Three years ago, we embarked on a partnership with the Dallas Independent School District and Dallas ArtsPartners to provide every 4th grader in the district with a docent-guided visit to the Dallas Museum of Art. Over the past two years, we have welcomed over 22,000 DISD 4th graders to the DMA for “A Looking Journey” tours. This week marks the start of these visits for the 2009-2010 school year.
I had the chance to tour with a group of fifteen 4th graders from John Reagan Elementary on Tuesday. They were bright, observant, and enthusiastic—and I think every person in my group participated in our dialogue in the galleries. I always set up the idea of taking a journey at the beginning of my tour, and these students really got into it. As we moved from one work of art to the next, they imagined we were on an airplane flying from New York to Africa and Egypt and then on to Europe. At one point, I even heard train noises coming from behind me!
4th Grade Students in the Galleries
I have been looking forward to the start of these visits since July (when I first scheduled these tours), and I was downstairs on Tuesday when the first DISD students arrived at the Museum. It was such fun to hear their wonder and amazement as they walked through the doors and saw our Barrel Vault for the first time. Some of my favorite gallery experiences have happened with DISD 4th graders, and I can’t wait to see what adventures the next year holds.
Shannon Karol
Tour Coordinator