| Teacher Interview: Question 17: Beyond "Be careful with
the object" can you describe how students should behave with objects? |
Conclusion: 23 teachers suggested 20 categories of considerations that
they highlighted to the students when they handled objects. These ranged from gloved hands
to not giving any information about handling.
Other suggestions included encouraging the students to remember the value of the loans
and how to hold them and behave around them. Some teachers told their students not to move
or elevate them from the table and not to mark them. Others tried to promote gentleness,
cleanliness and an attitude of respect, tolerance and reverence towards old and delicate
museum-owned objects.
Summary of findings:
23 teachers suggested 40 considerations which fall into 20 categories. 20
categories of handling considerations:
1. The loans are valuable and precious: Teachers G, K, W and Y.
2. The students should be given handling guidelines: Teachers C, M and U.
3. They need to be treated with respect (so that they last; for others to see): Teachers
D, H and P.
4. The students should not pull, snatch or lunge at the loans while another is holding
them: Teachers J, K and N.
5. The students should not move from the table they are sitting at while holding the loan:
Teachers K, Q and U.
6. Knowledge of the students is necessary in order to encourage appropriate bahaviour:
Teachers A and X.
7. The parts of the loan should be examined in detail: Teachers B and E.
8. The loans should be handled in a monitored situation: Teachers C and R.
9. If the loans are important to someone else's religion, the students' behaviour should
reflect religious tolerance: Teachers D and O.
10. Nothing needs to be said to the students about handling: Teachers E and T.
11. The loans are not "ours" - but are from the museum: Teachers I and S.
12. The students should be gentle when handling the loans: Teachers J and W.
13. The loans should be passed with two clean hands (gloved): Teachers J and W.
14. The students should not write with pencil on - or use a pen near - the loans: Teachers
N and V.
15. The students should have general instructions about acceptable behaviour: Teacher A.
16. The loans are delicate: Teacher C.
17. The loans are old: Teacher K.
18. The students should circulate between the loans as opposed to moving the loans to the
students: Teacher N.
19. The loans should not be lifted high off a surface: Teacher V.
20. The loans should be treated with reverence: Teacher Y.
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| Teacher Interview: Question 17: Individual Answers: |
Key: A "user" is a school that already uses the loan
service. A "non-user" is a school that does not currently use the loan service.
1. Teacher A: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
We give general instructions about what's acceptable behaviour. But we do that all the
time. They were handling live chicks last week. Some of them are so gentle. You just have
to know the children to know what to say.
2. Teacher B: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
Examine them in detail. Use their senses.
3. Teacher C: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
I watch them with them. We had a talk beforehand about how to handle the artefacts and
about how delicate they are.
4. Teacher D: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
I emphasise this and also treating things with respect. It may be something that is
important to someone else, especially if it has religious significance.
5. Teacher E: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
It depends. Sometimes you don't have to say anything. You can point out the parts.
Many of the objects are already encased.
6. Teacher F: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students
should behave with objects?
See the observation.
7. Teacher G: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students
should behave
with objects?
Not really, just to be careful and aware that its precious.
8. Teacher H: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
Show respect so that the artefact can last for others to see.
9. Teacher I: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students
should behave with objects?
Just "Be very careful with the loans - they are not ours".
10. Teacher J: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
Not lunging. We discuss why it is important to care for the object, to be gentle and
clean. Have them pass the object using two hands when they are handling. If they are
holding up a dress, for instance, they would stand. Use of gloves sometimes.
11. Teacher K: User: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
I tell them to feel not pull. I tell them the objects are very old or very valuable.
They sit around a table when they are handling.
12. Teacher L: Non-user: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
If I had a longer time I would have made a code for the levels of handling for each
object with red, yellow and green dots/stickers to indicate, like traffic lights, no
touching - some touching - allowed to touch. I would point out things during a circle time
like you can't undress the doll. I would have appreciated some information on objects that
really attracted childrens' touch like the abacus. How was it used and was it supposed to
be handled in a particular way? A little girl grabbed it and was really pushing the beads
up and down quite roughly. I told her that she couldn't touch it.
13. Teacher M: Non-user: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
It depends on the exhibits. The children are very reasonable here. If something is
very fragile I would lay down rules of handling.
14. Teacher N: Non-user: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
Not to snatch the loans or write on them with a pencil. When we used the shells on
different tables, I circulated the children rather than move the shells around.
15. Teacher O: Non-user: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
Especially with religious artefacts, we encourage great respect as they are part of
someone's religious beliefs. We wouldn't expect any silliness when respecting other
beliefs. This is really part of PSMS education. They have to understand other customs.
16. Teacher P: Non-user: Primary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
Treat them with respect as you would any of your parent's precious objects at home.
17. Teacher Q: User: Secondary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
Not to move from the table with it.
18. Teacher R: User: Secondary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students
should behave with objects?
I say things like "Pass it around. Hold it like this". They would not handle
the objects by themselves - only in a controlled situation.
19. Teacher S: User: Secondary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
Taking care. Remind them whose property it is - that it is from the museum. This holds
weight and helps them to remember to be careful.
20. Teacher T: User: Secondary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
We don't teach them how to handle objects.
21. Teacher U: User: Secondary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
We discuss the reasons why it is important to handle objects carefully. They sit down
when they are handling
22. Teacher V: Non-user: Secondary
What would you say to the students beyond "Be careful with the object" that
would help students understand how to handle the objects.
If it was a document I would say no pens, only pencils out. If the object was fragile
I would tell them not to lift it high off a surface and to make sure the surface
underneath was a soft one.
23. Teacher W: Non-user: Secondary
What would you say beyond "Be careful with the object" that describes how
teachers and students should behave with objects?
I would look at their hands to make sure they were clean or they couldn't touch the
object. I would also emphasise that the objects are precious and to be gentle especially
with things like fabric.
24. Teacher X: Non-user: Secondary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
Each teacher knows their own class. By now the children know how to behave in this
class.
25. Teacher Y: Non-user: Secondary
Beyond "Be careful with the object" can you describe how students should behave
with objects?
Treat them with reverence. Something is precious - even shards are precious.
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