Engaging others through humor or playfulness is an extremely effective
teaching method to help understand the world around us...To effectively
engage our audience we need to balance significant exhibition content with
"people bait": humor, intrigue, and sometimes bright, shiny objects...

ABSOLUTELY!

Interestingly, I just got home from the first of our 2006 lecture series. A
local amateur historian had a great presentation on a local family of 19th
century carriage makers who dabbled in early auto design and manufacture.
Our local high school and community college teachers/professors required
some of their students to attend. I was amused to watch the kids sulk into
the lecture hall and slump in their seats. From my vantage point in the back
of the room I was amused to watch them begin to sit up and finally lean
forward, totally engaged by this lecture. The speaker was "a real guy," and
didn't use "museum jargon." He is in fact, an amateur historian and antique
car aficionado. But...his history is dead on, and presented in an engaging
and entertaining manner. He talked about the "unlucky corner" where every
building has burned since the mid 1800's, how the various personalities of
the brothers helped or hindered the business, and the family penchant for
building houses with turrets. Basically this guy was a storyteller who
captured the teens' imagination. 

The best was when the presenter asked for questions/comments and the mostly
older audience not only asked questions but also volunteered more
information related to the topic. The kids were totally amazed that "people
were talking back," as one young lady put it. 

Oh...the kids also appreciated that I provided a sign in sheet for students,
promising to email their teachers/professors, certifying their attendance.
(It's easier for me than signing a bunch of programs, and also gives me
another opportunity for dialog with these educators.)


Becky Fitzgerald
Susquehanna Museum

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