STORYTIME!

Hello everyone!! I have been wanting to blog about Storytime since its start on June 10^th, but too many wonderful and awesome things kept happening during each program so I waited then waited some more to tell y’all all about it!!

What IS Storytime you might ask?! Well  first off, it’s a freaking awesome program that our patrons LOVE!! Secondly, it is a summer program held every Wednesday in June and July.  It is an opportunity for families with young children ages eight and under (but all ages are welcome), to visit the museum and participate in an informal, free choice environment to connect children’s literature to works of art.  The program offers three to four different stories paired with different works of art, accompanied by a discussion of the book and artwork, and an art making activity.  Through Storytime, children are exposed to literacy, visual literacy, and sometimes the museum setting for the very first time.  In the galleries, our gallery teachers read the children’s book and lead a discussion in relating things seen and heard from the story with a chosen work of art.  The discussion of the book and artwork is an open dialogue and allows the younger participants to “just be kids” as one of our gallery teachers likes to say.  There is no guided inquiry into finding a meaning in the artwork and little to no facts or scholarly based opinions are presented about the piece during the discussion between the gallery teachers and families.  The conversation relies heavily on the children’s interpretation of what they view and hear from the story and relating that knowledge to the work of art. 

 The theme changes every year and this summer our theme is Animals!! So far we have had Awesome Amphibians, Marvelous Mammals, Sensational Sea Creatures, and Radical Reptiles.  This summer is particularly special because we have real-life animals visiting the museum from the Dallas Zoo on certain days! Unfortunately because of Tropical Storm Bill the mammals were not able to visit on their designated day, but they will make a surprise visit on another Wednesday. Thankfully, yesterday, the reptiles didn’t disappoint our patrons! 

 As I mentioned before in my first post, one of my goals this summer is “to sharpen my skills of interacting with the public as an educator.” As I hoped for, Storytime has been a wonderful opportunity for just that! The first couple of weeks I was stationed at the art activity table in which I had to explain what they will be making. The children are usually always excited about the art activity and are eager to see what they will be making. To get them even more pumped, I think I have developed a “museum educator voice” which I can only describe as an excited, “Hey! Who’s ready to make some art?!” voice. I pictured some cheesy retro camp counselor as I type that, but I think we all pull it off a lot better. For clarification, I have NOT said the phrase, “Who’s ready to make some art?!” J Sometimes the interaction between me and the children is straight forwarded; they’ve been here multiple times and just need a simple explanation and a sample to look at and they are off to the blue mats to get their art making on! During the first few interactions at each program, I really try to watch my phrasing to see what works best so there is no confusion. Even late in the program, I find myself refining what I am saying as each interaction occurs.  Other times, the explanation of the art activity has turned into a full-blown conversation going beyond the activity which I love! I learned about Grandma Rose and how she is coming to visit at Christmas, which Mutant Ninja Turtle is the best, what animals they’ve seen on vacations or at the zoo, and what a brother and sister want to be when they grow up (a construction worker and a kindergarten teacher btw). The brother asked what I wanted to be when I grow up and answered “I am doing what I want to be right now: a museum educator. I work here and get to hang out with y’all and I love it!” 

Yesterday was our biggest turn out yet because of the reptiles visiting from the Dallas Zoo. This time around I was stationed in a gallery to handle crowd control. I did not engaged with as many patrons, but I observed one of our gallery teachers while she read and engaged with the families which was really nice to learn from. More than anything I invited families to join in, answered questions, and kept children from running away from their guardians-babies and toddlers are quick! Customer service skills learned from my years at the information desk came in handy. One story I have to share before I wrap up: After Patricia finished reading the book, she turned to the discussion about the painting and asked everyone: “Does everyone see the people in this large room?” and everyone answered yes. Patricia then asked “Where are they?” A child answers, “They’re all dead!” That definitely took the cake for wackiest comment heard in the gallery that day, but he was absolutely right.

 
Over the next four weeks, I will be stationed back at the art activity table and in the galleries also. We have four Wednesday s left, including Incredible Insects, Fabulous Fish, Brilliant Birds, and Wonderful Water Beasts! I have scattered some pictures from the program throughout the post. My coworker, Amanda, was super sweet to get a snapshot of me with a patron. This girl’s family has become regulars this summer. I have not gotten her name yet, but eventually will because what is so wonderful about all of our programs is that we get to know our patrons and their families so well. It is definitely one of the joys of working in education.