The following piece was recently circulated at the annual American Association of Museum’s annual conference in Denver. The text is an adaptation of a work by Pamela Redmond Satran, although it’s typically erroneously attributed to Maya Angelou. Authorship questions aside, I love the sentiments it expresses. If you’d like to read Satran’s original work, go here.
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
that magic combination of toughness and kindness
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
lots of storage space and even more restricted endowment
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
Something perfect to wear if the donor of your dreams shows up OR a group of pre-schoolers is suddenly arriving in an hour
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
the opportunity (early on) to experiment and try things out as if no one else is watching
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
mistakes important enough that you’re looking forward to sharing them in your old age…
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
Construction paper, glue, pipe cleaners and a tolerance for glitter…
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
an unwavering belief that museums change people’s lives and that what you do matters – even if you do it with pipe cleaners
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
a friend who always makes you laugh…one who lets you cry…and one who makes you listen
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
the good sense to pay attention and know what to copy
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
time to be with real visitors and gallery activities that make your audience feel smart
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
an extra extension cord, access to turning off audio in galleries, and a key to the janitor’s closet
A MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD HAVE…
a thick skin, a kind heart, the patience of Job, and a lack of long term memory
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
how to dedicate yourself to a job without losing yourself to it
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
how to say “no” – and mean it…and how to say “yes” and do it
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
how to quite a job, disagree with a colleague, and confront a collaborator without ruining the relationship
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
when to try harder…and WHEN TO WALK AWAY
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
good questions are more important that good answers
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
…how to see yourself through the eyes of others – but not necessarily to believe what they see
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
what you will and will not do on principle
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
whom you can trust, whom you can’t, and why you shouldn’t take it personally…
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
where to go…be it into the arms of a friend or lover…or to the gym…when your soul needs soothing and your resolve needs strengthening…
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
what you can and can’t accomplish in a day…a month…and a year…
EVERY MUSEUM EDUCATOR SHOULD KNOW…
there is no solution, so seek lovingly…
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