Name: Christine Witkowski
Current Position: Interpretive Naturalist at Dinosaur State Park, Rocky Hill, CT
How long have you been with Connecticut State Parks and in what capacity?
Since June 2007 as an Interpretive Naturalist.
How did you become involved in working as an Interpretive Naturalist?
Growing up, my parent took us camping and hiking in state parks throughout New England every summer. I can still clearly remember some of the naturalist programs we participated in during our visits.
Through those experiences, I learned to love the outdoors and became curious to learn about everything I saw around me. I studied biology in college and then studied geology in graduate school. After several years of college teaching, I starting volunteering at Dinosaur State Park and when the naturalist position opened up, I was excited to become involved in educating a wide range of ages.
Describe a typical day at your job.
(If there is no such thing as a typical day, then please tell us about your primary responsibilities and duties.)
My day often starts by taking care of the animals - we have hissing cockroaches, a tree frog, and bearded dragons - but on many days we have a seasonal naturalist or volunteer taking care of the animals. I do a wide variety of educational programs - an animal demonstration, geology and fossil programs, "Track Talks" in which I show and talk about the dinosaur trackway at our park, "Touch Cart" where I display things like fossils, rocks and minerals for people to touch and ask questions, and nature walks on our trails.
We have longer programs for school groups who visit throughout the year, and workshops for teachers. I also develop new educational materials for displays and programs and try to keep up with the latest research relating to geology and dinosaurs. My day can also include welcoming visitors at the register, starting films, cleaning out the cockroach tank, ordering crickets, and supervising seasonal naturalists. No two days are alike!
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
35 hours.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I most enjoy the variety in my job. We have visitors of all ages and backgrounds and we offer many different kinds of educational programs. I learn something new every day.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
There simply isn't enough time (or resources) to do all that I would like to do with exhibits and educational programs. Most of the time interacting with the public is very rewarding, but it can be frustrating to encounter those who clearly don't appreciate or respect what they are seeing. On the other hand, this presents a challenge to figure out a way to reach those people, too.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
Having a varied background really helps. In my case, education in both biology and geology helps me understand and teach a wider variety of subjects and how they relate to each other. It is very important to gain experience in teaching and interacting with the public. You need to be able to communicate well, both speaking and writing, and be creative.
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
I wish that I had a bit more experience with younger kids - I previously taught mostly adults in college. I find it challenging to figure out how to explain things at the right level, and manage typical kid behaviors that are distracting in a group program. More experience supervising others would have helped too, because we have many volunteers and seasonal naturalists involved in park programs.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
We recently obtained two bearded dragons to use in educational programs. It has been very interesting learning about how to care for them properly, observing their behaviors, and developing educational materials for display. I have also worked on developing some touch quizzes - for example, collections of minerals and rocks that visitors identify and place in the correct boxes. In order to identify them, they must read the description and handle each sample. I revised the descriptions several times based on observing visitors attempting the quiz. It was a challenge to get the wording really clear for younger kids (ages 6 and up) but still make it interesting for the adults, too. In the end it is very satisfying to see people enjoying and learning from the finished product.
If someone were interested in working as an Interpretive Naturalist at a state park, what advice could you give them?
Start by volunteering. State parks can always use the help and you will gain valuable experience. Get comfortable speaking in public and teaching. Take every opportunity to learn about the natural world around you. More than just a college degree, you need to get outside and really experience your environment. Take along a field guide and start identifying what you see.
Please share any further thoughts you may have about working in the state park system:
It is very gratifying to find myself working in the same setting that was such a big part of my childhood, knowing that I might be helping the next generation appreciate the natural world around them.
Current Position: Interpretive Naturalist at Dinosaur State Park, Rocky Hill, CT
How long have you been with Connecticut State Parks and in what capacity?
Since June 2007 as an Interpretive Naturalist.
How did you become involved in working as an Interpretive Naturalist?
Growing up, my parent took us camping and hiking in state parks throughout New England every summer. I can still clearly remember some of the naturalist programs we participated in during our visits. Through those experiences, I learned to love the outdoors and became curious to learn about everything I saw around me. I studied biology in college and then studied geology in graduate school. After several years of college teaching, I starting volunteering at Dinosaur State Park and when the naturalist position opened up, I was excited to become involved in educating a wide range of ages.
Describe a typical day at your job.
(If there is no such thing as a typical day, then please tell us about your primary responsibilities and duties.)
My day often starts by taking care of the animals - we have hissing cockroaches, a tree frog, and bearded dragons - but on many days we have a seasonal naturalist or volunteer taking care of the animals. I do a wide variety of educational programs - an animal demonstration, geology and fossil programs, "Track Talks" in which I show and talk about the dinosaur trackway at our park, "Touch Cart" where I display things like fossils, rocks and minerals for people to touch and ask questions, and nature walks on our trails. We have longer programs for school groups who visit throughout the year, and workshops for teachers. I also develop new educational materials for displays and programs and try to keep up with the latest research relating to geology and dinosaurs. My day can also include welcoming visitors at the register, starting films, cleaning out the cockroach tank, ordering crickets, and supervising seasonal naturalists. No two days are alike!
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
35 hours.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I most enjoy the variety in my job. We have visitors of all ages and backgrounds and we offer many different kinds of educational programs. I learn something new every day.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
There simply isn't enough time (or resources) to do all that I would like to do with exhibits and educational programs. Most of the time interacting with the public is very rewarding, but it can be frustrating to encounter those who clearly don't appreciate or respect what they are seeing. On the other hand, this presents a challenge to figure out a way to reach those people, too.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
Having a varied background really helps. In my case, education in both biology and geology helps me understand and teach a wider variety of subjects and how they relate to each other. It is very important to gain experience in teaching and interacting with the public. You need to be able to communicate well, both speaking and writing, and be creative.
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
I wish that I had a bit more experience with younger kids - I previously taught mostly adults in college. I find it challenging to figure out how to explain things at the right level, and manage typical kid behaviors that are distracting in a group program. More experience supervising others would have helped too, because we have many volunteers and seasonal naturalists involved in park programs.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
We recently obtained two bearded dragons to use in educational programs. It has been very interesting learning about how to care for them properly, observing their behaviors, and developing educational materials for display. I have also worked on developing some touch quizzes - for example, collections of minerals and rocks that visitors identify and place in the correct boxes. In order to identify them, they must read the description and handle each sample. I revised the descriptions several times based on observing visitors attempting the quiz. It was a challenge to get the wording really clear for younger kids (ages 6 and up) but still make it interesting for the adults, too. In the end it is very satisfying to see people enjoying and learning from the finished product.
If someone were interested in working as an Interpretive Naturalist at a state park, what advice could you give them?
Start by volunteering. State parks can always use the help and you will gain valuable experience. Get comfortable speaking in public and teaching. Take every opportunity to learn about the natural world around you. More than just a college degree, you need to get outside and really experience your environment. Take along a field guide and start identifying what you see.
Please share any further thoughts you may have about working in the state park system:
It is very gratifying to find myself working in the same setting that was such a big part of my childhood, knowing that I might be helping the next generation appreciate the natural world around them.
Current Position: Interpretive Naturalist at Dinosaur State Park, Rocky Hill, CT
How long have you been with Connecticut State Parks and in what capacity?
Since June 2007 as an Interpretive Naturalist.
How did you become involved in working as an Interpretive Naturalist?
Growing up, my parent took us camping and hiking in state parks throughout New England every summer. I can still clearly remember some of the naturalist programs we participated in during our visits.
Through those experiences, I learned to love the outdoors and became curious to learn about everything I saw around me. I studied biology in college and then studied geology in graduate school. After several years of college teaching, I starting volunteering at Dinosaur State Park and when the naturalist position opened up, I was excited to become involved in educating a wide range of ages.
Describe a typical day at your job.
(If there is no such thing as a typical day, then please tell us about your primary responsibilities and duties.)
My day often starts by taking care of the animals - we have hissing cockroaches, a tree frog, and bearded dragons - but on many days we have a seasonal naturalist or volunteer taking care of the animals. I do a wide variety of educational programs - an animal demonstration, geology and fossil programs, "Track Talks" in which I show and talk about the dinosaur trackway at our park, "Touch Cart" where I display things like fossils, rocks and minerals for people to touch and ask questions, and nature walks on our trails.
We have longer programs for school groups who visit throughout the year, and workshops for teachers. I also develop new educational materials for displays and programs and try to keep up with the latest research relating to geology and dinosaurs. My day can also include welcoming visitors at the register, starting films, cleaning out the cockroach tank, ordering crickets, and supervising seasonal naturalists. No two days are alike!
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
35 hours.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I most enjoy the variety in my job. We have visitors of all ages and backgrounds and we offer many different kinds of educational programs. I learn something new every day.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
There simply isn't enough time (or resources) to do all that I would like to do with exhibits and educational programs. Most of the time interacting with the public is very rewarding, but it can be frustrating to encounter those who clearly don't appreciate or respect what they are seeing. On the other hand, this presents a challenge to figure out a way to reach those people, too.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
Having a varied background really helps. In my case, education in both biology and geology helps me understand and teach a wider variety of subjects and how they relate to each other. It is very important to gain experience in teaching and interacting with the public. You need to be able to communicate well, both speaking and writing, and be creative.
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
I wish that I had a bit more experience with younger kids - I previously taught mostly adults in college. I find it challenging to figure out how to explain things at the right level, and manage typical kid behaviors that are distracting in a group program. More experience supervising others would have helped too, because we have many volunteers and seasonal naturalists involved in park programs.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
We recently obtained two bearded dragons to use in educational programs. It has been very interesting learning about how to care for them properly, observing their behaviors, and developing educational materials for display. I have also worked on developing some touch quizzes - for example, collections of minerals and rocks that visitors identify and place in the correct boxes. In order to identify them, they must read the description and handle each sample. I revised the descriptions several times based on observing visitors attempting the quiz. It was a challenge to get the wording really clear for younger kids (ages 6 and up) but still make it interesting for the adults, too. In the end it is very satisfying to see people enjoying and learning from the finished product.
If someone were interested in working as an Interpretive Naturalist at a state park, what advice could you give them?
Start by volunteering. State parks can always use the help and you will gain valuable experience. Get comfortable speaking in public and teaching. Take every opportunity to learn about the natural world around you. More than just a college degree, you need to get outside and really experience your environment. Take along a field guide and start identifying what you see.
Please share any further thoughts you may have about working in the state park system:
It is very gratifying to find myself working in the same setting that was such a big part of my childhood, knowing that I might be helping the next generation appreciate the natural world around them.
<< See other Connecticut interviews -- Search by state -- Search by job title>>Interview with an Interpretive Naturalist Name: Christine Witkowski
Current Position: Interpretive Naturalist at Dinosaur State Park, Rocky Hill, CT
How long have you been with Connecticut State Parks and in what capacity?
Since June 2007 as an Interpretive Naturalist.
How did you become involved in working as an Interpretive Naturalist?
Growing up, my parent took us camping and hiking in state parks throughout New England every summer. I can still clearly remember some of the naturalist programs we participated in during our visits. Through those experiences, I learned to love the outdoors and became curious to learn about everything I saw around me. I studied biology in college and then studied geology in graduate school. After several years of college teaching, I starting volunteering at Dinosaur State Park and when the naturalist position opened up, I was excited to become involved in educating a wide range of ages.
Describe a typical day at your job.
(If there is no such thing as a typical day, then please tell us about your primary responsibilities and duties.)
My day often starts by taking care of the animals - we have hissing cockroaches, a tree frog, and bearded dragons - but on many days we have a seasonal naturalist or volunteer taking care of the animals. I do a wide variety of educational programs - an animal demonstration, geology and fossil programs, "Track Talks" in which I show and talk about the dinosaur trackway at our park, "Touch Cart" where I display things like fossils, rocks and minerals for people to touch and ask questions, and nature walks on our trails. We have longer programs for school groups who visit throughout the year, and workshops for teachers. I also develop new educational materials for displays and programs and try to keep up with the latest research relating to geology and dinosaurs. My day can also include welcoming visitors at the register, starting films, cleaning out the cockroach tank, ordering crickets, and supervising seasonal naturalists. No two days are alike!
How many hours a week do you work in this position?
35 hours.
What aspects of your job do you enjoy the most?
I most enjoy the variety in my job. We have visitors of all ages and backgrounds and we offer many different kinds of educational programs. I learn something new every day.
What do you find to be the greatest challenges of your job?
There simply isn't enough time (or resources) to do all that I would like to do with exhibits and educational programs. Most of the time interacting with the public is very rewarding, but it can be frustrating to encounter those who clearly don't appreciate or respect what they are seeing. On the other hand, this presents a challenge to figure out a way to reach those people, too.
What kind of training/schooling is required in your position?
Having a varied background really helps. In my case, education in both biology and geology helps me understand and teach a wider variety of subjects and how they relate to each other. It is very important to gain experience in teaching and interacting with the public. You need to be able to communicate well, both speaking and writing, and be creative.
Is there any kind of training or general experience that you wish you had before taking your job?
I wish that I had a bit more experience with younger kids - I previously taught mostly adults in college. I find it challenging to figure out how to explain things at the right level, and manage typical kid behaviors that are distracting in a group program. More experience supervising others would have helped too, because we have many volunteers and seasonal naturalists involved in park programs.
What are a few of the projects that you've been working on recently that have been the most interesting?
We recently obtained two bearded dragons to use in educational programs. It has been very interesting learning about how to care for them properly, observing their behaviors, and developing educational materials for display. I have also worked on developing some touch quizzes - for example, collections of minerals and rocks that visitors identify and place in the correct boxes. In order to identify them, they must read the description and handle each sample. I revised the descriptions several times based on observing visitors attempting the quiz. It was a challenge to get the wording really clear for younger kids (ages 6 and up) but still make it interesting for the adults, too. In the end it is very satisfying to see people enjoying and learning from the finished product.
If someone were interested in working as an Interpretive Naturalist at a state park, what advice could you give them?
Start by volunteering. State parks can always use the help and you will gain valuable experience. Get comfortable speaking in public and teaching. Take every opportunity to learn about the natural world around you. More than just a college degree, you need to get outside and really experience your environment. Take along a field guide and start identifying what you see.
Please share any further thoughts you may have about working in the state park system:
It is very gratifying to find myself working in the same setting that was such a big part of my childhood, knowing that I might be helping the next generation appreciate the natural world around them.
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