Date: October 10th 2008

Hi all-
I am currently in the process of reviewing our docent-led Museum tours
on local animals and habitats. Docents are trained to lead 3 different
tours for three grade levels: Pre-K, K-1, and 2-4. The subjects covered
in each tour type loosely correlates to the California Content Science
Standards for the appropriated grade levels, but involves a lot of
information. I would like to revise aspects of the tours to more
directly address content standards, to simplify materials used, and to
make the tour more participatory and hands-on for the students than the
current lecture format. I am also thinking that it makes more sense to
break tours up by the following grade levels: Pre-K, 1-2, 3-4.

I have had feedback from new docents (after training each year that I've
been here) that they feel confused about what the themes are for each
tour, and are reluctant to lead these tours because of all of the
materials. The docents who have been around for a while tend to lead
these tours. I would like to involve docents in the process of revising
tours, and am wondering if you have undertaken a similar project at your
museum or education center? If so, what methods for involving docents
have been successful for you? Several of our docents have been leading
these tours for as long as 20 years, and some of them helped to create
the tour outline. I want them to have a hand in any changes made and to
know that their participation is invaluable in creating successful
changes to the tours.

Thank you for your thoughts!

Shauna Casey
Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History



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