Teacher Development at the Central Museum

Southend Museum has always been a popular destination for visiting school groups, but in June the Museum also become the venue for a group of trainee teachers.

The session, part of the Graduate Teacher Training Programme organised by Southend Teacher Training Partnership, examined the benefits and logistics of school visits, and also 'learning beyond the whiteboard' - using real things to bring teaching alive.

The teachers undertook sessions covering the use of historical artefacts to develop the teaching of history, such as those provided by the Museums school loan service. Using real objects is a great way of connecting pupils with the past, as we at the museum know well from our own experiences.

We also demonstrated to the trainees ways to extend the teaching of astronomy and space, both through in-class demonstrations and by organising visits to faculties such as our own popular Planetarium.

Trainees also learnt about the use of mini-beasts in the classroom - how to keep them and use them to enhance children's understanding of living things, food webs, and more.

Children are fascinated by creepy-crawlies, and the trainee teachers themselves seemed intrigued as the braver ones handled the insects un the watchful eye of museum entomologist Roger Payne.

The trainees certainly had a memorable day, taking away many exciting new ways to add even more to their teaching skills...