Abstract:
This paper examines how tertiary teacher educators interpret formal curriculum imperatives for both pre-service teachers and in primary and secondary classrooms alongside experienced teachers interested in enacting curriculum change. Ewing and Stinson, both in management roles for arts and education pre-service teachers, explore the responsibilities and challenges they face in preparing pre-service teachers as they enter the complex world of teaching while working with experienced teachers coping with new curricula expectations. Ewing's research explores how the Arts can be conceptualised as critical, quality pedagogy across the primary curriculum to help preservice and experienced teachers rediscover their own creativity, renew their own understanding of Arts disciplines and understand this potential for rich authentic and imaginative integration in the classroom. She will use two current projects The School Drama Program undertaken since 2009 in partnership with Sydney Theatre Company and The Sydney Story Factory as illustrative of the provision of professional learning in the Arts for both pre-service and experienced teachers. Stinson's Pedagogy of Hope reminds us of the need to work with a sense of hopefulness in changing and chaotic times. She draws on Freire's critical hope and Manu Kapur's productive failure to consider drama-based pedagogy as a means of moving beyond prescriptive learning. Both presenters will draw attention to the potential to address the creative and critical cross curricular priorities through the Arts.