Museum Education Anthology, 1973-1983 by Susan K Nichols

Author:Susan K Nichols [Nichols, Susan K]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781598740776
Google: 67RMAAAAYAAJ
Goodreads: 4210815
Publisher: Left Coast Press
Published: 1984-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Toward Building a Profession

An Educator Prepares

Linda Sweet

Museum education has changed fundamentally in the last 14 years and no longer do new or aspiring museum educators have to reinvent the wheel or learn their skills on their own. Programming in museums across the country is solid, often ingenious and geared to the interests and needs of various constituencies. Special exhibitions are accessible on many levels through interpretive techniques that are versatile and imaginative. The training programs that have been developed are respected and their graduates are sought after for positions.

When I started as an instructor at the Brooklyn Museum in 1970, I knew little about museums and less about teaching in museums. Although I had had prior teaching experience, initially lecturing to adult groups in a commercial gallery and then as an adjunct instructor at a local college, teaching was not a career for which I had prepared. But I did have a natural aptitude for it and I did realize that teaching with real objects was significantly more stimulating than teaching from slides. I learned later that museum education had a history and a small body of literature and that there were many dedicated individuals who had worked hard and long over the years to establish admirable programs. In 1970 however it was difficult, even impossible, for the new museum educator to learn much about their colleagues and their efforts.

I became a museum educator by observing other equally new museum educators; by visiting every museum I could, often on my own time; by collecting flyers, brochures and whatever written material I could find; by attending workshops, seminars and programs, none of which had direct application to my work; by taking courses in education and art education always at my own expense; by starting the Museum Education Forum in 1972 in New York City and by calling for the formation of the American Association of Museums Education Committee in 1973. It was a time of action and idealism, of optimism and expansion that allowed me and my colleagues seemingly unlimited opportunities to be creative.

Today some of the obstacles faced in 1970 remain, while some of the problems are new. In most museums, the permanent collections are still only minimally labeled and the opportunities for the individual visitor to learn on his or her own are sorely limited. In addition, activities initiated by the marketing and public affairs departments at time overshadow those of the education department. As a result, the education of the museum educator and the scope and role of the museum education department must continue to evolve. Professionalization is still at an early stage. Computer technology, advances in communication, and insights into informal education must be studied, absorbed and utilized. The body of knowledge relating specifically to education in museums must continue to grow. Most importantly, museum educators must recognize that they can take a dual role. Not only must they educate the visitors, but also they must recognize their unique position to educate and be useful to other museum staff as well.

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