The Children’s Museum of Atlanta has had a brick-and-mortar structure in the heart of town since 2003, but it’s mission to amaze and engage kids goes well beyond its physical structure.
Through the Connected Learning Connected Communities program, museum educators fan out across the city with programs designed to engage and spur creativity through play to about 1,200 students each month.
The idea to move beyond the building was born from two key realizations, said Karen Kelly, the museum’s director of exhibits and education.
“We realized some people didn’t see going to the museum as something they could do; it was outside their orbit,” she said. “It was also perceived as costing a lot of money, so it wasn’t for them. We wanted to overcome economic and social barriers to empower communities to see us as a resource.”
The first outreach programs, launched 12 years ago for kids from infancy through third grade and their caregivers, grew out of focus groups with parents in the city’s Pittsburgh, Adair Park and Mechanicsville neighborhoods. What museum execs learned shaped the structure of the outreach that now spans more than 20 communities.
“They were hoping for enrichment programming, around the arts in particular, so we crafted an after-school arts program we can take to various sites,” said Kelly. “We go to daycare centers, preK and kindergarten classrooms every month during the school year. And all our work aligns with Georgia’s education learning standards.”
Each expansion took place only after careful consideration of what a particular community wanted, said Kelly. “We ask what they need from us then craft programs around those needs. For example, in English Avenue and Vine City, we have more STEM programming and engagement with parents around why education is important.”
Kids may find themselves learning how to build a solid structure from marshmallows and toothpicks, to measure and apply mathematical principles in conjunction with a Dr. Seuss book or to relax with yoga stretches. “A program can be based around language and literacy, but it can also be STEM literacy,” said Kelly. “Whatever it is, it’s always fun and engaging.”
The museum’s educators have also conducted eight-week workshops for parents designed to give them specific ideas around creating learning opportunities at home to help students with language and literacy. They’ve also provided free field trips for students and their families to visit the museum. Now, Kelly says the outreach touches at least 1,200 children each month.
Some of those children are part of the City of Refuge, a transitional housing center for more than 250 women and children on Atlanta’s westside. The museum’s outreach there includes after-school programs and summer camps.
“They reached out to us and asked if they could get involved,” said Lauri Lindsey, director of children’s programming. “During the school year, they came once a month and did a 30-minute, interactive class with our kids from kindergarten through second grade. It was a highlight; the kids loved it. They’ve also given us free passes to the museum, and we’ve gone as a group.”
The museum partners with an outside evaluation firm that conducts focus groups, ongoing conversations and feedback sessions from the communities it serves. And given the program’s success to date, Kelly is already planning to do more.
“We’re already looking for the next community to reach out to,” she said.
Information about the Children’s Museum and its educational outreach programs is online at childrensmuseumatlanta.org.
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Each week we look at programs, projects and successful endeavors at area schools, from pre-K to grad school. To suggest a story, contact H.M. Cauley at hm_cauley@yahoo.com or 770-744-3042.
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