Why should you volunteer as an Education Assistant at MOA?

Do you enjoy making crafts, playing games, and helping children explore, discover and learn? If the answer is yes, then being an Educational volunteer at MOA might be for you.

Educational programming aims to create an engaging and interactive museum experience for visitors of all ages and volunteer opportunities within this area are ideal for those who enjoy working with children and have experience with or hope to go into teaching.  It is also an excellent opportunity for those interested in gaining experience in museums, as it allows the opportunity to interact directly with museum audiences.

Benefits of volunteering with Museum Education and Interpretation:

• Gain practical experience with teaching in a non-classroom setting
• Develop skills related to working in the museums and heritage field
• Increase skills in public speaking and communication
• Learn more about archaeology, and the history of Ontario and its Indigenous People

What can I expect when volunteering as an Education Volunteer at MOA?

The role of an education volunteer can change throughout the year.

In the School year (September to June), Volunteers will have the opportunity to help with the delivery of curriculum-based education programming to students from the London Area and beyond. These programs are interactive and hands-on; students engage with gallery and village tours, as well as craft and activity workshops. Volunteers will be encouraged to work towards delivery of programming components to small groups of 20-25 students.

In the Summer months (July and August), programming shifts from curriculum-based programming to our week-long summer day camps. AT MOA camps, children ages 5-9 play games, make crafts, and learn through activities centred around different themes. Volunteering with our camps is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in teaching at the primary level or early childhood education. It is also an excellent opportunity for secondary students to complete their 40 hours or more!

Many student staff and volunteers from MOA’s education department have gone on to pursue careers in education and museums. Here are some of their experiences in their own words:

• “It gives you an awesome experience of how to “teach” outside the classroom and allows you to interact with people of all ages and especially children of all age ranges, which gives you a well-rounded approach on how to explain and teach to different audiences.”- Ilinca
• “Interpretation is an important part of learning within the museum; having a role in how students interact with the museum, what they learn, and what they take away is incredibly rewarding.” – Rebecca
• “I feel like it’s a great opportunity to explore history, and to teach the next generation why [history is] so important in a unique and interactive way.” – Ashley
• “I volunteer at the MOA because of the people, the environment and the kids. Having worked in a cultural, educational and community-focused workplace, I have learned and developed some key work skills. Teamwork, leadership skills, public speaking, creativity, communication and a workplace mindset, which has strengthened my other work experiences. As a volunteer you can help with tours; such as the Life in a Long House with storytelling and campfire cooked food, make clay pottery, learn about the fur traders of Canada, touch and handle real 1,000-year-old artifacts, dig a simulated dig site and learn about archaeological stratigraphy. […] MOA is an excellent place to become a volunteer where you can be a part of the community while inspiring the next generation in Canada’s history, culture and archaeology.” – Brenna
• “The education program was a great experience, through teaching and giving tours I was able to interact with people of all ages, while learning myself! It enhanced my understanding of First Nations cultures of Canada, especially right here in Ontario historically and contemporary through archeological and anthropological perspectives.” – Nadine

For more information on how to volunteer, contact Katie at learn@archaeologymuseum.ca.

Read more about the benefits of volunteering – Great article from the Werklund School of Education in Calgary:

Educating future Educators through volunteering.