Engaging Young Children in Museums - Paperback

by Sharon E. Shaffer (Author)

What does a museum do with a kindergartner who walks through the door? The growth of interest in young children learning in museums has joined the national conversation on early childhood education. Written by Sharon Shaffer, the founding Executive Director of the innovative Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, this is the first book for museum professionals as well as students offering guidance on planning programming for young children.This groundbreaking book: -Explains the various ways in which children learn-Shows how to use this knowledge to design effective programs using a variety of teaching models-Includes examples of successful programs, tested activities, and a set of best practices

Author Biography

Sharon E. Shaffer is currently a museum consultant specializing in providing programming to younger children. Previously, she served nearly twenty-five years as Executive Director of the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center. She is the only educator ever to receive the Smithsonian Institution's Secretary's Gold Medal for Exceptional Service. Shaffer regularly teaches workshop on educating young children through museums and has consulted on this topic both in the United States and abroad. She has a Ph.D. in education from University of Virginia and currently teaches graduate courses at UVA.