9 July 2015

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is partnering with La Trobe University’s School of Education to deliver an intensive arts in education program to 140 pre-service teachers next week on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 July 2015.

140 student teachers from around the state and beyond currently enrolled in Shepparton's Middle Years teaching program known as the Graduate Diploma in Education (Middle Years) will be introduced to new learning contexts that highlight the importance of introducing and engaging students in the visual arts and museum education to support both single discipline and multidisciplinary approaches to learning in Years 5 to 10.

SAM visual arts educator Rhonda Chrisanthou and Guthrie Street Primary School teacher Suzy Turton have designed presentations and activities that aim to clarify the role of informal learning in settings like SAM and to demonstrate the importance of partnerships in providing access to the arts as well as opportunities in experiential and applied learning.

Ms Chrisanthou said:

SAM's education programs have long provided a range of opportunities and resources to local and regional schools to participate in learning about Australian art and ceramics. In more recent years, exhibition and public programs featuring contemporary art have provided a range of challenges and opportunities to re-think the nature and purpose of the visual arts in our everyday lives. In particular, the role of the arts in enabling creative and critical thinking as well as aesthetic knowledge and skills based learning.

SAM is delivering three, two hour sessions to teachers on Monday 13 July at 10am, 1pm and on Tuesday 14 July at 10am. Presentations will include a workshop activity and museum tours through SAM's permanent collection and current major exhibition Greg Creek: The Desktop Drawings.

Shepparton Art Museum is proudly provided by Greater Shepparton City Council, located at 70 Welsford Street, Shepparton. For general SAM enquiries and bookings please contact: (03) 5832 9861, email art.museum@shepparton.vic.gov.au, or visit www.sheppartonartmuseum.com.au for more information.