and open exploration?
What To Expect
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Hands-on workshops to develop arts-integration techniques that bring your Language Arts curriculum to life.
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Build relationships with River Gallery School teaching artists who will provide support in your classroom next year.
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Activate your own creativity by exploring art materials in hands-on workshops.
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Build a toolkit of observation techniques that inspire student curiosity and develop critical thinking skills.
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Learn with and from colleagues at a lively and inspirational retreat.
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Strengthen relationships with fellow educators.
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Design a creative project that integrates into your curriculum and is ready to launch in the classroom next year.
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Have fun and rejuvenate!
Workshop Themes
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Sequencing Painting, an approach that supports movement, repetition and quieting the mind – a method that provides multiple curriculum entry points.
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Visual Thinking Strategies that inspire careful observation and critical thinking.
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Project Based Learning to scaffold real world scenarios that strengthen student buy-in in your language arts curriculum.
Faculty
Kate Milliken
Course Leader​​​​
Kate Milliken is a southern Vermont teaching artist, farmer, and parent. She is a certified Visual Thinking Strategies facilitator, Manager of Educational Programs at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, and developed and leads the Art In Schools program for River Gallery School.
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READ MORE ​​
Eric Cutler
Workshop Leader
At River Gallery School Eric teaches beginning drawing, painting and studio classes, as well working as a teaching artist with grades K-5 through RGS’s Art in Schools program.
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Tuition
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$2,000 - Three graduate credits
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$1,790 - Certificate of Participation for 40 hours relicensing credits
$100 later registration fee after May 1.
Tuition includes a private air-conditioned dorm room with a centrally located private bath at the University of Vermont, plus breakfast and lunch. Everyone is on their own for dinner in Burlington. Lodging is optional.
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Attend Solo or as a Team
You can attend solo or with a team from your school or district.
Teams can be composed of any educator – classroom teachers, councilors, paras, special educators, staff, administrators – and can be from the same grades and content areas, or mixed.
Teams may include educators from different schools in the district if you want to design a multi-school project.
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Teaching Artist Residency - OPTIONAL
If you would like information on how to schedule a teaching artist residency to support implementing your project, complete the PDL Questions Form and we'll get right back to you.
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FAQ
Visit the PDL FAQ page for answers to questions about team participation, tuition & fees, lodging & meals, daily schedule, teaching artist selection (optional), and more.
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Project Snapshots
See examples of previous projects created at the Project Design Lab here.
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Questions?
Complete the PDL Questions Form and we'll be back in touch soon.

We invite you to let us know about specific accommodations you may need to participate in the Project Design Lab when completing your Registration Form, and we will make every effort to honor your request.
Accrediting Institution
