Professional Development Series

For more than twenty years, the National Trust of Australia has been providing outstanding education programs for Victorian primary and secondary students. Throughout this time, we have continued to work closely with educators to ensure that both they and their students get the most from our programs. We are therefore delighted to now offer an ongoing professional development series presenting diverse and innovative themes.

For more information on our Professional Development program, please contact our bookings team via education@nattrust.com.au

 

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Trust Teacher Talks series

Trust Teacher Talks is a fortnightly online professional development series hosted by education experts from The National Trust of Australia (Victoria). The series explores challenging areas within the Victorian Curriculum and pedagogical approaches used to address them. 

Term 3 Program

 

Teaching Cross-Cultural Perspectives to Landscape Change: Polly Woodside
Tuesday 25th July, 4:00 – 4:30 pm

In the first edition of Trust Teacher Talks, we will explore approaches to collaborative First Peoples teaching within and outside the classroom. Using the case study of our new collaborative program developed with the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation at the Polly Woodside, we will discuss topics including starting conversations about collaborative teaching, designing a program, and building different perspectives into teaching practice. The cultural program at Polly Woodside explores the physical and cultural landscape of the Birrarung through different lenses – Wurundjeri connection to Land and Sea Country, European sailing ships of the 1800s, and industrialisation of the landscape along the Birrarung through time.

 

Teaching Difficult Histories through place-based learning: Pentridge Prison
Tuesday 8th August, 4:00 – 4:30 pm

Place-based learning (PBL) is a powerful educational tool which offers students immersive experiences in interesting and, at times confronting, places. Difficult Histories – those histories dealing with oppression, violence and trauma – are ideally suited to this pedagogical approach. Here, we will explore the intersection between PBL and Difficult Histories through the unique case study of Pentridge Prison, Victoria’s primary remand centre for most of the 20th century. With a carefully curated collection of primary source audio and video materials from guards, inmates and lawyers, the experience at Pentridge shares the many truths from within the bluestone walls that remain unchanged, more than a century on.

 

National Science Week Special: Understanding Deep Time Australian stories – archaeological thinking in the science, geography and history classroom
Tuesday 15th August, 4:00 – 4:30 pm

In this special edition of Trust Teacher Talks, we will delve into Deep Time to explore our long Australian story through the multidisciplinary lens of archaeology. Archaeology – the excavation, analysis and interpretation of material culture from the past – plays an integral role in understanding our national story, of which only 0.4% is recorded using written sources. Utilising aspects of both science and humanities disciplines, come and learn how this exciting and engaging field can be used effectively within your classroom.

 

Literary Masterpieces – Picnic at Hanging Rock: Mulberry Hill
Tuesday 22nd August, 4:00 – 4:30 pm

Delve deep into the world of Australian literary icons, and understand the social contexts that inspired the creation of beloved and timeless classics. Through place-based learning, students can discover the world of different authors in a hands-on way. We will explore the case study of National trust property, Mulberry Hill, home to writer Joan Lindsay when she wrote her incredibly influential novel ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’. The property is a perfect example of how a wealth of object-based knowledge can be gathered and interpreted by secondary English and Literature students to understand the why and the how of writing this classic book.

 

Teaching design through time – the National Trust Costume Collection
Tuesday 5th September, 4:00 – 4:30 pm

History can teach us many lessons, even in sustainability and recycling! Bring the past into your design classroom through historic costumes. Discover the materials, techniques and technologies linked to fashion and design in the nineteenth century, engaging students in critical and creative thinking about the evolution of fashion. The National Trust Costume Collection melds the past and present, exploring what garments preserved for over a century teach us about the past, and how they inspire us to recycle and care for the environment through our fashion choices.

 

Sign up below for the series or to view recordings of past sessions.

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Onsite Programs

Pentridge Prison Tours

Place-based learning is a powerful educational tool which offers students immersive experiences in interesting and, at times confronting, places. Join NTV Education staff for a free tour as we explore the intersection between place-based learning and Difficult Histories through the unique case study of Pentridge Prison, Victoria’s primary remand centre for most of the 20th Century. We will investigate the carefully curated collection of primary source audio and video materials from guards, inmates and lawyers, exploring how the Pentridge experience shares many different truths about place and people.

Session cost: FREE
Location: Pentridge Prison Tours, Coburg

Upcoming sessions

  • 27th September 2023
    Time: 10:30 am (B-Division) and 1:30 pm (H-Division)

Register Here

 

Archaeological thinking

The last decade has seen increased national and international support for the inclusion of archaeological thinking within school education. With at least 99.6% of the Australian cultural story occurring before the recording of written histories, archaeology plays an essential role in understanding this record. Despite this and the extent to which knowledge of Deep Time is already embedded within the curriculum, archaeology is rarely included in the classroom.

Australian archaeology is a fun and exciting teaching tool for educators, linked directly to higher-level critical thinking, problem solving and creative-thinking skills. By the very nature of the discipline, it also fosters respect and appreciation for other cultures, both past and contemporary. It can engage students to explore scientific, geographic and historic enquiry in fun and engaging ways, and strengthen connections to local communities.

In this professional development program, teachers will participate in a full day workshop covering both theoretical and practical aspects of archaeological thinking. Taught by experienced archaeologists and teachers, participants will learn about archaeological sites, data, analysis and interpretation. Suitable for both primary and secondary teachers, this multidisciplinary program will support educators across history, geography, and science to introduce archaeological data and interpretations into their classrooms.

This session has been designed to meet AITSL Professional Standards for Teachers in Professional Knowledge (1, 2), Professional Practice (3), and Professional Engagement (6, 7).

Session cost: $150 including lunch
Location: Como House and Gardens, South Yarra

Upcoming sessions

  • Sunday 6th August
  • Sunday 1st October