Support for teachers and students

COVID lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 have reminded all of us that classroom teaching is full of challenges. Teachers not only need to thoroughly know all the curriculum areas they teach, they also need to have daily best-practice learning strategies in place for their students.

Knowing the content and how each of their students learn best is a mighty ask, and it can become even more challenging when curriculum or teaching practice is required to change, especially at short notice.

That’s where the Museum’s education team can step in to develop and facilitate programs, and create resources for schools, teachers and students nationwide.

Curriculum changes

A review into the Australian Curriculum is currently underway. Proposed changes include more First Nations perspectives and experiences.

The Museum supports these changes that will better educate students, but also understands that some teachers feel under-equipped to cover First Nations material in depth, as many of us weren’t educated in these areas when we were at school.

The Museum Education team has heard from many teachers in recent years who say they are concerned about ‘getting it wrong’ when educating on First Nations histories and cultures.

The Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) is currently developing a plan to help support teachers with their own cultural knowledge.

How does the Museum help?

The Museum education team delivers interactive professional learning workshops for teachers from around Australia. These workshops focus on ways to integrate First Nations pedagogy, histories and cultures into the classroom for different year levels.

We also deliver curriculum-aligned learning programs to students onsite, through digital excursions and via outreach. Our Museum in the Classroom program brings education staff and hands-on collection into the classroom, while Museum to You is a resource kit local schools can borrow for classroom use.

Along with our interactive programs, the Museum’s new Australia’s Defining Moments Digital Classroom is packed full of free resources – including primary sources, videos, learning modules, games and more – for teachers and students to use.