Professional Development

Harnessing the power of art as a changemaking force, The PD Teams provides 50 hours of paid, social justice art education to Teaching Artist Staff every year. Each of our professional development supports (arts exploration, lesson planning, community building and liberatory teaching practices) are designed to embody DreamYard’s four core values: Activate, Liberate, Create and Connect. We prepare our TA’s work to reach both the classrooms and the wider school ecosystem. This impact is seen locally in our annual, Bronx-wide Arts Festival, DreamFest and across the globe in our partnership with the International Poetry Exchange Program (IPEP).

In addition to its work with DreamYard Teaching Artist Staff, the Professional Development Team provides guidance to the whole staff on further developing our org-wide focus on race equity. Our Learning Community sessions and Racial Justice Projects (RJPs) are ways we can work internally to center race and move towards a more equitable future.

The PD Team collaborates in developing and training race equity curriculum with The New York City Department of Education’s Office of Arts and Special Projects and The Department of Youth and Community Development through year-long, multisession workshops. National collaborators include the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Guilford County Schools and Race Forward. International partners include Theatre Shala (India), Slam Out Loud (India) and Afro-Inspira (Puerto Rico).