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Roberta Altman

Supervised Fieldwork Advisor, Course Instructor

Academic Interests

Arts and aesthetics Cross cultural understanding Developmental learning Equity in education Global issues in education

Recent Courses Taught

Some of the Values that Shape My Work

  • Creativity, collaboration, and social action provide the foundation of my work with graduate students and other professionals in education.  The need for imaginative solutions to local and global problems for equity in education, protecting the environment, and cross-cultural awareness should meet the challenges of the present and future.
  • The arts, aesthetics and museums offer alternative ways for experiencing the world, generating understanding for and learning from the diverse ways of others across time and place.
  • Museums and the arts serve as catalysts for interconnections with other sections of society such as schools, community organizations, and higher education.
  • Parents, teachers, children and community members can integrate their perspectives and hopes in schools that foster the synergy necessary to address contemporary needs. Our role as educators is to learn from and with our students in creating a more just and equitable world through all the resources we can access to that end.

Work with Families, Children, Schools, and Communities

  • Creating quality Day Care programs for underserved populations in rural India with the Peace Corps.
  • Teaching in Early Childhood classrooms for 7 years.
  • Creative Movement Specialist
  • Summer Camp Director for three years
  • Mentor for dance candidates at New York University’s Gallatin Division.
  • Consultant for the Disney TV shows with creative movement.

Selected Professional Development Work

  • Institutes using local sites and museums as sources of teaching and learning at The American Museum of Natural History, schools in the South Bronx and India.
  • Local and International sessions in the United States, India and Finland on global educational issues and creative movement.
  • Coordinator Professional Development, Midtown West School

Educational Background

  • Ed.D., Candidate in Arts in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
  • M.S.Ed., Bank Street College of Education
  • B.A., Hunter College, City University of New York

Selected Publications

  • Altman, R. and De, M. (2010, March).  Expanding possibilities for underserved and marginalized youth using Freiere’s critical pedagogy of active and reflective arts practice. UNESCO Observatory, E-Journal 1,(5). Retreived June 6, 2011 from http://www.abp.unimelb.edu.au/unesco/ejournal/vol-one-issue-five.html

  • Altman, R. The Arts as Catalyst Across Contexts: Linking Classrooms, Community, and Museums.  Why we value museums. In New England Museum Association Newsletter, Spring, 2009.

  • Altman, R. (2005). The arts, aesthetic education, and teacher preparation: A partnership in developing multiple connections for learning. In M.F. Holzer & S. Noppe-Brandon (Eds.), Community in the making:  Lincoln center institute, the arts and teacher education (pp. 89-101).  New York: Teachers College Press.

  • Altman, R. (2000).  Jump, wiggle, twirl & giggle: 25 easy and irresistible movement activities that teach early concepts and connect with your favorite themes.  New York: Scholastic.

Contact me:

(212) 875-4724 raltman@bankstreet.edu
610 W 112Th St # 634
New York, NY 10025-1898