Museum’s schools program designed with teachers

Late last year, the museum’s public engagement officer Jessica Dowdell invited teachers to contribute to the program, and asked them what they would like included to help engage their students.

Using this feedback, the program has been developed and it focuses on subjects taught from year 1 to year 6.

Orange City Council’s Services Committee Chair Ron Gander said subjects focusing on local history were increasingly popular in the school curriculum so it made sense the museum should engage with local schools by catering to their needs.

“The museum’s program features a variety of workshops including sessions on Mount Canobolas,

Yuranigh, who was an Aboriginal guide to Thomas Mitchell, and individual stories from locals in WWII,” Cr Gander said.

“Those examples are topics which directly link with subjects being studied by kids in year 1 and year 2.”

The museum’s school holiday program featuring Mount Canobolas has already proved popular with 157 children and 60 adults participating over the last two weeks.

During the last weeks, while children have been on school holidays about 3,900 people have been through the door of the museum.

“Kids are loving the museum and we want to make it more accessible to them,” Cr Gander said.

“It’s about hands on education. Kids are far more likely to take in information, learn and develop their own ides if they can get involved, pick up objects and make things for themselves.

“The more interesting ways we can engage with the region’s students, the better.”

Public Engagement and Education Officer Jessica Dowdell said the museum’s program was designed to encourage students to form their own ideas and conclusions about the region’s history.

“If students discover something for themselves they are more likely to hold on to that information,” Ms Dowdell said. “We aim to facilitate their discoveries.”

“For example, the workshop called Who found Gold? encourages students to investigate who should have received credit for finding the first payable gold in Australia.

“That is still debated today.”

For information on the schools program go to http://www.orangemuseum.com.au/learn/schools/