peerexchangeteam

Ten docents have worked on a process to provide each other with continuing learning throughout our careers as professional docents. We have tried to refine a process that is (relatively) simple and maximally educational. Each active docent will be followed once every 3 years. There is no grading, only compliments and suggestions. Credit toward the pin is given for time spent to the followers. Please review the process and the form to focus our ideas below and send comments to me at stevedmiller@hotmail.com (note the d!). We will be presenting this process at the docent Executive board on September 1.

Proposal for a Peer Exchange Team

Background:

Following best practice in other Art Museums, the Docent Board decided several years ago to start an annual evaluation/education program for the docents. This program is intended to increase our professionalism, improve our quality, and be a source of real pride.

Ten docents have had three meetings to brainstorm ideas for an educational exchange of ideas. We agreed that what we are trying to do is not an evaluation, no grades or pass/fail are given. We are trying to improve our tours. We expect that improvement can happen after a mutual discussion, with an exchange of good ideas.

We suggest the following format: All active docents would be followed on one tour every 3 years by a docent from the Peer Exchange Team (PET) and docent of his/her choice. The ideas surfaced from the two followers and from the docent are discussed with Betsy. The best tour ideas are publicized in the Docent Newsletter And website.

Process:

1. Each year about 10 docents volunteer to be the “Peer Exchange Team” (PET).

2. Each PET member is responsible for following 3 different docents on a tour (student or walk in or any kind of tour). To prevent conflicts, each PET member will do his/her evaluations in a specific month.

3. The process for the PET member is as follows:

a. Pick a month when you will be in town and can follow 3 people. Let the PET chair know what month so a schedule can be posted in the basket with the PET forms in the docent room.

b. Check Betsy's list of docents (posted on the website and in the docent room) for 3 people who are giving any type of tour in your month who have not been followed in the last 3 years.

c. Call or email those folks and ask if you can follow their tour. Tell them they can ask any other docent to follow with you. If they want to schedule a different time, fine.

d. Let Betsy know when and whom you are following. She will 1) note on the website tour schedule that following will happen so that another docent can sign up to follow with you and 2) reserve time on her schedule to talk after the tour and 3) give 1.5 hours credit to the followers and touring docent. If a second docent besides the PET member is not available go ahead with the following.

e. Pick up the PET Form and clipboards from the docent room. Follow the tour and note compliments and suggestions on the PET form. Remember we each have different styles and many styles can please visitors.

f. After the tour bring the PET Form, yourself, and the other following docent, along with the followed docent, to Betsy and the three of you will chat about ideas.

g. Record the best ideas and send them to the docent newsletter chairperson.

4. The docent giving the tour simply gives the tour and after the tour discuss it with Betsy and the docents who followed.

Thanks

Steve