5 minute read
A night (or day) at the museum
Images courtesy of Okains Bay Museum
By Heather Barker Vermeer
Industry Reporter Schools want to develop global citizens with critical thinking skills, eff ective communication, problem solving, subject immersion and a love of learning.
A trip to a museum should be high on the list, then. With modern museums off ering much more than a ticket in, teachers are no longer tasked with producing print-outs, name badges, and no longer need to transform into an expert on any given subject matt er at the drop of a hat. Museums are a boon for learning experiences, and the museum trip itself is a joy for EOTC-weary teachers. Whatever the theme, location, or history of a museum, experiencing learning in an information-rich, unfamiliar environment submerges students and staff in something new – together. It provides a perspective that cannot be taught from the familiar comfort of the classroom. Being in a stimulating new environment can fuel the imagination, trigger new ideas and sometimes break habits in thinking or behaviour. By taking learning experiences out of the classroom and into the museum, you are able to allow your students to become immersed in the subject matt er to enhance what they have learned, or will go on to learn, at school. Not only are your students able to bett er visualise and experience the learning topics, but they can also hear from experts to deepen their understanding and hear diff erent perspectives. World views and general knowledge are also expanded along with subject knowledge. Gett ing to know your students bett er and allowing them to get to know you can be one of the most valuable off shoots of such trips. As well as the travel there and back, being in a museum environment allows interaction to take place directly on the subject matt er, as well as more broadly. Students see their teachers engaged in learning and the growth mindset is being modelled. Developing personal connections will create building blocks for future learning, creating bett er motivation for both student and teacher. Relationships among students and between students and staff are strengthened and new bonds formed.
Having experts on hand to guide your group will likely be a Godsend, and not just as a chance for passing on the paperwork for a change. Lett ing museum staff lead the learning will provide an opportunity for all to listen to a new knowledgeable voice and experience an alternative teaching style and fresh perspective in a fresh environment. You’ll all learn.
Your teaching practice will likely also benefi t from needing to cater to individual students diff erently, in a diff erent environment.
From the practical, hands-on learners that thrive outside the classroom to the academically confi dent kids welcoming the chance to shine, and the less extroverted ones being exposed to new challenges and opportunities for growth, each student can fi nd their place at the museum.
Images courtesy of Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Presenting stimuli, oft en with att ractive, tech-focused ways to encourage interaction is what museums do. Information will oft en be presented in ways that even the greatest of teachers will fi nd hard to compete with for their learners’ att ention and won’t want to try! It follows that students are likely to retain more information from an interactive, hi-tech exhibit, for example, than an in-class projector presentation. The informal learning environment of the museum also allows for impromptu learning moments and self-guided experimentation, perfect for those who prefer learning by doing.
Whether schools are looking for ways to bett er integrate arts, history, science, technology or sports, museums can provide a deep dive into a subject area like nothing else can.
Tailored education programmes for school groups are pedagogyinformed, and encourage inquiry and student-led learning in ways that tie into the curriculum, all the while making life easier for school staff and the inevitable parent helpers. And museums’ help extends way beyond the actual subject matt er learning – they are wellversed in helping with the other considerations such as staff -tostudent ratios, catering, transport, and health and safety. They know what goes into planning a school visit to the museum and can take the headache out of it for you— they also know the curriculum well and can off er advice and suggestions for future planning around travelling exhibits and upcoming collections. You may fi nd yourself resource-rich both pre- and post-trip, with museum-curated education programmes now consisting of tools and treasures that stretch beyond the basic photocopied worksheets of old and include digital resources, activities and access to online catalogues. Museum staff are also excellent researchers, who can encourage students to develop their own research skills by exploring online collections as well as the physical exhibits.
Aotearoa NZ’s Histories Museum Tour
Waitangi Treaty Grounds welcomes you on a journey of discovery through Aotearoa New Zealand’s most important historic site. The Aotearoa NZ’s Histories Te Kōngahu Museum Tour supports educators to build on their professional knowledge and deepen their understanding to implement the new curriculum content.
The tour covers aspects of the ‘Understand’ and ‘Know’ components of Tino rangatiratanga me te kāwanatanga. Explore factors that led to the development of the two major agreements between iwi and the British government – He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi | The Treaty of Waitangi. Compare and contrast the diff erences in the two versions of Te Tiriti|The Treaty. Examine the history of contests over authority and control, at the heart of which are the authorities guaranteed by Te Tiriti o Waitangi | Treaty of Waitangi, and how these continue to impact our society today.
Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
The on-site learning experiences at the Treaty Grounds can include visits to the two museums. Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi – presenting the events leading up to, during and after the signing of Te Tiriti. Te Rau Aroha Museum of the Price of Citizenship commemorating the commitment of Māori in the NZ Armed Forces.
