Hi Rachel and Co,
It seems we're all on the same or similar page here. I get questions I don't know the answer to all the time. I use it as a chance to model to our field trip students that adults don't know all of the answers and that the best part of science is that we're all still learning new things. The fact I don't know something becomes part of the less. I actually had a whiteboard list at a summer camp of "Things Carolyn doesn't know yet" and we added to it all week and I sent their parents an email at the end of the week with some answers. We do extensive training with our volunteers so they feel comfortable saying "I don't know" and never feel pressured to come up with an answer/make something up. We encourage them to offer an adjacent fact ("I don't know how old that spider is specifically but I do know that that females of that species can live to around 20 years") that helps get at the bigger picture of the question. I do a lot making my thinking visual for students and the public by saying something like "I don't know how old that spider is but we got her ___ years ago and she was full grown, that leads me to think she was at least _____ when we got her which would make her at least ____ now" to show the thought process.
Hope this helps and you embrace the unknown.
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Carolyn Taber
Museum Educator
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-19-2024 09:37 AM
From: Theresa McNichol
Subject: What would you do if a visitor asked a question you don't know the answer too?
Hi Rachel,
I've been teaching for 20 years, an undergrad non-Western art history survey and cultures such as India do not have early written records such as the Indus Valley began in 3300 BCE. Although China has the longest recorded history, I tell them it's important to be aware of the translation sources and its a good teaching moment for bias awareness. That said, I tell them that it is a matter of interpretation, from scholars and non-experts alike. So if it's a question I can't answer, I am very curious to hear what they think and discuss with them validating their viewpoint and pointing them in a direction to explore more. It's one of the reasons I changed the traditional art history paper to write on an object in the museum to a first person report whereby they selected what to write about as long as it was in the content area of study. This expands the museum space for wonder, speculating and play! What has come back to me has both astonished and humbled me. They leave the course with more self- confidence from pursuing and satisfying their curiosity and appreciation. Don't we all have the greatest job!
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Terri McNichol
President
www.renassociates.com
Original Message:
Sent: 04-17-2024 02:09 PM
From: Rachel Alschuler
Subject: What would you do if a visitor asked a question you don't know the answer too?
Dear All
I am wondering what any museum professional would do if a visitor asked a question you don't know the answer too. I am interested in the response and that it is ok nor know but to always be open to learning.
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Rachel Alschuler
Museum Education/ Visitor Experience
San Francisco CA
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