In primary schools, arts teachers usually don't have the same opportunities as generalist teachers to meet with like-minded colleagues who share the same area of expertise. This highlights the need for arts teachers to be able to develop professional networks through which they can share resources and ideas, and collaboratively plan wonderful age-appropriate learning experiences for their students.

 

The Arts Boot Camp, created in response to requests from arts teachers for planning time at the beginning of the school year, is a series of one-day workshops. The workshops are designed to build teacher’s capacity in the planning process of their Arts program rather than focussing on the design of a unit to implement.

 

The workshops will allow teachers to focus on one arts subject per day with an aim to provide teachers with the skills to expand this planning process across all areas of their Arts program. Planning will be based on the Australian curriculum for the Arts and additional resources will be provided to participants.

 

Group and individual support will be provided by QUT arts educators from the areas of Education and Creative Industries who will combine their expertise to contribute professional learning ideas and teaching strategies for participants.

Participants are invited to enthusiastically share ideas, actively respond to learning opportunities, and respectfully engage with facilitators and other participants.

 

On completion of the Arts Boot Camp, teachers will take away collaboratively designed units of work for year levels of their choice together with a collection of supporting resources. For this event, the focus will be on planning and developing professional arts educator networks which can continue beyond the duration of the Arts Boot Camp.