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Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

Back when I was training to be a classroom teacher, our methods  
professor and Student Teaching supervisor had a saying: 90% of  
classroom behavior problems can be solved by an effective lesson plan.

With more experience, I think she might have exaggerated a little,  
but the point is well taken.

Matthew White
Director, Hands On Science Center
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History
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On Jun 2, 2006, at 7:06 PM, Joe Ruggiero wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> ********************************************************************** 
> *******
>
> Hello Glen,
>
> I didn't mean to imply that there was some problem with the group  
> itself or that the museum needs to to come down harder on badly  
> behaving groups - though in some extreme cases this just has to be  
> done.  But it's not all  the kids' fault  Excitement and interest  
> is good. That's what we're after.
>
> I would bet - with some exceptions - that many of the problems we  
> see with school group visits happens when the museum is approaching  
> its visitor capacity - which might be significantly less than the  
> maximum occupancy posted on the wall by the building department.  
> It's hard enough to understand group dynamics but just try to  
> figure out the dynamics of groups of groups.  Encouraging free  
> exploration is great when the place is half full. But that same  
> exploration is seen as chaos when the number doubles, not to  
> mention that the quality of the exploration goes down as occupancy  
> goes up. So, you can give all the speeches and post all the rules  
> you want, but if the institution ignores the facts of their exhibit  
> floor, they share in causing the problem.
>
> Truly, chaperones don't always do their jobs diligently and the  
> kids are left completely on their own.  This isn't by itself a  
> problem if the kids are engaged with the exhibits.  The problems  
> really start to grow when the museum environment is not only  
> crowded but largely uninteresting to the kids. Though there should  
> be standards of good behavior, I can't really blame the kid too  
> much for being bored and looking elsewhere for their entertainment,  
> especially if they are having a hard time getting close to popular  
> exhibits
>
> So, though chaperones don't always do a good job - or do it too  
> well, or there are occasionally 'problem cases,' kids with too much  
> 'energy,' lets say, I think there are times that some of the  
> 'blame' has to be placed at the doorstep of the institution. I've  
> seen it with my own eyes and have even been a party to it.  Guilty  
> as charged.
>
>
> Joe R
> www.TheExhibitGuys.com
>
>
>
>
>
> Glen Moore wrote:
>
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
>> Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
>> institutions.
>> ********************************************************************* 
>> ********
>>
>> Joe
>>
>> Our strategy is to post 'conditions of entry', provide pre-visit  
>> written info to teachers, talk to students and teachers about the  
>> 'rules' upon arrival and provide 1 (active, involved) guide per 15  
>> children. And yet the behaviour described still happens occasionally.
>>
>> The very nature of the hands-on environment in science centers  
>> generates excitement, encourages self paced discovery and  
>> interaction between visitors. I have seen student interest  
>> destroyed by teachers and guides being too obsessed with  
>> discipline. The vastly different behaviour of school groups is a  
>> clear indication that the behaviour in the science center is  
>> largely due to factors outside their control.
>>
>> Glen
>> gkm at SCP
>
>
> ********************************************************************** 
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