Art Museum In-School Program Presenter

The Springfield Art Museum is seeking volunteers to serve as In-School Program Presenters. These trained volunteers help bring the Museum’s mission to life by engaging students in thoughtful, conversation-based activities about art and artists.

No art background is required—just a willingness to learn, ask questions, and spark curiosity. Presenters use inquiry-based learning methods and help students find their own connections to art.

Volunteers serve on an as-needed basis, aligned with the school presentation schedule, and may choose to join the Museum's self-governing Docent Corps. Presenters act as Museum ambassadors and are expected to follow all Museum policies and professional standards.

In addition to passing a background check and interview, volunteers must be able to attend training and practice sessions at a to-be determined time.

About the Program:

In-School Presentations maintain the Springfield Art Museum and Springfield Public Schools (SPS) longstanding 5th Grade Field Trip program while the current Museum facility is closed for construction. In-School Presentations are currently focused on 5th Grade students in their school communities, with the possibility of attending regional schools as well. Presentations raise students’ awareness of the Museum and our work in the community and introduce students to the rich and diverse cultural holdings of the Museum. Presentations make connections to the 3-D, Drawing, and Painting units of study required for 5th Grade students using reproductions from the Museum’s permanent collection. Presentations reinforce key 5th Grade Missouri State Department of Education Visual Art Essential Standards.

In-School Presentations with school sites mainly occur during the Fall school semester between August and November and Spring semester between March and May. Presentations occur Monday – Friday during school hours and last approximately one hour. Sessions occur in gyms, cafeterias, cafetoriums, libraries, and/or classrooms, as available by site. Presentations consist of a short group welcome and brief overview of the Museum’s work and the format of our visit. 5th Grade classes are divided into four groups of 10-15 students that rotate through four stations (12 minutes each). In-School Presentations require 5 participants per presentation: four station presenters and one floater/timekeeper.

Stations focus on inquiry-based conversations, along with an interactive workbook activity for each station. These conversations/activities revolve around: comparing one's own interpretation of a work of art with the interpretation of others; identifying and analyzing cultural associations suggested by visual imagery; and identifying how art is used to inform or change beliefs, values, or behaviors of an individual or society. Stations have scripted frameworks; however, there is flexibility for individual presentation styles and methods. Volunteers receive training in delivering content for all four stations and may specialize in one station but should be prepared to deliver any station to respond to changing needs.

In-School Presentations currently serve approximately 1,800 students in 35 SPS sites. With adequate person-power, In-School Presentations will expand to private, parochial, and homeschool cooperatives within Springfield and in surrounding communities. These expanded presentations will mainly occur during the Spring school semester.

Training Schedule TBD.