“A couple of years ago, my colleagues and I went to a camp that was located quite deep in the forest. The navigation and directions were kind of misleading, and we found ourselves in the middle of the forest. It seemed there was no way forward or back. The night before, there had been a storm, the forest was full of deep puddles, so I could already imagine how we were going to stay in the forest with all the tools”, – tells Jūratė Tarasevičiūtė, smiling. She has been creating and conducting educational activities at the Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum for almost eight years.
She was lucky to get away from the depth of the forest and reach the camp, as well as the activities went well. Since then, the museum’s educators joke that they can conduct their activities even in the forest thicket. Full of responsibility and meaning – this is how Jūratė describes her work. She shares her most memorable moments, the challenges that she faces and the behind-the-scenes of being an educator.
A mediator between the museum and the visitor
As Jūratė points out, an educator must not only have an excellent knowledge of the themes and expositions presented at the museum and the museum’s collections, but also be constantly interested in the Lithuanian education system, and be able to apply various teaching methods, depending on the differences of the participant groups and their age. It is equally important to understand the psychology, needs and interests of pupils in order to encourage motivation and arouse interest.
“An educator is a kind of mediator between the museum and the material and spiritual values of culture that it holds or represents and the learning of the participants in the educational activities. Being such a mediator is sometimes challenging, but it also encourages constant improvement. Therefore, being an educator is a very responsible, but at the same time very meaningful job,” emphasises the museum specialist.
Jūratė and her colleagues conduct educational activities both inside and outside the museum. The activities are designed to be interesting for both those who already have some knowledge of history and those who are new to the subject. “It is not necessary to come to the activities at the museum with a good knowledge of the topic, and I often repeat during my activities that it is not necessary to know everything: you are here to learn or deepen your knowledge, so after the activity I always notice the difference between “before and after,“ the knowledge the pupils have acquired and the effort they have made,” she explains happily.
It often happens that pupils return to the museum again after trying an educational activity. According to the interlocutor, this is a very pleasant appreciation of the work.
From curiosity to anger
Pupils are the main participants in the museum’s educational activities. According to Jūratė, the work with them is very dynamic: no two sessions are ever the same, and not only do the participants learn, but the educator also discovers something new.
Kaunas Ninth Fort Memorial Complex is known as a place of historical memory, which encompasses the mass murder and burial site of WWII. How do schoolchildren accept the difficult and painful history? According to the educator, their reaction may depend on a variety of factors: their attitude, the purpose of the visit, their personal experience and the contextual information they receive from their teachers.
The museum’s specialist says that some pupils are interested and curious: if the method of presenting the topic is suitable for them, they ask questions and deepen their knowledge. It happens that they feel uncomfortable and hesitant to express their opinions, fearing that they will be wrong and criticised. “In this case, they should not be forced to answer and express their opinion, nor should they be told categorically that their answer is wrong, and now I (the educator) will tell them the right one, because very often the right answer may not even exist”, the educator encourages the pupils, emphasising that they should feel safe in the educational activity.
It is common for complex historical topics to evoke strong emotions – sadness, anger, shock – in pupils, especially if they can relate to their personal or family experiences. Educator Jūratė points out that such emotions should not be evoked on purpose. Pupils are encouraged to feel empathy in order to be able to reflect on the past events and avoid them in the future.
Another common reaction to difficult topics is boredom or rejection, especially if the topic is too complex or if the pupil does not relate it to his/her life. “It is therefore very important to choose the right educational activity for the right age group and use a variety of teaching methods so that as many pupils as possible can actively participate in the educational activities,” she emphasises.
Growing demand and new audiences
Although the museum’s educational activities are mostly attended by schoolchildren, in recent years there has been a growing demand to adapt them for families and adults. Considering this, some activities have been designed with these audiences in mind.
Jūratė notes that it is sometimes even more difficult to conduct educational activities for adults than for pupils because of different expectations and the methodology that would be interesting. Finding a common theme or method is often not easy. “Thus, the educator needs to be very flexible in order to adapt to the needs of the majority. Some adults participate in educational activities out of curiosity, but they are not as enthusiastic as pupils, so you have to put more effort into engaging them,” explains the educator, sharing her challenges.
Recalling her experience of working with adults, the museum specialist is pleased with the acquaintance she made last year with the students of the Third Age University of Kaunas District. “We went to them for a whole month to conduct various educational activities, and it was uneasy at the beginning, because such an experience is not common. However, it turned out that there was nothing to be afraid of as there was much interest, and the students of the Third Age University were very eager to get involved in the activities”, says Jūratė.
According to her, it is very gratifying when the museum visitors choose to participate in the educational activities, as it demonstrates their willingness to take a deeper interest in the topics presented by the museum.
About people’s experiences
Recently, Jūratė and her colleagues have finished a new educational activity. Its topic is the people who saved Jews in occupied Lithuania during WWII. “When talking about the Holocaust, we often analyse the process itself, its perpetrators and victims, but in my opinion, it is necessary to talk about the process of rescuing the Jews. When teaching about the Holocaust, it is necessary to mention the people and their stories, to show that the Holocaust was not just some statistical data, but a human tragedy and experiences. Their stories help to convey the complexity of the Holocaust, and this way, pupils learn not only new historical facts, but also empathy and responsibility,” claims the museum’s specialist, introducing the latest educational activity.
Jūratė mentions that Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum offers a wide range of educational activities on the Holocaust: about the process itself, its perpetrators and victims. However, in the context of this topic, it is also worth highlighting the efforts to stand up for life and human values. “All these activities are meaningful and necessary, as is the activity on the Jewish rescuers, which helps us to understand that the Holocaust was not only about murder and suffering, but also about resistance and struggle. It was not only a physical struggle for life and survival, but also a struggle for justice, a struggle against atrocities and injustice,” the educator explains.
The new educational activity “Save a Life – Save the World” is aimed at 9-12-formers and adults. It reveals the complexity of the process of rescuing the Jews, which often involved more than one person and could last several years. In this activity, participants learn more about the people involved in the rescue of the Jews: their different professions, backgrounds and ages and the great danger they faced.
Critical thinking, cultural awareness and creativity are evoked by the new educational activity, at the same time stimulating a debate on moral choices and values. “I, therefore, invite not only senior pupils but also adult groups to take part in this activity and learn a lot of new facts,” recommends the museum specialist.
In preparation for this educational activity, the educator has delved deeply into the topic of the Jewish rescuers and their personalities. “I’ve read many interesting and sometimes tragic stories that I will not forget for a long time. However, it is not the tragic nature of this topic that affects me most but the stories as inspiring examples that even in the most horrible and dangerous conditions, there were people who sacrificially fought against cruelty and pursued justice, even when it seemed that all was lost,” explains Jūratė.
Personal stories
Creating each educational activity is a complex process that can last from a few months to a whole year. It involves a wide range of professionals, from a teacher to a designer, and starts with an idea.
“In my experience, I can tell you that there have been times when you feel stuck: you have a good idea but you don’t know how to fulfill it, you know what you want to say but you can’t find the right methods. In this case, it is a good idea to consult with colleagues, to hear other opinions or to look for examples, and sometimes you just have to wait because all the answers will find you. Usually during a sleepless night. It’s just a matter of time and having something to write down your thoughts with”, she smiles.
When asked which of the museum’s educational activities has been the most personally impactful for her, Jūratė hesitates and singles out the activity “Exile: to Survive and Tell the Story”, which introduces the mass deportations of residents of Lithuania that took place during the Soviet occupation. This was one of the first educational activities Jūratė created, but it is close to her heart because of another reason. “It is perhaps more related to my own family history, as my grandparents were deported, so when I created this activity and when I conduct it, I feel a special desire to delve into the topic as much as possible,” the educator reveals her experiences.
She also has the opportunity to share her family’s story when she conducts the educational activities: pupils ask her to do so, sometimes telling her about their relatives’ experience of deportation. Talking about personal connections to painful historical events is necessary, she believes, so that pupils would realise that they are learning about real events and people and would not forget what happened. “Knowing about past events helps them to understand that history has an impact on modern society, and this way they develop civic awareness and responsibility for future events,” stresses the museum’s specialist.
Generalising, Jūratė says that the job of an educator is interesting and multifaced as it includes different activities related to creativity, education, communication and continuous development.
