Professional development

Nature, cities and urban planning, how do our kids connect?

9.15am - 12.30pm Friday, 18th May 2012

It’s on! Again! And we would love to have your input!

Our third mini-seminar investigates how our kids connect to nature in urban places. Together we’ll explore what we know, what works, what we need to change and how we’ll do that.

The Victorian Child and Nature Connection will once again bring key thought leaders and innovators together to share their experience and wisdom with anyone who suspects that kids need more time outside.

In 2008 for the first time in history, there were more people living in cities than in rural or regional places.

This has a profound impact on where our kids grow up and how they perceive nature.

For more information, please contact the Education Office at the Royal Botanic Gardens on 9252 2358, or on edserv@rbg.vic.gov.au

Gardens for Learning and Play

When: 10am - 4pm, Thursday 24 May
Cost: $150
Where: RBG Melbourne

Aim: Participants will gain skills in developing landscapes to support creative learning and thinking processes.

Topics covered will include:

• the role of nature in imaginative play
• plant selection
• sustainable practices
• blending food growing with biodiversity and a garden for play
• horticultural skill building

Gardens for a Changing Climate

When: 10am - 4pm, Friday 25 May
Cost: $150
Where: RBG Cranbourne

Aim: Participants will gain knowledge and develop skills to create a sustainable garden in our changing climate.

Topics covered will include:

• reducing water consumption
• creating habitat for biodiversity
• sustainable garden practices such as mulching and plant selection.
• enhancing your pre-school/ school grounds

Indigenous Education Day

When:  Wednesday, 12 September, 9.30-4.30
Cost:    $50.00
Where: RBG Cranbourne

Aim: Participants will gain knowledge on Kulin culture, information on “Education: Interventions and the Constitution - Indigenous Australians at the Crossroads”, the cross curricula perspectives of the AusVELS and student Indigenous education programs at the RBG.

School Garden Tour and Composting Clinic

When: 10am - 4pm, Semester 2 (date to be confirmed)
Cost: $150

See first hand what schools and kindergartens have achieved through a whole day of on site visits, discussion and a composting clinic. Get a close up of how whole school composting looks; the incorporation of chooks and their runs in a school; garden design and the variety of outdoor classroom spaces and gathering places.

Find out how to integrate community using a garden setting; how to utilize a garden for education purposes; how to see your pre/school grounds as a resource for outdoor learning and give inspiration and ideas on how to enhance it fulfilling your teaching objectives.

Problem Solving for a Sustainable Future

When: Wednesday 7th November
Cost: $150
Venue: RBG Cranbourne

One of the most important skills we can develop in students is the capacity to deal with problems in a constructive and systematic manner.  It is a skill that equips them for dealing with our uncertain and rapidly evolving world.  Problem based learning can be an inclusive teaching tool that engages and challenges students with a broad range of skills and capabilities.

Join staff from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology and Nossal High School in workshopping some problem based learning scenarios that will engage and challenge a broad range of students with diverse ability levels.

Scenarios set in natural environments open up a broad skill set allowing field work and first hand data collection as well as more broadly available secondary sources.  Many of the big issues of our time have their basis in natural systems such as climate change, carbon tax, urban subdivision, food and water security.  Students need to be engaged and active contributors in real world issues that will shape their future experiences.

Scenarios include: Future Cities, Carbon Banking and Master Planning.  We will be collecting Field data in the Australian Garden and in the Conservation Zone at the RBG Cranbourne as well as workshopping PBL as it applies to schools and students.

Food Gardens for Schools & Kinders

When: 10am - 4pm Friday 30 November
Cost: $150
Where: RBG Melbourne

Aim: Participants will look at food growing at school in a new light – look at using food plants to enhance your school grounds through good design; develop ideas on how to share fresh produce with your school community and try some simple recipes that kids will love tasting and sharing.

Topics covered will include:

• hardy, kid-proof edible plants for schools
• garden design for multi-functions
• share some tasty recipes
• cooking without a kitchen