VOICES IN THE CLASSROOM
Using a comprehensive combination of education materials—past Voices performances, the book Voices of a People's History, the documentary film The People Speak, and live performances—the Voices in the Classroom Program aims to enrich the way U.S. history is taught in the classroom and beyond.
Our program uniquely deepens understanding of history through performances of the first-person narratives of those who—from the bottom, up—forged our nation with their insistence on equality and justice. Adaptable to in-person or remote instruction, students select pieces, interpret the texts, and use methods such as primary and secondary source research, visual arts, theater games, and performance techniques to bring the pieces to life. Students are aided in their process of discovery through full class, small group, and individual instruction from teaching artists, as well as Master Class Sessions with artist-activists such as Laura Gómez, Rosie Perez, Martha Redbone, and Ryan Jamaal Swain. Our program culminates with a final performance from the students alongside special guests.
“Being a part of Voices gave me an outlet to express the passion I have inside as a teen from NYC. In America, individuals similar to me were oppressed just for exercising their 1st Amendment rights. Silence does nothing but encourage the problem in America. As the next generation, Voices opened my eyes and encouraged me to speak for what is just.” — Briana, MGHS '20
Maxine Greene students with guest artist Laura Gómez.
Our flagship education partnership is an annual collaboration between Voices, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Maxine Greene High School for Imaginative Inquiry. You can see this collaboration in action in the video below:
Interested in Voices in the Classroom?
You can view our free teaching resources for educators here. For information about the semester- or year-long program with Voices in the Classroom teaching artists, click here.
For any other questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.