Dear Rosie,
This isn't really practical advice, but opinion about teachers as advisors.
Although we're not having a lot of trouble getting teachers to advise us
(using all the kinds of tactics suggested by others), I tend to find that
the deepest and most challenging advice comes from curriculum specialists,
teacher trainers, examiners, experienced education freelancers etc. They
have the time, are still in touch with the classroom but are often critical
of the National Curriculum. They have good practice in mind that they want
teachers to reach, beyond the norm. For example, we're working with the
Chief Examiner for English Language on 'Texts in Context', to fill a
resource gap and change practice. I believe that teachers don't actually go
to museums for the National Curriculum, but for enrichment, for strange and
curious objects, for spectacular spaces, for unusual combinations of
subjects etc etc. If they want resources to go out to them, well, that's not
really a museum experience. Having said that, I'm working at the British
Library and we have resources that perhaps are best seen digitally or at
least not in museum cases, but I think it's different for museums. The most
important thing is to convince teachers that visiting you will be a fabulous
imaginative experience for their groups (e.g. as in the Discover Centre at
Stratford). I think you should strive to work with the most imaginative
teachers you can find (which might mean ex-teachers or art educators) to
develop that experience.
Best wishes
Bridget
-----Original Message-----
From: Rosie Barker [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2003 6:56 PM
To:
Subject: Getting teachers involved
Can anyone offer advice? Walsall Museum is currently working on an HLF bid
to
get redisplayed and reopened. We want to get input from the local community
on
what to include, and one group we're keen to hear from is local teachers -
what
topics would they like to see included, what would make them use the Museum
etc.
So far we've tried getting teachers in via the EBP, through mailshots to
Heads
of History, and to named teachers who've used our education sessions, but
we've
had no response. The one teacher who did respond said very few would want to
have any input as they would never travel into the Museum for a visit - too
far
and too expensive. What they're interested in is us visiting them, but with
only two curatorial staff, no educational staff, running three museums, we
don't have time! The front of house staff have done occasional school
sessions,
but this means closing the Museum or curators covering the galleries.
We're left now unable to consult teachers at all - meaning they're even less
likely to visit if we don't get the new Museum 'right' in terms of hte
curriculum. Does anyone have any suggestions as to other ways we could try
to
get them involved? We don't hve a shop or a cafe so we can't even offer an
incentive!
Any suggestions gratefully received - thanks in advance
Rosie Barker
Walsall Museum
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