Docent Handbook

Docent Handbook 2005/2006 Museum Staff Tim Close, Executive Director Fayonne Alvaro, Membership Manager Kathy Bettis, Registrar Samantha Brett, Special Events Facilities Rental Coordinator Kathe Coté, Receptionist Melanie Fales, Curator of Education Terra Feast, Associate Curator of Education Sandy Harthorn, Curator of Art Erin Kennedy, Director of Development Catherine Rakow, Museum Store Manager/Curatorial Assistant Mary Schaeffer, Financial Manager Ron Walker, Preparator Docent Steering Committee 2005/2006 Curator of Education Melanie Fales Docent Chair Mary Ann Kriss Past Docent Chair Renée Johnson Docent Chair Elect Besse LaBudde Treasurer Mikie Joyce Teacher Confirmation Secretary Carolyn Perkins-Duvall Hospitality Committee Chair Renée Johnson and Kathe Schroeder Mentor Program Chair Joan Cox Trip Coordinators Jan Stewart and Danielle Krouth Mentor Docents Jean Baker Joan Cox Sue Claire Hebert Mikie Joyce Renée Johnson Jan Stewart Roz Cusack Docent Information “Docent” comes from the Latin word “docere” meaning “to teach.” The Boise Art Museum Docents do this and more. Tours are an important aspect of the program, and Docents are expected to fulfill their commitment to the Docent Program through their participation in conducting tours. The BAM Docent program also includes guest speakers and art history travel. Docents will have the opportunity to become acquainted with the Museum staff and fellow Docents. Weekly orientation sessions and the Docent Training, offering aspects of art history, studio production and communication techniques, will prepare the Docent for giving tours. Prior knowledge of art is not necessary; only an open mind, flexibility, interest, enthusiasm and time for sharing are required. Museum docents receive much self-satisfaction and enlightenment through this program since they are most often the first contact many children and adults have with visual arts and the Museum. This handbook compiles some Docent basics including: Page Docent Guidelines 4 Museum Docent Organization Committees and Responsibilities 6 BAM Statement of Purpose – Mission and Vision Statements 7 BAM History 8 Museum Permanent Collection 10 Museum Library 14 Emergency Procedures and Policies 16 BAM Education and Tour Philosophy 18 A Good Docent 19 BAM Tour Programs 20 Teacher Pre-Tour Phone Call Script 21 Tour Outline/Preparation 23 Studio Workshop Outline/Preparation 26 Tour Suggestions For Different Age Levels 28 Tour Policies 34 Guidelines for Tour Questioning Strategies 36 Art Terms 38 Strategies for Engaging Students with Artwork 47 Gallery Games 53 Creative Writing 62 Conversation Tactics 66 Evaluation 67 Research Resources 70 Docent Guidelines Article I. Name The name of this organization is the Docents of the Boise Art Museum. Article II. Membership 1. A docent is a volunteer guide and public representative of the Museum. 2. A pre-requisite for Docents is membership in the Museum. 3. All docents are expected to participate in the Docent Training Program. 4. All docents are expected to participate in as many Museum-sponsored seminars, workshops, talks, and lectures as possible. 5. Independent study is encouraged. 6. Docents are expected to give at least 16 tours a year. Article III. Organization 1. The members of the Docent Steering Committee are Curator of Education of the Museum, Docent Chair, Past Docent Chair, Docent Chair elect, Treasurer, Member-at-Large (appointed by the current Docent Chair), and the following committee chair people: Hospitality, Mentoring, Trip Coordinator. 2. All chair people are appointed by the Docent Chair and the Curator of Education at the end of the year (May), and the term of service is one year. This Steering Committee will also act as a grievance committee. 3. Dues are collected in September to cover hospitality expenses and are adjusted each year based on current costs of social/hospitality events. Article IV. Meetings 1. All docents meet each Monday morning at the Museum from 9:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. from September through May (with the exception of holidays and the hiatus during the holiday sale). 2. The Docent Steering Committee meets as requested by the Docent Chair and the Curator of Education. Article V. Training New docents must participate in the docent training program as outlined in their training instructions, including following tours of different age levels, participating in tours and giving tours with the aid of a member of the mentoring committee prior to giving their first solo tour. Article VI. Touring 1. Docents are expected to give at least 16 tours a year. 2. Docents are expected to find their own substitutes once they have signed up for a tour if they are unable to conduct a tour themselves. 4 3. Docents are expected be familiar with the tour script and the studio projects prior to signing up for tours, and are expected to conduct both the gallery and studio components of the tours. Article VII. Evaluation Docent complete self-evaluations of their touring techniques and are formally evaluated at least once per year through direct observation of a tour and workshop experience. Docents complete tour evaluations as trained by the Curator of Education in accordance with funding accountability. Article VIII. Studio Use BAM Education Studios are scheduled on a regular basis by the Education Department and directed by the Curator of Education for docent training, school tours, teacher institutes, classes, camps, workshops, and hands-on studio experiences for families and other visitors. Because of the high use of this space by the Museum and the time intensive nature in setting up the studios with proper supplies for its daily use, studios are not offered as part of the BAM rental program and are not available for docents, members or other groups outside the programs planned by the Education Department. Education Department programs and the supplies for them are largely grant funded and may not be used for purposes other than those stated in the grant applications. Use of the studios other than for assigned tours is not a benefit of being a docent at BAM. Article IV. Guidelines These guidelines are reviewed and modified annually by the steering committee and presented to the docents. 5 Museum Docent Organization Chairs and Committees Docent Chairperson The Docent Chairperson works with the Curator of Education and Docent Steering Committee to oversee all Docent activities throughout the year of duty. Treasurer The Docent Treasurer collects dues and distributes funds to support docent activities. Mentor Program The Mentor chair organizes mentors for new docents and follows up on the progress of new docents throughout the year. Teacher Confirmation Secretary Contacts the scheduled teacher at least two weeks prior to the tour to confirm the tour and discuss any concerns. The Teacher Confirmation Secretary gives specific instructions to the teachers and relays any applicable information to the volunteer docent signed up for the tour. If a teacher cancels, the Teacher Confirmation Secretary contacts the Associate Curator of Education or the Curator of Education who contacts the teacher and docents to confirm cancellation. Hospitality Members of the Hospitality Committee are responsible for the development of social activities including the annual luncheon, winter party, recruitment tea, meeting refreshments and other social events. Steering Committee The chair of each docent committee outlined above sits on the steering committee. The steering committee participates in planning the yearly trip and helps the Curator of Education review grievances and guidelines. 6 BOISE ART MUSEUM Mission Statement The Boise Art Museum champions excellence in the visual arts through exhibitions, collections and educational experiences. Vision Statement The Boise Art Museum is nationally recognized for leadership, innovation and excellence in the visual arts. BAM Education Mission Statement BAM Education Department strives to make original artwork accessible to a broad public through direct interaction with students in and out of the classroom, teacher training, classes, lectures, online resources, publications, and innovative projects and partnerships designed to support public participation and engagement in the Museum’s educational activities and exhibitions. Docent Mission Statement Volunteer docents support BAM’s Education Department and education mission of the museum by participating in docent training and conducting interactive tours of original works of art as well as facilitating the accompanying studio workshops to meet the tour goals and objectives stated in the docent scripts. Docents, and BAM’s Education Philosophy Docents exemplify BAM’s education philosophy, which encourages the examination and discussion of the visual arts through a holistic approach to art education that encourages meaningful connections between the artwork on display and the students’ lives. The tour programs support the development of critical thinking skills, visual analysis, exploration and understanding of art techniques as well as the investigation of cultural contexts, art as a form of communication, and multidisciplinary connections. In its touring program, docents employ arts-based, student-centered, guided-discovery techniques and inquiry strategies that encourage teaching directly from the object and encompass aspects of many education philosophies. 7 BOISE ART MUSEUM/HISTORY The Boise Art Museum (BAM) is the only collecting AAM accredited art museum in the State of Idaho. The Museum’s steady

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