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School Programs
" The students absolutely loved their visit to the art museum!
The art objects are incredibly relevant to our study of ancient cultures." —a
local middle school teacher |
For more than a decade, the Mount
Holyoke College Art Museum has sponsored children's education programs
to serve local school children. Each year we open our doors to more than
1,000
students from 40+ area schools. Currently two programs are available: Daily
Life and Afterlife: Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome for children in
grades 4 through 8, from February through mid-May, and Say
What You See: Verbalizing the Visual for
children in grades 2 and 3, from the end of September to mid-December.
There is no charge for the programs; however, donations are welcome. For
information or a reservation, contact Jane
Gronau, Education Coordinator, at (413) 538-2085 or Debbie
Davis, Business Manager, at (413) 538-2245.
Daily
Life and Afterlife: Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome
" The
Children's Education Program at the museum is really quite wonderful.
Our children are too important not to be exposed to outstanding art."
—
James
Carey, Carey's Flowers, South Hadley
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Through direct experience with artifacts
and original works or art, children who participate in this program learn
about history, world cultures, and archaeology. The
program has three parts. First, a trained Mount Holyoke College student goes
to the class that will be visiting the museum to prepare them for what they
will see and learn. Then, the class comes to the museum for special tour,
during which docents use the inquiry method to encourage each child to observe,
listen, and participate. Finally, the museum sends the teacher follow-up
materials that help tie the students' experiences together.
Say
What You See: Verbalizing the Visual
It is well documented
that visual literacy helps children develop critical thinking skills. It
also provides a means of self-expression and communication, encourages creative
problem-solving, and strengthens their confidence and self-esteem. The museum's
goal is to expose children to enjoyable interactive and exploratory experiences
with art, encouraging them to become life-long museum visitors.
"Say What
You See" is a one hour interactive tour designed for grades 2 and 3.
A docent serves as facilitator, encouraging students in the class to "say
what they see," translating the visual image into words. Children will
experience the museum galleries by identifying some of the different materials
used to make sculpture; learning to describe different subjects in paintings
as they "jump into" the images using the five senses; and discovering
how artists use their imaginations to transform ordinary materials into art.
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