' minds in motion ^ \ Vol. 3, No. 3 The Quarterly Journal for Dedicated Docents Docent Programming Recruiting, Training, and Evaluating Approaches to Recruitment and Selection A Docent Training Practices Peer Observation A Volunteer Program Mechanics A "Professionalizing" Docents A Docent Programming Profile A An International Overview of Art Docents minds in motion "Professionalizing" Docents A rci-'cnt dccfaration by the curatorial efforts is internal (i.e. - the a point-of-departure — rather than as the / w Atnencan Association of physical institution, the collection, and measure of what should be learned — a / ' Museums stating that "there exhibitions), while the force initiating point-of-destination. In other words, an ^ JIl is an educational purpose in most educational endeavors is external educator does not teach using a Jackson every museum activity" {Excellence and (i.e. - visitors, students, and potential Pollock painting simply to transfer Equity. 1992. Washington. DC: audiences). This difference in information about that one, particular American Association of Museums) perspective — education's concern for. work of art. (That information can be could be considered true ... at least and response to. external exigencies as succinctly included in a label.) An conceptually. However, this view is not opposed to internal ones — is a recurrent educator teaches how to look at, analyze, consistent with reality. In practice, the source of confusion for many within the and respond to Art, using a Jackson purpose of museum activities can more museum profession, and can blur or even Pollock painting as a significant and accurately be divided into three distinct convolute education's true purpose. worthy example. and different categories: administrative, What is the true purpose of Education's aim, therefore, should curatorial, and educational. education? What should educators work be to teach visitors how to observe, Administration is the governing arm to accomplish? While reflecting upon compare, classify, infer, deduce, induce, of an institution. Administrative duties the controversy surrounding such hypothesize, explain, interpret, imagine, " are "operations-based. and involve questions, the eminent educator and and decide — using inquiry and critical overseeing the mission and direction of philosopher Matthew Lipman writes, thinking skills that promote reasonable, the institution, hiring and terminating "Education should aim to produce judicious, and creative investigation and employees, sustaining the fiscal health reasonable, judicious, and creative reflection. For it is the ability to perform of the institution, fund-raising, protective individuals. There are many who object these thinking activities that enables a services, and maintaining the integrity of to such a goal, on the ground that it person to grow and become independent physical structures. emphasizes method at the expense of in learning situations. Those in the curatorial division are content — it exaggerates the importance While it is not wrong to teach guardians of the collections. Curatorial of how one learns and underestimates the content within museums, this approach " duties are "object-based, and involve importance of what one needs to know. falls short of education's pre-eminent preserving, conserving, insuring, I think that those who raise this objection mission and purpose. It can lead one to researching, cataloguing, and are in error. It is true that we can be think of content as definite and finite, determining the physical context and knowledgeable without being reasonable, which it is not. And, since content is presentation of the collection. judicious, or creative; we can be staid most often conveyed using an Education is the museum's public and pedantic ignoramuses." {Education authoritative style of instruction, visitors service division. Education is "people- for Thinking. 1992. New York: are passive and learn nothing about based" and is concerned with engaging Cambridge University Press, p. 92.) acquiring information or developing visitors, communicating, instructing, As Professor Lipman states, the meaning on their own. While "telling" interpreting, enfranchising, ensuring purpose of education is to teach people may appease the museum visitors' desire access, audience-building, and to think reasonably, judiciously, and to know without having to work, it does public relations. creatively within a context or discipline. not address their need to learn through Though overlap among personnel In museums, therefore, educational the mastery of such skills as and responsibilities exists within these programming' s priority ought not to be investigating, extrapolating, and divisions, different motivations drive the transfer of information about the constructing meaning. their concerns and fuel their actions. collection or to predetermine the manner Teaching students/visitors how to Administrators focus on the institution in which a visitor perceives the collection, learn is more essential than telling them and its functions, curators on the but to respond to the visitor's need to what should be remembered. "Telling" collection and its presentation, and become a more effective and independent does litde to promote ownership of educators on the public and special thinker in such environments. information. What is heard is much constituencies. Unlike their colleagues within the more easily forgotten than what is Notice that the impelling force museum profession, educators view their experienced through involved thinking. initiating most administrative and institution's collection as a "vehicle" — And, after all, facts are not immutable. THE DOCENT EDUCATOR nor is content. Both can and do change. be rigorously evaluated. In return, as The reputation of artists, the professionals, docents should be entided classification of species, historical to some form of tangible compensation interpretations, causal relationships, and for their efforts, and afforded the same so forth are revised and re-defined over professional courtesies, growth Publisher/Editor time. (Consider, for instance, the many opportunities, and level of Alan Gartenhaus geo-political changes that occurred enfranchisement given to paid staff. during the past few years. Is it really These changes can threaten museum Associate Editor more important to remember the content staffers, especially those who feel under Jackie Littleton of a specific map than to have learned compensated themselves. They can also Graphic Design how to read and analyze the information threaten some volunteers who did not Shelly Baldwin found on maps?) choose this form of community service Once one decides that the true to be measured by professional purpose of education is to respond to the standards. Nonetheless, the minds in motion externally-driven goal of enhancing a responsibilities of education are too The Docent Educator © visitor's thinking skills, rather than to important, and the consequences of poor 201 1 Eleventh Avenue East mirror the internally-driven goal of teaching or public relations are too great, Seattle, WA 98102-4109 accumulating, chronicling, and to allow these objections to override the transferring specifics, everything real need to professionalize docent corps. U.S.A. changes. No where are those changes It was the museum profession that more significant or affecting than in chose to use volunteers to perform the structuring decent programs. essential responsibility of public The whole purpose of docent education. Therefore, it is the museum The Docent Educator welcomes interaction with the public changes from profession that should be held unsolicited articles, announcements, letters to dispensing information to inquiry accountable for providing these the editor, general correspondence, and teaching and facilitated learning. volunteers with the best and most advertising inquiries. views expressed Therefore, the emphasis of docent rigorous training, support, and resources The or implied in this publication do not training shifts from delivering possible. This is especially crucial in necessarily represent the official position of information to instruction and light of the American Association of the publisher, and efforts are made to present communication, as docents change their Museums' proclamation of a renewed a variety of viewpoints for readers' focus from product to process. commitment to quality education, and its consideration. When docents are expected to assertion that education is eminent conduct themselves as teachers, rather among museum activities and Educator is published than as hostesses or "talking labels," responsibilities. The Docent quarterly. The office and mailing address is: their duties become more demanding, While some staff may object, and more affecting, and require greater some among the docent ranks may end 201 1 Eleventh Avenue East Seattle, 98102-4109 independence of action. Staff members their voluntary service, the process of WA having such a high level of visibility, professionalizing docents will ultimately The Docent Educator is available by responsibility, and authority would be benefit all. It will establish an even more considered, and expected to perform, as highly effective corps of educators, individual and institutional subscription. professionals. It is, therefore, worthy of the respect they deserve; it will part of this publication appropriate that docents should be so add to the fulfilling nature of voluntary No recognized and challenged.