A number of years ago, one of my sixth grade students asked me, “Mrs. Littleton, don’t you get tired of being in the sixth grade forever?” I was able to answer, quite truthfully, “No, I love being in the sixth grade because it’s different every year.” Some of the ways …
Many students — from elementary to college age — sometimes appear intimidated upon entering the “grandeur” of our museum (designed by I.M. Pei), and then fall into bewilderment at the array of objects competing for notice in the galleries. Recognizing this problem, I have developed stories that relate the historical …
Interpreters and docents often work in isolation and are rarely able to share practical experiences, beyond the exchange of “war stories” in the staff room. Such stories are important, but to identify problems and learn from their own experiences, interpreters and docents need skills that will help them to reflect …
As educator at the Early American Museum in east central Illinois, most of my time is spent conducting school field trips through our facility. Every program I present has two basic challenges: educational content and logistics. The educational needs of the teacher include those of her students, school, district, and …
Over the years, I have sought resources that would help docents and other educators understand more fully the positive impact of teaching through direct, personal experience. I hoped to find something that demonstrated how much more compelling that method of teaching is than is the technique of lecturing. Though some …
Here’s an old trick that’s worth repeating. Interlace the fingers of your two hands. Look and see which hand’s thumb is on top. Now, unlace your fingers and interlace them again, but this time place the opposite thumb on the top. How does it feel? If you find it “awkward,” …
For nearly thirteen years, Jackie Littleton and I have had the honor of producing The Docent Educator. What began as a late-night revelation — that no publication for professional development existed solely for staff and volunteers teaching in museums, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, gardens, and libraries — has grown into …