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Education at SMP

SMP’s Education Department encourages visitors to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of photography through a wide range of dynamic programs, events, and resources suited for all ages and diverse learning styles. Photography’s ability to inform and persuade requires that such a specialized museum should display photography as well as provide tools for interpretation and analysis. 

Exhibitions are complimented with a diverse and comprehensive lecture, education and public program series featuring prominent scholars, writers, photographers, artists and critics. In the new facility, the museum will present six (6) seasons of exhibitions that encompass up to twelve (12) separate exhibitions in a typical year.

STUDY GUIDES AND CURRICULUM MATERIALS

Lesson plans, study guides and exhibition-specific printed tutorial materials and exercises are available for grade school teachers and college faculty. These materials are also designed to include many general exercises related to teaching visual literacy. These guides can be used as a class exercise or assigned for individual study or extra credit. The guides may be downloaded and adapted for your classes or printed and used as is.

We welcome the input and/or assistance of teachers in developing new curriculum materials relevant to specific subject area needs. Interested teachers should contact Melissa Bresnahan, Education Coordinator via e-mail or by calling 386-506-4569.

WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS

In cooperation with the Volusia County school system, the museum’s education staff also provides specialized teacher-in-service workshops, curriculum development training sessions and other seminars throughout the year. Please contact Melissa Bresnahan via e-mail or call (386) 506-4569 for more details and for a schedule of upcoming professional development opportunities.

THE MUSEUM IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM

Museum educational programs and activities for children have always emphasized the development of a wide range of skills by mixing fun, hands-on activities with with excercises in visual literacy skills and an understanding of photographic communication.

Comprehensive photography and visual literacy projects by the museum, such as one piloted at Bonner Elementary School, show that these activities can have a very significant impact on the development of language and visual skills, as well as on a student's sell-esteem. The museum partnered with Bonner to offer instruction and activities to 4th and 5th grade students. Photography was used as a tool to improve each student's reading and writing skills and to stimulate creative thinking and problem solving. A significant rise in the school's 2001 FCAT scores for these students resulted.

Having succeeded in this pilot project, the museum expanded its role as a major educational and community resource for the region's children and established partnerships with a range of schools and educators.

The museum's education department has designed an innovative modular curriculum to introduce 4th and 5th grade students to photography, visual literacy and other aspects of this wonderful medium.

If you are an elementary school educator or school administrator in Volusia County and would like to learn more about in-school enrichment activities that can be made available to your school, please contact Melissa Bresnahan, Education Coordinator via e-mail or call (386) 506-4569.

CLASS VISITS & TOURS

The museum offers a range of services to teachers. We welcome visits by school groups.  General pre-tour information packets are also available from the museum’s education office and can be requested when you book your visit.

To book a large group or class visit to the museum or to develop content for a guided tour, please contact Melissa Bresnahan via e-mail or at (386) 506-4569.  Please give a minimum of 48 hours notice for standard group/class bookings to ensure that you receive a visit confirmation from the museum staff before embarking on the visit. Every effort will be made to accommodate your request.

Please strongly discourage your group/class from bringing large bags or backpacks into the museum as we cannot provide adequate secure storage. Unfortunately, we cannot accept impromptu visits by large groups or classes.