Orrie Crews wrote:
>   If children are to feel
> important then they must feel recognized and respected.  Surely you
> don't expect  adults and children to communicate on the same level.  So
> why then should museums communicate to both children and adults on one
> level.
>
> I am in favor of kid-friendly labeling because information presented on
> the child's level develops a child's self-esteem and awareness.
>
> it's not about labeling; it's about esteem building in
> children.


I would have thought it was about education.

I have to disagree with much of what you say here.  I don't communicate
with children (my own or those I worked with in the school district when
I was employed as Service Learning Program Coordinator) on a lower
*level*  because I know they are capable of understanding what I have to
say given an opportunity.  When they are talked down to, in simplistic
language because of lowered expectations, they will respond on that
level.  Expect more from children and you will get more.  Provide
learning opportunities and children will soak it all up as fast as you
can give it.  (There are obvious exceptions here based on individual
variation and ability - I am thinking of the *average* child of school
age - five and up.)

I would assume that your employer wants you to provide an educational
opportunity in the institution.  If I was doing a special label project
with children in mind, I would probably leave the current labels in
place and add a panel entitled "What does it mean?" with definitions of
words used on the current labels (useful to both adults and children who
aren't familiar with the nomenclature, jargon, or whatever you want to
call the specialized language used.)

In my experience, children are best respected by treating them as
equals.  My eleven year old daughter's comments regarding your first
paragraph as quoted here are "It doesn't make them feel respected, it's
demeaning."

I respect your right to be concerned about children's self esteem, and I
share your concerns to some degree,  but I feel this (a museum education
program) is not the proper context for it.

o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Ginny Cass