The historical context of science and education at the American Museum of Natural History

In responding to, The Historical Context of Science and Education at the American Museum of Natural History, I describe the nature of my experiences that has impacted how I view historical images, especially the depictions of people of African descent in subservient roles. Cultural celebrations on a national level of historical events have the potential to be both informative and transformative because history in itself can lead to learned hopelessness. In my deliberation, I note that the museum contains a wealth of cultural and scientific knowledge but unfortunately, it still operates as a place where the dominant culture persists. As the museum seeks to transform its role as an educational resource to complement science teaching, I posit that this museum educator because of her cultural and symbolic capitals is poised to positively impact education among urban populations. Also, as the museum ventures into professional development for teachers, I question the nature of the partnerships being developed, and the teachers' impact on the ideologies espoused by the museum. My suggestion is that to be successful, the experiences provided in these partnerships should not minimize the importance of assessment and accountability measures used to gauge teachers' effectiveness.