Week 3- Messing About

Destiny Schwab

Each person is different in every way and that includes thought processes and problem-solving. A great way to see this in the museum is to watch people on exhibits before approaching them. For example, when guests approach the mystery tubes program cart they have no idea how the ropes are connected on the inside. They will tug and pull on the ropes before I say anything because it gives me a chance to see if they are making connections between the four outer ropes.

One guest was around the age of four or five and started to explain her idea but was not quite connecting them. I suggested she draw what she was thinking. She grabbed a whiteboard and started to design her idea. It was normal at first yet then I think she got a little marker happy and started drawing blue puddles and tornados on the sides. Come to find out later that the tube was a little wet on the side. She made an observation of water and included it into her planning. This surprised me because the water is a detail I would never have picked up on.

I did not think the drop of water mattered in the process; yet, this was important because it helped the guest to envision her plan. When she moved on to the building step she was able to make the connection from a two-dimensional drawing to the three-dimensional paper tube. She even included a blue mark on the outside for the water.

Improv during a conversation is crucial. Not only does it make the conversation flow it also allows you to be in the moment and really present with the other person. Instead of worrying about what you are going to say next and miss their points you can put your full focus and attention into listening to them.

In the context of facilitating at the MOXI, most, if not all, of the hundreds of people that wonder the museum each day are strangers. They all come in with different ages, experiences, and abilities. Being a spark on the floor means we need to learn to read people and approach them based on how we perceive their background. Maybe they are barely walking so we talk to them about colors at Light Bright. Maybe they have a little one of their own and are curious about the mechanics of Mindball. Maybe they are in a wheelchair and we help them with building a track at Roll It Wall by having them guide us.

The classes of improv made me see how "yes and" is the same as reading peoples background and forming my interaction with them based on that. This usually means shaping wording in open-ended questions based on the guest. You can say yes to their situation and add to that. Affirming that they are a toddler by getting to their level to ask them about colors and numbers is a great example. Also, if at a program cart you use this tactic a lot by not negating any ideas. If a child is trying to work out an explanation the spark can agree and add to it with a question to deepen the critical thinking of the guest but not to lead their thinking.