As the Teaching Assistant Intern, or “Chelsea’s Intern” as I became known around the office, my job was to assist in the Summer Internship Program for 16 diverse teens from Milwaukee. I would help to teach small lessons, participate in art studies, and engage in the teaching and learning experience at the Milwaukee Art Museum. The job description, though straight to the point, did not include that I would become so connected with “the teens”, my superiors, and the museum. While working at the museum, I not only obtained valuable teaching experiences, but I became familiarized with the everyday trials and successes of working in a non-traditional teaching environment. I was also given the opportunity to create my own lesson plan and guide a small group of teens in creating their own blog posts for the Milwaukee Art Museum’s blog site!

Even though I was able to contribute a lot of my time and effort into this program, I truly gained so much from my internship and was fortunate enough to take away much more than how to unjam paper in a copy machine. As an intern, I was able grasp a greater knowledge of art as not only something that is aesthetically engaging but as a medium that is a form of expression, a way of communication, and an educational asset to the teaching and learning experience.
During the course of the internship, the group of high school interns visited the 30 Americans exhibition, which includes works of contemporary art that addresses many issues such as race, gender, sexuality, politics, history, and so much more. On the many visits to the exhibition, the group and I always took away something that we hadn’t seen or thought about before. As an educator, I will be placed in culturally diverse classrooms, so being able to connect and share ideas within the program was a great way to prepare and familiarize myself with differing opinions and ways of learning.

Not many know this, but working in museums offer an array of careers that include not only art but also history, science, math, and of course educating. My boss, Chelsea Kelly, is the Museum’s Manager of Digital Learning. She teaches teen programs that revolve around all types of media and she also works on educational technology projects. While working under her supervision, I was able to receive awesome feedback about my ideas for teaching the blog lesson for my teens. While sharing my progress about my lesson, she told me that no matter how much effort a teacher puts into a lesson plan, it is crucial that educators understand that lessons more than often change or adapt to the needs of the student while always working toward the main objective. That is something that I’ll carry with me throughout my years as a teacher.
Emerald Summers was the summer 2013 Teaching Assistant Intern for Digital Learning and Teen Programs at the Milwaukee Art Museum.
One reply on “Intern Voice: My Experience as a Milwaukee Art Museum Intern”
I’m so very privileged to have Emerald as a dear friend, and I thank MAM for providing her with this opportunity for her not only her own growth, but the opportunity to grow with teens in Milwaukee!! Go Emerald and go MAM!!