The Early Bird: Getting Students Excited About History Early

by: Susan Voskuil

Recently, I was talking to a history teacher from an area High School who explained to me that students’ knowledge about history is a spiral. If something (or someone) doesn't excite them about the topic at an elementary level they won't understand its importance at a High School level- and beyond. Luckily, far from finding this a daunting task, staff at the museum considers it a privilege.

One of the greatest challenges I have faced in museum education is conveying my own enthusiasm about a subject into a meaningful program for students and visitors. In my personal experience, I’ve often found that my energy level at a historic site or program is usually unparalleled by those I am with- it’s why I’m in this profession! When a sister or other family member agrees to go on a historic excursion with me, typically the trip ends with me exclaiming something like, “You're the one who couldn't pick out the Watergate building in the DC skyline and I'M the crazy one?!” Sometimes it takes a couple edits to tune this zeal into something really tangible. From the way objects are displayed in exhibits to the inflection used in presentations, everything in the museum is designed with the visitors experience in mind.

 

In conversations with family or friends about a topic you’re passionate about a certain degree of clarity can be sacrificed with enthusiasm. This is not the case during a museum program or demonstration. Typically, we’re given one shot at making an impression and getting our information absorbed. This is where the importance of follow-up evaluations and visits come in. With schools, we encourage teachers to return with their students the following year, or have someone from the museum come to the school, in order to complement the material students already learned. Usually we find in subsequent visits that part of the material has been retained, but typically not all. How do you express to a child when their answer about the Civil War includes George Washington fighting the Germans and Mexicans (see “Kids Say the Darndest Things” blogpost), that you’re simultaneously excited they retained knowledge about all those topics but also a little horrified?

 

Everyday we learn something new about how a subject is best learned and how we can best teach it. For the museum, our wildest dream includes seeing every area student (and parent!) come to the site for a program- and then come back to continue the experience. We, as a staff, are up to the challenge and look forward to the opportunity to shape our programs into the best museum experience possible!