museum educator portfolio

MUSEUM EDUCATOR PORTFOLIOPresented by: Stephanie Burak FehlenbergEmail: sburak@gmail.comLinkedIn: tinyurl.com/sbf-linkedin

This photo essay shows examples of educational programming I developed, coordinated and managed for Auburn University’s art museum. In some cases I led these programs myself and in other cases I trained the staff and volunteers who led these programs.

STORIES IN ARTDeveloped as a program geared towards families with children ages two

through six, the popularity of Stories in Art led to a similar school program.

STORIES IN ARTStories in Art would begin with reading stories related to the gallery exhibits. Afterwards, the children would enjoy related art activities.

SKETCHBOOK SATURDAYSFamilies would come to learn drawing and design techniques from artists,

designers and architecture professionals.

SKETCHBOOK SATURDAYSAs part of our outreach initiative, we would bus families in from low-income

communities so that they could participate in our events.

TOURS & GALLERY PROGRAMS

I trained our docents to lead school, family and adult tours. These tours were interactive experiences and sometimes included pre-visits.

TOURS & GALLERY PROGRAMS

Art activities, sketching and gallery games were often a part of the gallery experience. School tours were specifically designed to meet state standards.

RURAL STUDIO FAMILY TOUR

In connection with our Rural Studio exhibit, I co-hosted an overnight bus tour, which allowed families to explore the actual architectural projects.

RURAL STUDIO FAMILY TOUR

As we toured several sites, the children were given assignments for each site, which included sketching, scavenger hunts, and other activities.

ARCHITECTURE PROGRAMAuburn 5th graders learned about sustainability and architecture through a

multi-part experience focused on our Rural Studio exhibition.

ARCHITECTURE PROGRAMSince Rural Studio uses recycled materials to build homes for families in

need, the 5th graders created their own buildings out of recycled materials.

URBAN ARTS PROJECTIn partnership with Auburn High School and the City of Auburn, we

organized a program for high school students to learn about urban arts.

URBAN ARTS PROJECTThis multifaceted semester-long project culminated in a mock city council

meeting where the students proposed their own urban art ideas.

TEACHER TRAININGWe would organize several workshops, connecting different areas of study – such as agriculture, history, creative writing – to the museum’s collections.

TEACHER TRAININGSometimes the teachers would leave having created resources to use with

their students, like they did in our weeklong WebQuest workshop.

SPECIAL EVENTSWe would host several annual events, including Adventures in Art, a

student program, which would include activities related to the current exhibition.

SPECIAL EVENTSOther events included the museum’s birthday, exhibition openings,

American Indian festival, Art in Nature camp, and the May Day celebration.

SCHOOL OUTREACHWe would provide outreach to schools in Auburn and nearby communities. These programs would include art activities related to current exhibitions.

SCHOOL OUTREACHI found donors to pay for bussing when schools could not afford to send

their students to the museum. All school programming met state standards.

FAMILY OUTREACHI would coordinate outreach for families, inviting them to attend activities in

their area and follow-up the experience with a museum visit.

FAMILY OUTREACHTo help the families afford these experience, we would provide bussing to

all programs, meals during the programs, staffing, and art supplies.

GEE’S BEND OUTREACHWith only a month to coordinate the details, I sought out sponsorship to

bring the children of Gee’s Bend to see our Quilts of Gee’s Bend exhibition.

GEE’S BEND OUTREACHI led pre-visit activities for the 3rd - 12th graders and then bussed them to the

museum to learn about their family legacy through a variety of activities.

GEE’S BEND OUTREACHPart of the outreach effort included a bus tour of the Auburn University

campus, a presentation by the Raptor Center…

GEE’S BEND OUTREACH…And an inspirational talk led by Auburn football players, who stressed integrity, perseverance, work ethic and the value of higher education.