The Following are AAM Sessions that were sponsored by the NDSC. These sessions have been recorded and can be purchased through the AAM http://www.aam-us.org/
“MEETING NEW CHALLENGES: DOCENT TRAINING IN TODAY’S WORLD”
2003 AAM Meeting,
Chair:
Gin Wachter, Docent,
Panelists:
Diane Lynn Arkin, Curator of Education and Director of ArtReach, Corcoran Gallery of Art,
Daniel Reich, Curator and Director of Education,
Gin Wachter, Docent,
Description:
While docents are often self-motivated, it is the institution’s responsibility to adequately prepare them, through ongoing training, to convey the institution’s message, to entertain and to enlighten. Training equips docents with factual information and multiple interpretive techniques, while encouraging the development of individual strengths and methods that can enhance the visitor’s experience. This session will present strategies for meeting these challenges.
2004 AAM Meeting,
Chair:
Diane Arkin, Curator of Education and Director of ArtReach, The Corcoran Gallery of Art,
Panelists:
Judith Murray, Director of Visitor Learning, The
Wendy Evans, Past Chairman Volunteer Committee , The
Diane Lynn Arkin, Curator of Education and Director of ArtReach, Corcoran Gallery of Art,
Description:
This session addressed Volunteer Recruitment, Recognition and Retention with creative and innovative current best practices from the perspective of top museum professionals and volunteers.
“DOCENT EVALUATION WITHOUT TEARS: INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE IDEAS”
2004 AAM Meeting,
Chair:
Panelists:
Rachael Bertone, Docent,
Carol Tang, Chair Educational Programs, CA
Dr. Marlene Smeed, Adjunct Professor of Organizational Theory and Educational Leadership at Universities in Washington State and Arizona and serves as an Educational Consultant in California, Washington State, and Arizona and docent at Phoenix Art Museum
Description:
This Session presented effective and innovative ways to evaluate docents that pleases both docents and staff.
“CREATING A COMMUNITY OF DOCENTS”.
2004 AMM Meeting,
Presenter:
Gin Wachter, President of the Docent Council of Metropolitan Saint Louis
Description:
Workshop on how to set up and run a docent council in your community.
“WORKING WITH VOLUNTEERS: WHAT YOUR STAFF NEEDS TO KNOW”
2005 AAM Meeting,
Chair:
Gin Wachter, Docent,
Panelists:
Cheryl Benjamin, Associate Educator, Docent Programs,
Lois Kuter, Volunteer Coordinator,
Jill Wexler Greenstein, Manager of Volunteer and Intern Services, US Holocaust Memorial Museum,
Description:
Today’s world of economic uncertainty has given volunteers more responsibilities than ever before. Volunteers and their roles have changed and Museum staff’s ability to deal successfully with this change will depend on some very fundamental skills concerning how to best work with diverse groups of volunteers. Experienced Museum Professionals with very successful volunteer programs will teach these skills, giving pointers on how to provide a more pleasant and cooperative working environment, as well as offer an opportunity for attendees to reflect on their own experiences with volunteers and adapt these skills to their own institutions.
“DOCENTS AT THE CROSSROADS”
2005 AAM Meeting,
Chair:
Panelists:
Patterson B Williams, Co-Dean of Education, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO
Annie V F Storr, Principal, Museum Projects in Public Service,
Diane Arkin, Lecturer and Adult Program Docent Coordinator, National Gallery of Art,
Description:
As museum education has changed over the last 100 years, so too has the role of the volunteer gallery interpreter. How did the relationship between docents and museums develop, how are museums rethinking who docents are and what they do in a time of changing paradigms, and what tools can we provide docents in their training so that they will be able to cope with change now and in the future? This panel will raise thought provoking questions and address both theory and practice applicable to gallery interpretation in all disciplines.
“NURTURING AND INSPIRING EXPERIENCED DOCENTS”
2006 AAM Meeting,
Chair:
Carol Tang, Chair Educational Programs, CA
Presenters:
Rachael Bertone,
Patterson Williams, Master Teacher for Asian and Textile Art,
Ann Thomas, Docent,
Description:
Encourage your experienced docents to embrace new ideas and practices as you learn a variety of ways to inspire them, and refresh their love and interest in your institution.
“BROADEN YOUR VOLUNTEER CORPS”
2006 AAM Meeting,
Chair:
Maretta Hemsley-Wood, AAMV Regional Director, Docent Program Manager,
Presenters:
Linda Apple, Director, Volunteer and Community Programs,
Lucy Darragh, Program Manager, Volunteer Services,
Joanna Rothman, Manager of Volunteer Programs and Internships,
Description:
Identify methods, technique, and skills to successfully recruit a more diverse group of volunteers to help your museum.
“DISTANCE AND NO DISTANCE – BUILDING AN E-DOCENT COMMUNITY”
2006 AAM Meeting,
Chair:
Presenters:
Rika Burnham,
Gin Wachter, President, National Docent Symposium Council, AAMV Program Director, and Docent at
Soren Kaplan, CEO, ICohere, Inc.,
Description:
Senior representatives of museums, docents, and e-learning communities examine how technology can bring a variety of educational opportunities to docent programs of all sizes and locations.
If you would like your session sponsored by the NDSC, please send a copy of your AAM Proposal to our webmaster.