Homeschool World Forum

[alliecatse]

Hello,

I am a former homeschooler (now in college). I am interning at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, and I am doing some research on how museums (especially science museums) are serving homeschoolers. I started out trying to find research that has already been done, but there is really not much out there. I would love to get some feedback from current (or past) homeschoolers about their museum experiences, especially the programming they have participated in that was specifically geared towards homeschoolers. I would also love to know what you feel you would most like to get out of your museum experiences.

Thanks!

p.s. This is very informal research at the moment. We just want to get as much information as possible that will help our programs serve the local home schooling population.

[Kate42]

I am a homeschool mom who takes us to museums as often as possible. Before I was a mother, I was a museum educator myself.

Overall, I love museums, but have no use for museum programming specifically targeted at children. Since I teach my kids, I know what and how I want to teach at the museum. Programs for kids are usually so dumbed down and patronizing, though some printed family guides to use use on our own have been wonderful. We want to have fun as a family at our own pace and interest level: that's what is wonderful about a museum in the first place.

Sometimes when our family is on a tour the guide will talk to the kids only, and in a prodding, quizzing way. UGH- hate that. We are not a school group who got dragged here and need our interest piqued. Homeschool families have come on their own initiative, probably with lots of background knowledge, maybe with a specific agenda for their visit, and probably the desire to have fun as a family. And the kids are not used to that quizzing by strangers, so it is off-putting.

Basically, my plea as a homeschooler to museums would be: give us a smorgasbord of exhibits, demonstrations, etc. and leave us to it. But if you offer school discounts, please offer one to us, even if we are there on the weekend when Dad can come.