educator / arts admin
Pedagogically, Matt is something of a Freirian, focusing on empowering people by training-through-doing, so that students create in their own voices, with intense individual perspectives.
HIGHLIGHTS:
● MEDIA WORKSHOP INSTRUCTOR: HMI Institute Summer 2015
Created and taught young LGBTQ people to interview, produce, edit their own radio/audio feature segments, through the Media Masters Alliance (mediama.org).
● MEDIA WORKSHOP INSTRUCTOR: Arturo Schomburg Satellite Academy, Bronx Fall 2011
Taught basic video production and documentary filmmaking to High School youth, two-day a week course for full semester, credit. Covered equipment, language and grammar of film, interviewing skills, framing, and editing, with a focus on the students making their own productions, in their own voices. Teams produced three short docs and one music video.
● RESEARCHER: Center for Children & Technology 2001 – 2003
Consulting and evaluation of the national Computer Clubhouse Network, after-school digital media programs for young people, included site visits to community centers nationally. Interviewed youth and staff, contributed to reports published by the Educational Development Center, a left-wing think tank. Developed materials to support site coordinators, and ongoing consultation.
● ASSISTANT BUREAU DIRECTOR: Children’s Express/Pressline 2001
Guided youth (ages 10-18) in their pursuit of journalism, for weekly 3-5 articles published by New York Post, and radio pieces, cut in Pro Tools.
● DIRECTOR OF IN-SCHOOLS PROGRAMMING: GLSEN 1998 – 1999
Responsible for national curricular needs assessment, development and distribution. Edited catalog of books and videos for teachers and students. Marketed Out of the Past, winner of the 1998 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for Documentary, included editing and art-directing materials targeted at teachers, and coordinating with local chapter leaders nationally to hold community screening-events around PBS broadcast.
● DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION: Film/Video Arts 1995 – 1998
Oversaw 25 faculty, 50-75 classes per semester, and office for education department at non-profit media-arts center. Work included hiring instructors, creating programs and developing classes; designing and implementing Digital Arts/Studies Certification Program; marketing strategy; writing and design of promotional materials, and supplemental grant writing. Responsible for department budget (increased department gross income to over 425k), artist-in-residence programs, scholarships, internship program, wrote and edited course catalog.
● COUNSELOR: CHARLES RIVER CREATIVE ARTS PROGRAM 1990 – 1995
Taught basic, advanced, news and dance video classes, and basic and advanced creative writing, daily newspaper writing/production, and radio scripting to youth, ages 8-15.
ADDITIONAL TEACHING:
● University Settlement House – Taught ‘zine writing/production summer course – 2000
● Film/Video Arts: taught design to adults and video to teenagers – 1997-1999
● Senior Thesis work at the Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBT Youth, advising students on creating ‘zines – 1994
● Children’s Aid Society – taught video to youth – 1991
● Substitute teacher, grades 3-12, American Int’l School of Lisbon, Portugal – 1992
● Educational Video Center – Assisted H.S. students in Bushwick, doing doc on history of their neighborhood – 1991
● Teachers and Writers Collaborative – internships in Bronx Elementary and High Schools – 1989