> On Wed, 26 Feb 1997, Mary Day Kent wrote:

>
> I cannot believe that museum education is more difficult than classroonm
> work.  Museums have extensive resources and behavior controls that
> classrooms don't.  There is no grading, followup work, dealing with
> student's longterm problems...  Classroom teaching requires state
> certification- there arte no certification requirements for museum
> personnel...  Please justify why museum educators deserve more than other
> types of educators.
>         There goes my shot at a museum education job!

I don't think that it is more difficult, just different.  Yes classroom
teacher's have many of the problems that museum educators have to deal
with.  Museum Educators, however, often have many other jobs.  My job
involves exhibit design and construction, fund raising, weekends & evening
commitments, guest lectures, computer design, etc.; and like any other
museum person your job changes with the task.  Most tours involve over 80
kids at once.  Your audience changes hourly from preschool through adult
education.  (and many have a master's in the field like me)

I honestly don't think that teachers and museum educators can be compared
at all, at least not salary-wise.  Their jobs are very different.  Museum
educators need to be looked in comparison with other museum personnel.