Mosaic artist Luigi Gobbo, who immigrated from Italy in 1965, loves to share his art and Italian traditions. Through Local Learning’s project Culture, Community, and the Classroom, Luigi and partner teacher Ms. Crossgrove worked with her students to complete this mural in 2021
CCC Program Showcase
Join us April 17, 2026, 6-8pm for an inspiring evening of teacher and teaching artist projects that explore what happens when local artists are invited into the classroom. Hosted by the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures and Local Learning at the Arts + Literature Laboratory, 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, WI.
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This project began as a summer institute that took place in August 2025 at the Center for Design and Material Culture, where we experienced culturally responsive, engaged learning through the power of objects. Harnessing the potential of a museum’s curated collections for building student inquiry and reflection around complex topics of representation and identity, participants had an opportunity to explore museums as texts. Participants gained tools to activate learning goals across subject areas, and access multiple pathways into the stories of people and communities.
We were especially honored to feature Karen Ann Hoffman, renowned Haudenosaunee Raised Beadwork artist of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, as one of our artist facilitators. Her work and perspective enriched participants’ understanding of Indigenous knowledge systems and the role of expressive culture in community life. As her National Heritage Fellowship biography states: Karen Ann Hoffman beads “peace, beauty, and meaning.” She supported learning to listen to the voice of material culture.
National Heritage Fellow Karen Ann Hoffman shares her beadwork at NAEA, Minneapolis, 2024.
The Culture, Community, and the Classroom workshop series explores culturally responsive, engaged learning through local traditional arts and knowledge.
- Access a toolkit of activities and resources that will provide a fresh, innovative start to your school year.
- Engage the diverse communities of your students through lessons that center cultural awareness and knowledge building through inquiry.
- Experience the study and practice of material culture in both museum and community contexts.
- …and Remember why you fell in love with teaching in the first place!
Previous workshop: The Role of Culture in Student Health and Wellbeing
When: Tuesdays (April 22, April 29, May 6, and May 13) from 3:30–5:30pm online.
Where: Zoom online
Audience: Elementary Educators and Support Staff
This workshop series (three meetings with open office hours on the final day for reflection or additional mentorship) offers educators an asset-based toolkit to explore cultural identity including models for their students to explore culture authentically. Participants will leave with ideas for lessons and activities that inspire inquiry and foster a culture of belonging and acceptance. All participants will design a culturally responsive action plan which considers the role of culture in their schools. This plan will identify specific assignments or activities that can strengthen student well-being through positive cultural connections.
Topics:
Session 1: Role of Culture in the Classroom
Session 2: Culture and Student Health and Wellbeing: Addressing Cultural Sensitivity
Session 3: Strengthening Student Culture in the Classroom
Outcomes:
Session 1: Mapping of culture of classroom and the role of one’s own cultural identities
Session 2: Inquiry-based assignment/activity engaging students’ cultural identities, encouraging acceptance and belonging, and identifying potential curricular connections
Session 3: Culturally responsive action plan, including 1-2 specific assignments or activities to strengthen student cultural wellbeing in the classroom through positive cultural connections. Identify curricular connections
“Before this workshop I thought my communities lacked/were deficient, but now I think opportunities are all around us, we just have to connect and take action and make things hidden more visible and to be aware of our surrounding culture.” –2024 Teacher Evaluation
“It was inspiring to learn more about taking a collaborative approach (rather than a purely instructive or lecture-based one) in the classroom. I feel like it makes me better able to connect with more and different kinds of students.” –2024 Teacher Evaluation
