Dear All
Please could you circulate details of the attached post. I have now included
further information as requested by some list members, let me know if you
have any further difficulties.
Thank you.
Ben Spencer
Education Officer, The Horniman Museum and Gardens
Salary up to £ 18,130 per annum
Fixed Term Contract - 20 months (starting 2nd May 2000) with the possibility
of this becoming a permanent post
The Horniman Museum & Gardens is a registered charity funded by the
Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Its collections illustrate the
world we live in - our cultures, crafts, music and the natural environment.
The Education Department is developing its outreach programme and we seek
an Education Officer who will deliver this service to schools and provide
evaluation and development of the programme. You will be a qualified
teacher with recent teaching experience including using museum collections,
historic buildings or wildlife centres for innovative education projects.
Full details of the above post and an application form can be obtained by
sending an A4 stamped self addressed envelope to the Personnel Section, The
Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Road, London SE23 3PQ. The closing
date for applications is 15th March 2000 and interviews will be held on 23rd
March. The Museum operates a non-smoking policy.
The Horniman Museum is an Equal Opportunities employer.
Job Description Education Officer
Section Education
Location Horniman Museum
Responsible to Senior Education Officer
Responsible for No staff responsibility
Liases with In particular: Education, House, Gardens,
Marketing and Exhibitions sections,
Education agencies, and teachers
Main purpose of the job
To deliver, evaluate and further develop an outreach service to local
schools based on the Museum's handling collection in line with the Museum's
Education policy.
Main responsibilities
* To run high quality hands-on education sessions, using the handling
collection, for school groups from nursery to key stage 4.
* To pack objects, load the vehicle and drive to local schools, liase
with appropriate staff at the school and to unload and set up objects ready
for the session.
* To establish and develop links with local teachers and education
organisations.
* To advise on the development of education services and programmes at
the Museum and support the section's activities.
* To work with Education Assistants to deal with written and telephone
enquiries and bookings from teachers.
* To produce evaluations and reports on a regular and ad hoc basis.
* Ensure outreach handling collection objects are carefully stored and
are documented using appropriate systems.
* To conform with Health and Safety regulations and to implement the
Museum's Equal Opportunities policy.
* To keep up to date with current education theory and practice as
relevant to the Museum's Education service.
* Any other reasonable duties as requested by the Senior Education
Officer
Person Specification
* Classroom teaching experience within the last 3 years.
* Experience of working with children within the range 4-16 years,
preferably 2 years at key stage 2 or below.
* Excellent verbal and written skills, particularly communicating
effectively with teachers and pupils.
* Experience of interpreting museum collections or other
interpretation work such as historic buildings or wildlife centres.
* Computer literate, preferably with knowledge of MS Word, Excel and
Outlook.
* Ability to work successfully as part of a team
* Ability to carry out light manual tasks such as loading handling
objects.
* Clean current driving license.
Commitment to the Trust's Equal Opportunities policy.
The Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust
Education Policy 1999-2002
Summary
Education is at the heart of the Horniman Museum and Gardens and this policy
has been developed, in consultation with staff from all sections, to
encompass the activities of the whole organisation and is not restricted to
the Education Section alone.
This paper establishes the framework within which the education policy
operates, then sets out the Museum's education mission and the principals
governing the development of education programmes and services.
The development of a detailed education strategy will be completed by March
1999.
Introduction
The Trustees of the Horniman see the principle activity of the Trust as...
'The provision of a public, educational museum and gardens
to encourage a wider appreciation of the world, its peoples and their
cultures, and its environments'
(Trustees report March 1998:3)
This aim acknowledges education's place at the heart of the Museum and
reflects Fredrick Horniman's original vision for his Museum and Gardens -
that they were a free gift to the people of London for their 'recreation,
instruction and enjoyment'.
The Trust is committed to serving the needs of people - its visitors, other
users and potential users, at present and in the future. This can be
achieved through a broad range of appropriate services and programmes based
on the collections and the depth of knowledge within the organisation.
The Museum's Association's definition of a museum also emphasises
education's central role and the importance of collection development,
stewardship and research...
'Museums enable people to explore collections for
inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect,
safeguard and make accessible artefacts and specimens, which they hold in
trust for society.'
(Museums Association AGM 1998)
Relationship to corporate policy and planning
The Education Policy is intended as a companion to the Corporate plan and
will inform relevant departmental objectives and individual work plans
across the Museum and Gardens.
This document should be read in conjunction with the Museum's Access, Equal
Opportunities, Customer Care and Exhibitions policies when they are
developed in the future.
Education mission
The Horniman aims to encourage the establishment and
development of connections between all our audiences and our objects such
that meaningful learning results.
Learning is seen as an active process of evaluating and
integrating concepts, attitudes, feelings, physical knowledge and facts -
addressing key questions, which increase understanding of self, others and
the wider world.
Principles guiding educational practice at the Horniman
These can be divided into three areas...
Education theory
The unique educational potential of the museum lies with its
objects. Educational activities should therefore be object-based and explore
the many stories and interpretations that they offer.
Programmes should recognise that people have different types
of intelligence and learn in different ways and so provide multiple ways of
exploring and responding to objects.
Motivation is important for effective learning. Experiences
should be stimulating, enjoyable, relevant and appropriate for the visitor,
setting museum objects in a contemporary framework.
For learning to be useful in the long term new information
must be linked to the visitors' existing knowledge. Interdisciplinary
approaches tap into a range of existing experiences and create new links and
understanding.
Intellectual progression should be provided within
particular programmes and within the museum as a whole, such that visitors
are challenged, stimulated and can develop.
Programme and service development
As a centre for lifelong learning, our education services
should strive towards providing access for all, regardless of age, sex,
social status, ethnic origin or ability. Strategies that improve access for
particular user groups will often have wider benefits.
Education programmes and services should reflect the
diversity of cultures and environments globally and locally. They should
increase inter-cultural understanding and tolerance, whilst challenging
discrimination, inequality and racism.
Committed collaboration with our existing and potential
audiences is crucial in providing appropriate educational experiences and
making the most of the Museum's potential.
Self-representation by the community is essential and
engenders respect, trust, understanding and empowerment in these groups,
other visitors and museum staff.
In order to develop new and existing audiences specific,
targeted programmes may be appropriate, identified by research.
The museum should provide a forum for debate where differing
perspectives can be explored, preconceptions challenged and critical
thinking developed - within a framework where visitors' physical, emotional
and intellectual needs are met.
We should demystify the institution by exploring and
challenging its own and other perspectives on its history, purpose and
processes.
General management
As education is central to the museum all staff should
support educational activity.
Educational considerations should be given due weight in all
appropriate Museum decision making. Education staff should be involved at
all stages of planning public provision e.g. exhibitions, events,
publications.
Education programmes should have clear aims and objectives.
Consultation and evaluation should always take place and be pivotal in the
development of subsequent activities.
We should be aware of ongoing developments in the wider
world, particularly the spheres of education, politics, social and cultural
studies and technology, which can improve Museum practice.
Services should be of high quality and provide value for
money.
The development of this policy has been guided by...
Guidelines on developing and writing an education policy and strategy
Eastern Arts Board 1997
Writing an education policy Eileen Hooper-Greenhill 1991
Managing Museum and Gallery Education MGC 1996
The National Strategy for Museums Museums Association 1996
A Common Wealth: Museums and learning in the UK David Anderson 1997
The learning age DfEE 1998
A selection of education policies and strategies from other museums.
Ben Spencer
Head of Education
26 November 1998
Endorsed by the Trustees of the Horniman Museum and Gardens
8 December 1998
Ben Spencer
Head of Education
The Horniman Museum and Gardens
100 London Road
Forest Hill
London SE23 3PQ
Tel +44 (0)20 8699 1872 extn 166
Fax + 44 (0)20 8291 5506
e-mail [log in to unmask]
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