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The Frontline Archive
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Storytelling for Interpreters and Rangers: A Unique and Critical Approach
Posted on July 6, 2010 | 7 CommentsInterpreters (including naturalists and rangers) need to be storytellers. The Ranger Interpretation Handbook produced by the International Ranger Federation states that the first of 11 principles of high-quality interpretation is that interpreters must “develop an in-depth knowledge of the natural or cultural protected area that is being interpreted and [apply] that knowledge to build a range of relevant messages/compelling stories.” -
Where Did I Learn That?
Posted on May 26, 2010 | 2 CommentsAs winter drew to a close I took an “active seniors” group on a snowshoe hike. It was the last snowshoe program of the year. We took off our snowshoes, stowed them away for the season, and came into the warmth of the building. -
Becoming an Interpretive Journalist
Posted on May 17, 2010 | No CommentsI am a journalist who hated my journalism classes. Anyone else out there with me? I loved to write, to tell stories, and get people to think. In college, I used to hang out in our campus newspaper office long after hours “just because.” I started volunteering as a writer at a nonprofit organization to get more chances to put words to paper. But I could not stand my writing classes. -
Hands-On Activity Carts: Opportunities for Gallery Interpreters, Trainers, and Visitors at the Chicago History Museum
Posted on April 5, 2010 | 2 CommentsThe nearly $28 million building renovation the Chicago History Museum (CHM) underwent during 2005 and 2006 enabled the museum’s Education and Visitor Services departments to reflect on visitor experiences. -
Sugar and Salt
Posted on January 13, 2010 | No Comments“Can I use this sugar?” I looked up from playing with my son as my mother-in-law poked her head through the dark, wood-framed doorway to the kitchen in my 1925-vintage home. She was holding a handmade stoneware container that had been a gift from my grandmother. -
Connecting People and Parks: The PAIR Model
Posted on November 25, 2009 | 1 CommentAccording to Freeman Tilden’s classic 1957 definition, interpretation is “an educational activity which aims to reveal meanings and relationships through the use of original objects, by firsthand experience, and by illustrative media, rather than simply to communicate factual information.” -
Two Bibson Geefeaters
Posted on September 11, 2009 | 2 CommentsSixteen years ago, I sat in a windowless high school literature classroom digesting the best short stories of American authors. After a thorough examination of all the subtleties of John Updike’s A&P, we turned to the John Cheever short story “Reunion.” -
The Woodland Archives: Interpretive Uses of Arborglyphs
Posted on July 13, 2009 | No CommentsHistorical interpretation calls to mind costly costumes, elaborate demonstrations, and expensive tools and props. However, among the trees exists a form of history that is as simple and inexpensive as a walk in the woods. Arborglyphs are—as the name implies—names, dates, symbols, messages, and designs etched into the bark of a variety of trees, most notably aspens and beeches. -
Slowing Down
Posted on June 26, 2009 | No CommentsI recently went on vacation to Arizona and had the pleasure of the company of my 16-month-old son. He’s been cooped up all winter long, wrapped up in cozy layers of fleece jackets and flannel-lined overalls. Any explorations outside have been short, cold, and mostly about snow. He’d never really had the chance to do any exploring outside, as he was just starting to walk as autumn approached. -
The Art of Walking Storytelling
Posted on March 26, 2009 | 5 CommentsA summer moon shimmers on Lake Superior, but it doesn’t penetrate the foliage of the ancient maples surrounding the old courthouse. A dozen guests are gathered on the dark side of the square, caught in the web of the walking storyteller as she weaves true tales of ghostly encounters, haunted houses, and chilling historic events: “Mary peered up the stairwell of the deserted building, but now she could hear the ghostly footsteps as they passed overhead on the upper floor. In a quivering voice, she asked again, ‘Who’s there?’” Seemingly in response, a dog on the other side of the square howls mournfully, “WooWooWooWoow.”