Education Programs
The Incinerator Gallery provides a stimulating range of inquiry-based education programs for students and educators at all levels. Programs are designed to complement the Gallery’s exhibitions, architecture, local history and surroundings. Each Program is based on Victorian Curriculum and VCE requirements to foster a deeper appreciation of art through critical and creative thinking.
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For Students
The Gallery offers a range of free Student Programs suitable for kindergarten through primary, secondary and VCE year levels. Programs run for 45 to 60 minutes, and are adapted to suit different year levels, curriculums and student needs.
Free education tours are available from Tuesday to Friday during exhibition seasons, at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm. See the Exhibitions program for dates.
Browse our available Student Programs below and click here to make a booking request.
Note: Bookings are essential for all programs. Online booking requests are not final until you have received a confirmation email. Your confirmation email will include all of the information you will need to know about your excursion.
For Teachers
The Incinerator Gallery offers art, design and literacy professional learning opportunities for teachers, specialising in Visual Thinking Strategies training for teachers who wish to implement this pedagogy in their classrooms. Programs are curriculum linked, meet the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) requirements for professional practice and Professional Standards for Teachers as set out by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Limited (AITSL).
View our upcoming Teacher Programs below.
Want to know more? Contact Christine by email CHealey@mvcc.vic.gov.au or call 03 8325 1740 to learn more about our education programs.
K-10 School Programs
Take a tour through the Incinerator’s galleries, exploring the themes, ideas, materials and techniques featured in exhibitions. Be challenged to wonder about and discuss works made by contemporary artists. General exhibition tours are available, as well as the programs listed below and can be tailored to the particular needs of a class.
What is Art? Excursion
Our response to art is informed by the ways artists apply techniques, materials, processes and technologies, and the way it is displayed. It is also reliant on what the viewer brings to the experience. This guided inquiry assists students to carefully examine artists’ use of colour, texture, shape, material, scale to form considered judgements. This program may include a Visual Thinking Strategies conversation.
Recommended for Early to Middle Years, EAL students and those new to gallery spaces
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Community, Change and Creativity: Excursion
Explore the history of the Incinerator Gallery and its significance to the local community and history. Learn how residents campaigned to find a solution to increasing amounts of waste as populations increased. Consider how architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahoney believed that art and architecture could inspire communities and create change for the betterment of society.
Recommended for Foundation to Middle Years levels
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Exhibition Viewpoints: Excursion
Designed to complement the Incinerator Gallery exhibition program this tour encourages students to investigate and critique exhibitions. Students view artworks to ask and answer questions that explore the artists’ intended meanings. Students consider the interests and concerns of artists and viewers regarding time, place, philosophies and ideologies, critical theories, institutions and psychology that are relevant to the works.
Recommended for Middle Years students
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Looking to Write: Excursion
Students begin by looking closely at an artwork or architectural element. They will be asked to describe it by writing down what they notice; colour, shape, tone, mood, or to speculate an idea about it. Students may be invited to consider how the artwork relates to their own life experiences and prior knowledge. They will share their observations and continue with a range of written activities to build on these responses to consider art as inspiration for writing.
Recommended for Middle Years to VCE students
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Art Chat: Incursion
Moonee Valley schools can invite our Gallery Educator to your kinder or school to have a conversation with students about art utilising the Visual Thinking Strategies pedagogy. Children will be asked to wonder about and discuss artworks in a supportive environment. They will model sharing information and justifications, listening to alternative opinions and consider the ideas of others in their own thinking.
Email Christine CHealey@mvcc.vic.gov.au to enquire about this program.
Art Chat is a standalone program or can complement our Gallery tours, helping to prepare children for the experience of being in an art gallery.
Recommended for Moonee Valley Kinder to Year 4 students
VCE School Excursions
The VCE Study Design for Studio Arts states “it is essential that students be provided with experiences where they can directly engage with artworks in the context of the environment in which they are presented.” The Incinerator Gallery can provide an educator to provide teachers with support in the following areas.
Studio Art: Ideas and Styles in Artwork
Students analyse contemporary artworks in the gallery setting, discussing how art elements and principles can be used to communicate artists’ ideas, and to create aesthetic qualities and styles. Students discuss issues around appropriation and copyright. They are encouraged to participate in discussions that will challenge them to slow down their looking at art to justify their ideas about particular works.
This program addresses key knowledge required for VCE Studio Arts Unit 2 Area of Study 2
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Studio Art: Industry Contexts
Students consider the preparation and presentation of artworks in the Incinerator Gallery exhibition spaces. They will be provided with information regarding staff roles, curatorial processes and methods employed in the display of artworks. Students will learn about how, as a public gallery, exhibition design, education, community engagement and promotional methods are developed and implemented.
This program addresses key knowledge required for VCE Studio Arts Unit 4 Outcome 3
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Teacher Programs
Staff Room Introduction to Visual Thinking Strategies
Moonee Valley schools can invite the Incinerator Gallery educator to attend their team meeting or professional development day to participate in a Visual Thinking Strategies demonstration and debrief.
Suitable for groups of 8 to 15 teachers.
Duration: 45 minutes
This program is free.
Bookings essential.
Email Christine CHealey@mvcc.vic.gov.au to enquire about this program.
Tailored Teacher Professional Development
Schools wanting to use the Gallery studio as a full or half-day venue or provide customised professional learning for their teachers should contact Gallery educator Christine Healey to arrange guest speakers and activities that meet your individual needs.
Visual Thinking Strategies Look Club
11am – 12.30pm, Friday 25 January, 2019
Have you ever wondered what it was like to be part of a VTS conversation?
Or do you just want to experience an exploration into an artwork with a group?
Led by an experienced VTS facilitator this introductory session encourages participants to discuss and listen to each other in a conversation about carefully chosen artworks. The teacher facilitates the group discussion rather than leading or providing extra information.
Through this shared experience and debrief participants gain an opportunity for a rich discussion about an artwork as well as first-hand insight into this pedagogy and its possible applications.
This session is recommended for anyone who wants to connect with art in a meaningful way.
Participants do not need to have had any previous VTS exposure or have a teaching role.
Tickets: $10
Bookings or more information here!
Visual Thinking Strategies : 2 Day
9.30am – 3.30pm, Thursday, 21 March - Friday, 22 March 2018
On the surface VTS appears to be very easy and simple. In this two day intensive program participants will themselves look carefully at selected artworks, talk about what they observe and be encouraged to support their interpretation with visual evidence.
Program includes lunch and refreshments.
Tickets: $150
This program does not require specialist art knowledge or skills, and is suitable for educators of all subjects.
Bookings or more information here!
Visual Thinking Strategies
Connect your class with the Incinerator Gallery by becoming a Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) partner school. VTS is a research-based method for facilitating conversations about works of art. In discussions and writing activities students develop visual literacy and practice critical thinking skills. VTS supports language acquisition for all students and teaches the tenets of respectful conversation.
The Gallery partners with a school to provide year-long, classroom-based lessons. Partnering classroom teachers also receive training and class-room coaching in the VTS method. Students take two class trips to the Gallery each year.
To enquire about implementing a VTS partnership at your school contact Christine via email CHealey@mvcc.vic.gov.au or call 03 8325 1740.