Museums Providing Opportunities for Promoting a Positive Sense of Self in the Early Years

Authors

  • Betsy Bowers Center for Innovation in Early Learning National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184 Washington, DC 20560
  • Dana Brightful Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184 Washington, DC 20560
  • Carrie Heflin Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184 Washington, DC 20560
  • Anna Hindley National Museum of African American History and Culture Smithsonian Institution 600 Maryland Ave. SW, Suite 7001 MRC 509, P.O. Box 327012 Washington, DC 20013-7012
  • Kimberlee L Kiehl Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184 Washington, DC 20560
  • Erin Pruckno Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184
  • Cynthia Raso Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184 Washington, DC 20560
  • Jaime Wolfe School Without Walls at Francis Stevens Educational Campus 2425 N Street NW Washington DC 20037 202-724-4841

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29311/mas.v13i2.323

Abstract

Ethnicity and culture impact every person in both overt and subtle ways. At a very young age, children develop a sense of who they are and begin to construct meaning regarding their heritage, families, and communities. Research shows that children form ‘pre-prejudices’ that are set firmly in place by the age of eight. Evidence also suggests that parents and teachers need tools to provide children with the support they need to build a positive self-identity and an appreciation for others. Through collections, cultural artifacts, artistic masterpieces and everyday objects, museums are in a unique position to provide teachers and parents with important information that helps children gain insight about themselves and others from around the world.

Author Biographies

Betsy Bowers, Center for Innovation in Early Learning National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184 Washington, DC 20560

Betsy Bowers began her career at the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center when it first bopened in 1988. After spending 10 years with SEEC as an administrator, teacher and museum educator, she returned to graduate school where she received an MAT in museum education from the George Washington University. After several years as an independent consultant, she returned to SEEC to focus on expanding community based initiatives. She is a contributing
author to AAM’s Alliance of Spirit: Museum School Partnerships publication and the Journal of Museum Education. She is an adjunct faculty member for the George Washington University where she teaches “Museum as Learning Environment” to graduate students.

Carrie Heflin, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184 Washington, DC 20560

Carrie Heflin is a Virginia native originally from Richmond. She attended the University of Virginia where she completed her BA with a double major in Art History and Anthropology. She moved to the D.C. area two years ago when she accepted a teaching position at SEEC. While
teaching she is taking courses at Northern Virginia Community College in Early Childhood Education.

Anna Hindley, National Museum of African American History and Culture Smithsonian Institution 600 Maryland Ave. SW, Suite 7001 MRC 509, P.O. Box 327012 Washington, DC 20013-7012

Anna Hindley works at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture as an education specialist focusing on audiences under the age of 8 years old. She is investigating this topic in depth as the new museum determines how to best serve young audiences. She began working as a museum educator in 2003 at The Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando, Florida. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in history
and political science from the University of Central Florida. She received her Master’s Degree in Museum Studies at The George Washington University in 2012.

Kimberlee L Kiehl, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184 Washington, DC 20560

Executive Director of the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center.
She was formerly the Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio.

Erin Pruckno, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184

Erin Pruckno studied anthropology and English at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. She became the education director at the Children’s Museum at Saratoga and dove
into the world of museum education and early childhood, working in a variety of educational organizations since. Erin received her master’s degree and graduate certificate in international education and curriculum and instruction from the George Washington University, concentrating on multicultural education, internationalizing curriculum, and early childhood. Joining SEEC in 2013, she is now a lead teacher in SEEC’s preschool program.

Cynthia Raso, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center National Museum of Natural History 10th and Constitution Avenue, NW Room CE-G50 MRC 184 Washington, DC 20560

Cynthia Raso joined SEEC as a museum educator in 2012 and a year later transitioned to her role as Public Programs Coordinator. As such, she oversees SEEC’s weekend family
programs and social media. Prior to joining SEEC, she founded Art Within Reach - an organization that provided classes exploring art, history, and culture for early childhood audiences. Ms. Raso worked for more than ten years at the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries beginning
in the curatorial department and later, moving into the role of educator for docents and tours. She later worked as a contractor overseeing a wide variety of public programs. Ms. Raso holds an M.A. in Art History from The George Washington University.

Jaime Wolfe, School Without Walls at Francis Stevens Educational Campus 2425 N Street NW Washington DC 20037 202-724-4841

Jaime Wolfe is originally from Ohio, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from The College of Wooster. Jaime later obtained her graduate degree in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as her Master of Arts in English Literature
from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.

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Published

01.03.2015

How to Cite

Bowers, B., Brightful, D., Heflin, C., Hindley, A., Kiehl, K. L., Pruckno, E., … Wolfe, J. (2015). Museums Providing Opportunities for Promoting a Positive Sense of Self in the Early Years. Museum & Society, 13(2), 142–157. https://doi.org/10.29311/mas.v13i2.323

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2015): Museum Education Today: creative synergies and pedagogic innovations in multicultural contexts

Section

Articles

License

Copyright remains with the author(s) of the article. This article can be re-used according to the terms of the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0  licence.