October 15, 2015
South Burnett schools are sharing their “secrets” with a bunch of very special visitors this week.
Eight “teacher educators” from the Indonesian province of Papua have been brought to the South Burnett by the University of the Sunshine Coast as part of an internship they are completing at the uni.
The group are spending a total of nine weeks in Australia as part of a three-year partnership between the Australian and Indonesian governments.
“Teacher educators” are the people who will train future teachers in Papua.
“Currently we are doing a one-week tour around the South Burnett visiting small schools that would be similar to the small schools in Papua,” project co-ordinator Rebecca Kelly said.
“They are seeing how schools in Australia deliver the curriculum.”
The teacher educators arrived in the South Burnett on Sunday night. So far they have visited Goomeri P-10, Proston P-10, Wondai P-9 and Murgon, Cloyna, Wooroolin and Tingoora State schools.
They will visit Kumbia, Crawford, Benarkin and Linville State schools and Yarraman P-9 before heading back to the Sunshine Coast on Friday.
“They have been spending a lot of time with the school principals and teachers, and observing in classrooms,” Ms Kelly said.
USC Government Partnerships For Development teacher / adviser Jeff Hay said the group had been looking at teaching strategies, the ways that students learn and the resources that teachers use in small schools.
“They have been particularly interested in how our schools use teacher aides and the involvement of the community,” he said.
“Also the transparency of budgets, and how our schools manage students with special needs.”
Mr Hay said the group had been warmly welcomed in the South Burnett.
“I can’t emphasise enough how grateful we are to each and every one of these schools,” he said.
“They have been so helpful, and forthcoming with resources.
“The schools of the South Burnett really need to be complimented.”
