Brief
Nine high school teachers of Food Studies and Agriculture are learning cheese making to teach their students how simple it is!
A two day state–wide professional learning opportunity has been facilitated by two prominent professional teacher associations, the HOME ECONOMICS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA (HEIA) TASMANIA DIVISION and the TASMANIAN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION NETWORK (TAEN) in Hobart at New Town High School on Thursday 19th and Friday 20th July.
Master Cheesemaker, Graham Redhead from Brisbane is leading the technical aspects of the Cheesemaking. New Town High School Food Studies teacher, Karen Weitnauer is hosting the workshop. Curriculum Writer, Toni Gray has prepared a workshop booklet which outlines cheese making basics, recipes and demonstrates links to the Australian Curriculum. This booklet will assist teachers to understand the relevant process and manufacture in cheese making, plan classroom sessions and share their knowledge with senior students in Food Specialisations or Food and Fibre production.
Background:
Schools in Tasmania are adopting the Australian Curriculum in Design and Technologies. Home Economics/Food Technology teachers along with their counterparts in the Agricultural Education field will be implementing this new curriculum. The areas of study are known as Food and Fibre production (Kinder – Year 8) or Food Specialisations (Year 9 – 12). In these courses students will learn where food comes from, how it is grown and prepared. High school students learn about processes and production methods and how variables can impact change. They weigh up sustainability and environmental concerns along with those of economics and business. Many schools have gardens or raise animals and learning about different production methods is an important aspect of agricultural education.
Tasmania is well placed to follow the “field-to-fork” journey with our unique dairy foods and fresh, local produce. In this two-day workshop teachers will make three cheeses that can be taught in a Food Studies classroom environment. This professional opportunity can provide schools with real life curriculum connections focussing on using local produce, discussing sustainability as well as developing entrepreneurial knowledge and skills.
Participants in the two day workshop will use local grains milled as flour and create a pizza topped with fresh or in season ingredients including the cheeses made in the workshop.
Schools involved in the PL include Circular Head Christian School, Campbell Town, St Brendan Shaw College, St Virgil’s College, Mountain Heights High, Claremont College, The Friends School and New Town High.
Karen Weitnauer, Vice-President of HEIA TASMANIA