The Art of Being a Fourth-Grade Docent

Lower School students look forward to their fourth-grade Docent Day program as a rite of passage. The program is a culminating event for the Lower School fine arts curriculum, combining research, drawing studies, public speaking, and art and world history.

Beginning in first grade, students visit the Milwaukee Art Museum three times a year to learn about the Museum’s history, the artwork, and elements and principles of design. Once in fourth grade, students recreate, using pastels, their favorite piece of art in the Museum. They then write a speech about the artist, the artwork, and the use of design techniques.

This year’s program took place at the Museum a few weekends ago. Students became docents for the day using portable voice amplifiers as they toured around the Museum. They presented to family and friends their own interpretation of their chosen piece of art. A special reception was held at the Museum, and every student received a certificate acknowledging their completion of the program.

Lower School art teacher Bob Geniusz believes the program is a vital start to building students’ independence and public-speaking skills. “The entire fourth-grade faculty team works together to help each student prepare for this event, but many choices about their projects and how often they practice are left up to the student,” says Geniusz. He notes that this year technology played a large role in allowing the students to perfect their presentations on their own: “This year, students recorded their speeches on iPad 2s. This way they could easily see and hear themselves and could re-record and practice as much as needed.”

This special program is an important milestone, helping our students not only develop an appreciation for the arts but also developing strong presentation skills― an important component of a 21st-century education.