Sharon E. Shaffer - Object Lessons and Early Learning

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Object Lessons and Early Learning

The twenty-first century is a time of change for early learning in museums, due in part to societys evolving view of childhood, from an age of innocence to understanding the robust learning that defines the first years of life. This perspective is a catalyst for international conversation and continues to raise attention and interest across society. Object Lessons and Early Learning leverages what is known about the cognitive development of young children to examine the power of learning through objects in museum and heritage settings.

Exploring the history and modern day practice of object-based learning, Shaffer outlines the rationale for endorsing this approach in both formal and informal learning spaces. She argues that museums, as collecting institutions, are learning spaces uniquely positioned to allow children to make meaning about their world through personal connections to cultural artifacts, natural specimens, and works of art. A range of descriptive object lessons, inspired by objects in museums as well as from the everyday world, are presented throughout the text as examples of ways in which children can be encouraged to engage with museum collections.

Object Lessons and Early Learning offers insights into strategies for engaging young children as learners in museum settings and in their everyday world, and, as such, will be essential reading for museum professionals, classroom educators, and students. It should also be of great interest to academics and researchers engaged in the study of museums and education.

Sharon E. Shaffer is a museum consultant specializing in providing programming to younger children and works with museum professionals around the world. She is a former Executive Director of the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, USA, and is the only educator ever to receive the Smithsonian Institution Secretarys Gold Medal for Exceptional Service. She has a PhD in Social Foundations of Education and is an adjunct faculty member with the University of Virginia.

OBJECT LESSONS AND EARLY LEARNING

Sharon E. Shaffer

First published 2018

by Routledge

711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

and by Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2018 Taylor & Francis

The right of Sharon E. Shaffer to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A catalog record for this title has been requested

ISBN: 978-1-62958-404-1 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-62958-405-8 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-0-203-70225-3 (ebk)

Figures

The journey of writing a book is not one traveled alone, but a collaborative effort that includes contributions from many, some actively engaged in this process and others unknowingly inspiring the words and the content. None are insignificant and all are cherished.

I am in awe of the many museum educators who have taken up the mantle of early learning and embraced young children as important visitors to museums. Their work comes from the heart and is a gift to the children and families they touch.

In my work as a consultant I have been blessed by the opportunities to know and learn from colleagues engaged in projects that impact the lives of young children, many in America but others from around the world. It has been a privilege to work collaboratively with Dr. Ni Zhang, Executive Director for the Childrens Museum Research Center (CMRC) in Beijing, a leader making a difference in the lives of children in China by introducing childrens museums to the nation. Sharing ideas and a passion for early learning with Ni reminds me of the value of this work. I am thankful for talented colleagues around the world dedicated to young children and opportunities to experience the world through museums.

Important to the writing process is the feedback garnered from trusted colleagues in the field, each taking personal time to read and respond to some aspect of the book. Their insights and suggestions are invaluable and add significantly to the final text. Readers that I want to thank are Nicole Cromartie, Elee Wood, Marjorie Schwartzer, Cynthia Raso, Alyson Williams, Isabelle Alessandra, Allison Wickens, Anna Hindley, Donna Tobey, and Julia Forbes. I also appreciate the work of colleagues who authored short complementary narratives related to a specific topic as well as those who worked behind the scenes for permissions for images. A special thanks to Kristen Buckley and Heather Fanberg for their contributions.

I want to thank the many museum professionals adding their voices to Object Lessons and Early Learning through participation in questionnaires, AAMs Open Forum, and individual interviews, with particular thanks to Laura Huerta Migus, Beth Fitzgerald, Susan Foutz, Petrushka Bazin Larsen, Loretta Yajima, Sunnee ORork, Elee Wood, Jenny Sweeney, Tiffany Allen, Barbara Meyerson, Rebecca Hertz, Barbara Franco, Lee Gambol, Christina Bulow, Kristi Lucas-Hayden, Ted Lind, Dale Hilton, Betsy Bowers, and Ni Zhang. Their words and insightful thoughts introduce a perspective to the discussion of early learning that is important in the twenty-first century. The list of every valued colleague is far too long to include here, but their work continues to be a gift that influences my thinking. I want to thank each and every one for making a difference for young children in museums.

This endeavor of writing would not be possible without the love and support of my family. I am forever grateful to my husband, Mark, for his day-to-day support and encouragement. My children and their partners, and certainly, my wonderful grandchildren inspire me to share my passion about early learning in museums as a means of making a difference in the world. It is with great appreciation that I dedicate this book to the ones I love.

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.

William Wordsworth

Object Lessons and Early Learning represents a labor of love, a reflection of the passion that I have for young children and the unimaginable opportunities for learning in museums. As Wordsworth suggests, the ideas written on the pages of this book are truly breathings of my heart.

I am one of the fortunate ones, someone who followed her dreams, and in doing so, discovered a unique path in education that was more exciting than I could ever have imagined. In 1988, I joined the Smithsonian Institution and stepped into the role of founding director for the Smithsonians lab school for young children, the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, and discovered a new and exciting world of learning that offered children opportunities to explore art, history, science, and culture through artifacts and natural specimens displayed in museum galleries. Not only were the environments and their exhibitions rich in treasures, but the experts at the Institution added another dimension to the experience with a few inviting our children behind the scenes for an insiders view. It became apparent over time that these were defining moments for many of our preschoolers, setting the stage for the future.

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