ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
I once worked at a site that charged all students and chaperones, but teachers were free. There was some ugliness one day because the person who was working the front desk was a retired teacher and he was not about to let a home school parent in as a teacher because "I went to school for five years to be a teacher, and they never went to school at all..." etc etc.
Anyway, like Marcia we went to a standard policy of one free adult for every ten children. Period. If more came, they paid. If siblings came, they paid. It didn't matter if they were public, private, or home schools, or Girl Scout troop, or camp, or whatever. Not only did this make things more pleasant, and made home school groups feel like they were being treated like everyone else it also had other positive effects:
1. It made our paperwork easier
2. It discouraged some groups from bringing too many chaperones, which can be a problem in small gallery spaces, and can encourage chatty adults who don't realize that "chaperone" is a verb AND a noun.
3. We made a little extra money by not letting in so many free adults.
We got only a little negative feedback when we instituted the rule, but that was mostly because it was a change, not because the new policy was so egregious in and of itself.
Having a policy that is the same for everyone is the best way to iron out the appearance of bias and prejudice as well.
One exception I would strongly recommend you make: We made it a policy that if any teacher or group leader thought that they needed a lower ratio than one to ten, then we let them have it. We required the request in writing, but if a teacher or orther leader thinks their group needs more supervision because of behaviour, emotional, or learning problems, LET THEM HAVE IT!!
Your floor staff will thank you.
Matthew White
Director
Hands On Science Center
National Museum of American History
>>> [log in to unmask] 07/06/04 05:32PM >>>
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
This message is from
Marcia Carter
Louisiana Art & Science Museum
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
225-344-5272 ext 124
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Marcia Carter
Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 4:22 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Home School and Parent Escorts
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*
We currently require the home school groups to abide by the same rules as
the school groups. We allow 1 chaperone per 10 students. This is something
that will begin this school year. The parents will decide which adult will
chaperone the class. That adult will not pay an admission charge. The rest
of the parents are allowed to pay admission and tour the museum. The
parents or siblings are not allowed in the classroom.
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Donna Dupske
Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 4:12 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Home School and Parent Escorts
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
****************************************************************************
*
I have come to seek the advise of my peers.
I run home school classes, in which children can be signed up as
individuals, instead of requiring a whole of group mixed age kids that is
pretty difficult to teach anyway. In years past I have allowed escorts and
adults into the home school classes free due to a weird
student-teacher-ratio I have for other school groups, and as a
courtesy/community spirit builder thing, that I couldn't figure how to
achieve when home schoolers signed up as individuals, and their moms wanted
in as well. Can't do that any more, and want to know how other facilities
handle similiar charges/situations. Do I charge full admission price, or a
lower price to keep the courtesy?
Do you also charge the siblings that must accompany the group/parent as
well, even though they may be too young for that particular class, or are
not left in someone else's care during class.
Donna Dupske
Manager of Educational Services
Butterfly House
15193 Olive Blvd.
Chesterfield, MO 63017
phone 636-530-0076, ext. 13
fax 636-530-1516
[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
|
