Fellow List-Servers:

I am putting together a session for the 2011 SMA Conference:

Session Title:

Small Museums and Community Service Learning: Lessons Learned in
Collaboration





In the age of academic achievement gaps and standardized testing, it is no
surprise that educators value community service projects that incorporate
real life experience within the academic curriculum.

Since the inception of community service learning in the early twentieth
century, a variety of different community service groups have collaborated
with educators and students to create unique opportunities to promote civic
responsibility, stewardship, and strengthen community relationships.  Small
museums are a great venue for which museum professionals, local students,
and members of the community can partner on projects that benefit the
visiting public, educational curriculum, and the overall mission of the
museum.  This session defines community service learning within a small
museum context, and provides examples of how such museums have developed
programs in either K-12 or higher education settings.  This session will
include a discussion of the benefits, as well as pitfalls, when working
collaboratively with schools and communities.


Participants can range from educators, museum professionals, to volunteers,
to anyone
who is new and interested in the topic.  Can be as formal or informal as you
like (mixed audience of professionals/new to the field/avocational)


Info about the SMA Conference:
The SMA conference attracts more than 200 museum professionals every year
from a wide variety of small museums. Attendees go to sessions on topics
ranging from collections and education to staffing and board issues. We
offer a large Museum Resource Hall and plenty of informal networking
opportunities for you to talk with (and get ideas from!) small museum
professionals and volunteers.

If you are interested in submitting a paper, please contact Kelly Cooper at
[log in to unmask], or [log in to unmask] with a brief description of your
topic no later than November 15th!  Thank you very much!!

Kelly Cooper
Education Coordinator
Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum
State Museum of Archaeology
St. Leonard, Maryland