Educators Workshops are offered throughout the year. They are designed to enhance educators’ understanding of The Ringling’s collections and special exhibitions, and provide an opportunity for networking, collaboration, and inspiration. Please visit this page often for new offerings.

Register for Current Educator Events

• 3 hours of CEU credit are available for participants
• Integration with Florida Standards & Next Generation Sunshine State Standards
• $5 Registration fee; a light meal is included.
• Questions? Please contact education@ringling.org or 941-359-5700, ext. 3705

Workshop: Collaboration in Art
Thursday, October 24, 2019 @ 4:30-8:00pm

Collaboration is a critical twenty-first century skill that is utilized in every subject and classroom. In this hands-on workshop, we will discover ways artists collaborate and learn how to promote artist collaboration as an example for student collaboration. During this Thursday evening workshop, we will focus on art techniques and skills that promote collaboration, critical thinking, and positive reaction in the art classroom. We will create a collective painting, edit and alter each other’s artworks, and learn a technique for 3D anaglyph printmaking where red and cyan ink collaborate to create a three-dimensional image. 

Collaboration in Art
Saturday, October 26, 2019 @ 8:30am-1:00pm  

Collaboration is a critical twenty-first century skill that is utilized in every subject and classroom. In this workshop, we will discover ways artists collaborate and learn how to promote artist collaboration as an example for student collaboration. During this Saturday workshop we will discover works in The Ringling’s collection that exemplify collaboration and how to apply those lessons in the classroom. We will also experiment with art techniques and skills that promote collaboration, critical thinking, and positive reaction in the history, English language arts and visual arts classroom. 

Climate Change and the Classroom 
November 23, 2019 @ 8:30am-1:00pm

Have you wondered how to incorporate climate change into your lesson plans? Climate change is a worldwide threat which affects our coastal community; hear from experts from diverse fields to learn new approaches to climate change communication. During this workshop led by Karen Wiley we will learn tactics for climate change communication based on the NNOCCI model. We will also participate in the Artists and Climate Change Incubator with playwright and activist Chantal Bilodeau. The Incubator will include 20 interdisciplinary experts who will facilitate an interactive discussion around pressing environmental issues through creative response. 

Cultura y Identidad: English Language Learners and Mexican Culture in the Classroom 
Saturday, December 7, 2019 @ 8:30am-1:00pm

English Language Learners (ELL) bring a wealth of diverse cultural perspectives to our classrooms and as teachers, we can activate the numerous perspectives in our classrooms to facilitate character education and deeper subject-area learning. This professional development workshop will include a webinar provided by Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center on best practices for engaging with English Language Learners. We will also hear from Christopher Lomelin, PhD candidate in the department of religion at the University of Florida, who will speak about the Virgin of Guadalupe and her significance to Mexican identity, politics and devotion. Lastly, we will preview Specters and Parables, an exhibition featuring Mexican photographer Manuel Alvarez Bravo, a day ahead of its official opening. 

An Abstract Expressionist View of Sarasota Bay
Saturday, January 25, 2020 @ 8:30am-1:00pm

Plein air painting, the act of painting outdoors, has been practiced by many artists including Syd Solomon who famously painted by Sarasota Bay at his home on Siesta Key. This workshop will explore the practice of plein air painting, the Abstract Expressionist movement, and Syd Solomon’s legacy. We will learn from local artist Keith Crowley about the impact Solomon made on the Abstract Expressionist movement, tour the exhibition Syd Solomon: Concealed and Revealed, and practice abstract techniques en plein air alongside Sarasota Bay.

Learning to Look, Looking to Learn, Part 1 
Thursday, March 5, 2020 @ 4:30-8:00pm

Learning to Look, Looking to Learn is a two-part professional development series led by Ringling educator Katie Nickel and Selby Gardens educator Tracy Calla. Through intentional observation students can learn to recognize patterns in art and plant structure, leading to interpreting those patterns as knowledge. Through pattern recognition, students will become adept at evaluating their own methods of learning, and will gain experience identifying misconceptions of knowledge and how to address those misconceptions. 

During this first segment, we will learn to look at art. Using a didactic tool that walks students through the observation process, we will learn to guide student self-discovery of knowledge and understanding. This process will then be expanded to build on student observational skills, teaching students how to observe using a variety of tools available. An increase in observation skills has proven benefits including enhanced ability to read, write, and process emotions.

Syd Solomon: Florida Friendly Conservation 
Saturday, March 7, 2020 @ 8:30am-1:00pm

Abstract Expressionist Syd Solomon lived and worked in Sarasota, Florida. From his home on Siesta Key, Solomon painted and celebrated Florida’s coastal ecosystem and was profoundly inspired by the local landscape. Solomon was also an advocate for environmental conservation, a legacy continued by The Ringling today. During this workshop, teachers will learn from Rose Garden Horticulturist Kai Sacco as he leads a walking tour of the Bayfront Gardens exploring topics such as coastal ecosystems, red tide, pollinators and the importance of native plants. We will also study Florida native plants and learn how to create a Florida Friendly garden for your classroom. This workshop has been tailored for 3rd – 5th grade classroom teachers, and secondary art, science and math teachers. 

Learning to Look, Looking to Learn Part 2
Saturday, April 4 

Learning to Look, Looking to Learn is a two-part professional development series led by Ringling educator Katie Nickel and Selby Gardens educator Tracy Calla. Through intentional observation students can learn to recognize patterns in art and plant structure, leading to interpreting those patterns as knowledge. Through pattern recognition, students will become adept at evaluating their own methods of learning, and will gain experience identifying misconceptions of knowledge and how to address those misconceptions.
During this second segment, we will train our eye to look at, and identify, plants. This workshop aims to help us overcome our collective human challenge of distinguishing among plant species, and foster a greater appreciation of the flora in our lives. We will use a didactic to explore plant structure and function, and use other tools to uncover plant stories leading to a deeper understanding of both life science and our intimate relationships with the botanical world. Registration for this program can be found this spring at selby.org