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Helpful hints
We all need a bit of help every now and then! The following helpful hints for museum and gallery educators have been suggested by MEANZ members. If you have a helpful hint you would like to share here please email webteam@MEANZ.org.nz
‘Always ensure you have written parental permission before reproducing photographs of students’. Helen Lloyd
‘Hand your camera to the teacher or one of the parent helpers on a school visit to capture great images of you in action’. John Neumegen
‘Get a piece of clear Perspex (clean) and ask students to touch it. Then check out the smears and smudges on the glass to explain why we ask people not to touch in the gallery or museum’. Margaret Tolland
‘Rather than telling students what the rules of behaviour are when they arrive at the museum, ask them to guess, and tell you what they think they are’. George McLeod
‘To help with reflective practice, set up a peer review with colleagues in your own or a nearby institution, to observe and learn from others and receive feedback on your own teaching strategies’ Helen Lloyd
‘Before you begin your education programme in the Museum always remember to tell students and teachers where the toilets and fire exits are and what to do in an emergency’. George McLeod
‘Ask teachers to provide name tags for students who are visiting the gallery or museum and if you intend to work in groups, have these organized in advance’. Margaret Tolland
Sequence learning experiences from low risk responses towards higher level thinking. Try voting, reasoned ranking and a various types of questioning. Rebecca Fawkner-Egli
Students working with a Te Papa educator
‘Be clear about your learning intentions at the beginning of each visit and check-in with students to see what they have learnt at the end’. Helen Lloyd
To help with marketing and evaluation, on your education programme evaluation form, include a box for teachers to tick giving you permission to quote their comments in reports and advertising’. John Neumegen
Get students to use their bodies more to demonstrate learning. Try ribbons, making group sculptures under super sized lycra sheet, etc. Go for full participation (including teachers, parents). Rebecca Fawkner-Egli
‘Have an open day for teachers about a week before school starts, and provide some hands on opportunities for teachers’. Margaret Tolland
‘Encourage parent helpers to take an active role in the learning of the students while on their visit to the Museum. Encourage them to help you by promoting student’s thinking and questioning’. George McLeod
Use fun ways to present written responses. e.g. students write key points on balloons , make parachutes with words or questions on them, use individual burger boxes to collect drawings and written responses to exhibitions Rebecca Fawkner-Egli
When demonstrating art making techniques always make your own demo imperfect. That way you raise questions and show ways of responding to “mistakes”. Rebecca Fawkner-Egli
‘If any catalogues are being printed to go with the exhibitions you are working with, ask for the dummy run printed material for use in gallery education activities and games’. Margaret Tolland
‘To assist with targeted marketing of future education programmes, ask teachers and group leaders where they heard about your programmes’. Helen Lloyd
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