Not Filling A Bucket, But Lighting (or Kindling) A Fire

(Click here to listen to an audio recording of this post.)

I have been asking for readers to suggest 50 of the things for my list of 100 things to try because I think that we’ll all have more fun that way -- the list will be more diverse, and readers who have been with the blog since the beginning will be a part of it. On the other hand, I know it’s a hard question! How can you, whether you’re a friend I told about my blog or someone who found it online, suggest things for me to do when you don’t know what I’ve done, or what I want to do? The short answer to that is “try me.” I’m open to all kinds of suggestions, especially ones that fit what I described in this post.


The long answer is, suggest things to me that you think everyone should try, things you’re not sure you want to try but would love reading about, or things that might help me grow in one of the following areas.


Areas I am strong in and want to keep working at: 

• Explaining complex ideas in writing 
• Giving how-to instruction in writing 
• Understanding best practices and cool new techniques for museum exhibits and programs 
• Writing that is both clear and evocative 
• Historical research methods 
• Presenting information to people who have a variety of backgrounds 

Areas I have a basic (“101” or 200-level) understanding of, but where I want to advance my understanding, get better at applications, or keep up with current ideas: 

• Writing succinctly 
• Understanding what inspires or stirs me, and what inspires or stirs others 
• American history -- okay, I have more than an introductory-level understanding, but there’s always more to learn! 
• How to help museums (more than just the one where I work) thrive and serve their communities 
• Community organizing, in the broadest sense 
• Ways that non-professionals can engage with history 
• Understand how museums fit into their communities, as seen by people outside of the museum field 
• American Queer history, women’s history, and disability history 
• Constructivist education theory -- basically, learning in context, using problem solving

Areas I want to prioritize getting 101 in (the list of areas I’d like to learn about but aren’t a high priority is very long!): 

• What makes my community tick (Boston, greater Boston, my neighborhood in Medford) 
• Sociology, both in theory and in practice 
• Anthropology, both in theory and in practice 
• American subcultures other than my own 
• More educational theory and techniques 
• Late 20th century race, class and gender history -- much of my knowledge gets a lot shallower around mid-century

Areas where I want to learn about more diverse perspectives:

• All of the above!

Kolb's Model for Experiential Learning