Teaching VCE Australian History for the first time?

1
Teaching VCE Australian History for the first
time?

• Jo Leech
• Carey B G S
• jo.leech_at_carey.com.au

2
What is the key to student success in VCE History?

• To know and understand the requirements of the
  end of year exam

3
How do you find out about exam expectations

• HTAV VCE conference at beginning of each year
  listen to examiners report
• VCAA website has examiner report
• Talk to other more experienced teachers
• Apply to be an examiner with VCAA
• http//www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/exams/examsassessre
  ports.htmlH2N40004B

4
Find an Australian History Mentor

• Choose someone in the school who is currently or
  previously taught the subject
• Choose someone from another school who has had
  success teaching the subject (check results in
  The Age Dec)
• Attend conferences network
• Attend network meetings held by HTAV
• Contact HTAV for advice

5
The Study Design

• Read the Study Design check the requirements of
  the subject
• Look carefully at the language being used
  create glossary from here
• Know and understand your Study Design (VCAA)
• http//www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/index.html
• The exam questions come from the (key knowledge)
  dot points listed in the Study Design for each
  Area of Study and Outcome

6
Areas of Study

• Area of Study 3 Unit 1 Imagining Australia
• A New Land Port Phillip District 1830 1860
• Area of Study 3 Unit 2 Imagining Australia
• Nation, Race and Citizen 1888- 1914
• Area of Study 4 Unit 1
• Testing the New Nation 1914-1950
• Area of Study 4 Unit 2
• Debating Australias future 1960 2000

7
Term Planner

• BIG PICTURE - Work Backwards
• Write in deadlines extra days egathletics
• Work out when SACs are to be done
• Plan units of work which allow for some revision
  time
• Vary lessons - eg text based, creative
• Student centred/ Teacher centred
• Manage time so that all relevant skills and
  content can be taught

8
Structuring the course

• The time given to each Area of Study is important
  
• In Australian I allocate 4 blocks of approx.
  6 weeks with 4 weeks at the end of the year
  (before the yr 12s leave) for revision
• In the revision month 1 week per topic and they
  sit a full exam in October

9
Organising Student Handouts

• Keep in a spiral bound folder - a copy of each
  handout for any one unit of work
• Always photocopy 5 or more spares as students
  will inevitably lose their sheet between classes
  - saves frustration
• With multiple sheets - use varied colours, easier
  for identification -say red sheet for eg instead
  of PPD settlement
• The coding helps you at exam revision time

10
Teach to the Dot Points

• Dot Points Key Knowledge
• This is where the exam questions are devised from
• The exam panel may use exact words from the dot
  points or at least words that have the same
  meaning
• Students need to be 100 familiar with these Dot
  Points

11
Teaching - structure

• Teach one Dot Point at a time
• Know the date points
• Explain key terms (words)
• Develop knowledge and source material for that
  dot point
• Have a range of primary sources
• Know the key historians and views
• Show the students how this Dot Point translates
  into an exam question

12
The Assessment Guide

• Read the assessment guide to work out the types
  of SACs which are suggested for each Area of
  Study
• Take careful note of the structure suggested
• Find out what style of question is on the exam
  for each area of study match the SAC skills to
  it
• Take careful note of the grade descriptors and
  clearly go through them prior to the SAC try
  and match them with the exam grade descriptors

13
Notes and readings

• It is good to have resources available for them
• Colour code topics helps them to organise notes
  and readings
• Start with the standard middle of the range
  readings then have some lower level ones and
  extension ones on hand to give to relevant
  students

14
Extending top students

• Have extra reading and resources
• Teach them how to write critically and what
  sophisticated writing in this exam context means
• Teach them to write in a style which shows them
  thinking like an historian comparing a variety of
  sources to support their ideas

15
The class as a team!

• Teaching history is not about the individual
  you need to explain to the class the importance
  of them considering themselves as a team
• They need to work to support each other and have
  their marks close together
• You really dont want your class grades spread
  too widely

16
SACs

• Prepare the students for the SACs
• Give them warning of time and dates prior
• Teach them relevant skills eg interpreting a
  source CCF
• Match SACs to their corresponding exam question
• For eg Australian History Document is Section
  A or Section D so do your Document Analysis SAC
  in this topic
• Allow them one page of hand written notes for the
  first one or two SACs this is good for note
  taking supports exam revision
• Try and mark SACs with the class as a bunch with
  the top mark being 100 where possible be very
  strict with the criteria as a model for the exam

17
SAC - Ranking

• The rank order of your class is very important
  you need to understand where you think they are
  going to end up in the final exam
• Indicative Grades
• You want them to be no more than 2 grades away
  from what they end up getting (you need to know
  how they will perform in the exam)

18
SAC value vs Exam value

• I would argue that the SACs are really only worth
  about 10
• They are important for the purpose of ranking the
  class however they dont seem to hold a lot of
  weight towards the students final mark
• The exam seems to be worth about 90 - it is the
  key to the students final mark

19
Making Links

• Refer back to the exam throughout the year
• While teaching the course make reference and
  comments to what aspects will be useful or
  relevant to the exam
• Make everything transparent you are ultimately
  teaching towards an exam

20
Review previous exams

• The course is in a 5 year cycle
• Have a look at the previous exams for patterns in
  the asking of questions
• VCAA - http//www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/exams/examsa
  ssessreports.html
• You can download/print as a PDF file

21
On-going revision

• Have revision activities at the end of each dot
  point and Area of Study
• This way the students are constantly revising the
  content needed for the exam
• Give student practice essays using the source
  material taught for each dot point at the end of
  each Area of Study

22
Practice Exams

• Have practice exams throughout the year
• In a practice exam model the timing for each
  question and the relevant skill
• Have the criteria as the exam would
• You may just practice one area of study randomly
  in a lesson in the relevant time so that
  students can get used to the exam format

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What NOT to do in the Exam

• Dont give a narrative (eg dont tell a story)
• Dont give a general account of participation in
  the period in general
• Dont use evidence that doesnt relate
• Dont write in point form

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What the exam wants

• The exam is designed for students to show their
  knowledge from the year
• The aim is to utilise sources to support their
  argument
• Most questions require a direct response which
  shows 2 sides of the argument

25
Exam questions

• The majority of the questions are going to ask
  the students, either
• How far do you agree
• To what extent do you agree
• Its forcing students to show all sides of the
  argument using sources to do this
• Students should NEVER agree or disagree

26
Exam Questions

• Where a question asks a student to refer to
  their study or what they have studied this year
  then it is asking them to focus on the dot
  points (key ideas) and support the answer with
  sources.
• At NO time is a narrative required and in
  almost EVERY question sources are required to
  support their answer.

27
Direct Preparation

• Leading up to the exam students should have
  prepared their summary sheets.
• They then need to practice writing and answering
  questions in allocated times.
• For example by the start of Term 4 they should be
  able to complete one section in 30 minutes (this
  is for Australian)
• Note adapt the timing practice to your exams
  requirements Australian is 4 sections of half
  an hour each

28
Keeping Spirits High

• Keep students positive and believing in
  themselves
• Be realistic but know that if they can site
  sources and answer questions then they will get
  more than a C
• The examiners aim to reward students for what
  they know

29
Motivating Students

• Read the students ebbs and flows
• Be flexible firm but realistic
• Have rewards and vary activities teacher
  centred, student centred group, pair,
  individual work
• Reading, videos, songs, Power Points, quizzes,
  spot tests, guest speakers and lectures
• Positive reinforcement
• Incentives for eg food
• Stamps, stickers

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Underperforming students

• Ask themWhat do you want to see on the piece of
  paper when you open the envelope in December?
• Then work with them based on their response to
  that question
• Be available have one on one sessions

31
VCAA - website

• Refer to the website for examiners comments from
  the previous years (even though the exam has
  change in 2005)
• Try and use her suggestions to help you refine
  your teaching
• The website should have previous exams on it and
  other advice for both teachers and students
• Pauline Rule Australian History Representative
  at VCAA

32
HTAV

• Ring the HTAV for advice
• They can help you with resource material
• They can put you in contact with experienced
  teachers
• They run PD and lectures for teachers
• They run lectures for students 3x a year

33
Unit 3 Area of Study One

• A New Land Port Phillip District
• 1830 1860
• 3 Dot points
• Settlement push /pull
• Contact with Aborigines
• Gold change in society
• Aim for approx. 2 weeks on each topic

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Dot Point 1Reasons for Migration

• Who Came? PUSH PULL
• Van Diemans Land (VDL)
• NSW
• English
• Irish
• Scottish
• Welsh
• Other

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Who came and why?

• Push Factors
• Rural poverty
• Population explosion
• Despair at factory
• Working class shift new view of colonies
• Working class press
• Pull Factors
• Labour shortage
• A bellyful place
• Letters home
• Gold discovery
• Headlong rush

36
Charles Never by William Strutt
Charles Never is an example of someone who
assimilated. He became a tailor in
Collingwood. Other examples of those who
assimilated included Gellibrand , Derrimut and
the Native Police.
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Web search Dot Point 2- The Impact of
Settlement on Aboriginal People

• KEY IDEA The impact of European contact and
  colonisation on Aboriginal communities
• Internet Search Activity
• http//www.museum.vic.gov.au/ed-online/encounters/
  index.htm
• ?This website provides primary source material on
  the impact of the British invasion and
  colonisation of Australia on Aboriginal people in
  Victoria.
• Journeys - http//www.museum.vic.gov.au/ed-online/
  encounters/Journeys/index.htm
• The focus here is on two individuals, Gellibrand
  and Robinson.
• Trace their journeys throughout Victoria.
• http//www.museum.vic.gov.au/ed-online/encounters/
  Journeys/Gellibrand/index.htm
• http//www.museum.vic.gov.au/ed-online/encounters/
  Journeys/Robinson/index.htm
• For each man write a brief summary of where
  they went, what they saw, their impressions and
  the aims of their missions.

38
Web search Dot Point 2- The Impact of
Settlement on Aboriginal People

• If possible include a brief quote which sums up
  their opinion of the Aboriginal people they
  encountered. (Explain how it does.)
• Were their experiences different? Explain your
  answer using examples from the site.
• Robinsons journal extracts provide information
  (from the time) about the relationships developed
  between the settlers and the Aboriginals.
• From reading these various encounters, (using
  specific examples) list the Aboriginal views of
  the settlers
• and the settlers views of the Aboriginals.
• http//www.museum.vic.gov.au/ed-online/encounters/
  Journeys/Robinson/index.htm
• Aboriginal views of the settlers
• Positive / Negative Specific example from text
• Settlers views of the Aboriginals
• Positive / Negative Specific example from text

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A New Land Port Phillip District1830 1860

• Texts and resource material
• Need primary sources
• Newspapers, diary entries,
• S.T. Gill visuals on the National Library
  website
• www.nla.gov.au/apps/picturescatalogue?
• Talk to the HTAV

40
Port Phillip District - Books

• G. Blainey The Triumph of the Nomads a
  History of Australia
• R. Broome The Victorians Arriving
• R. Broome and A. Frost Colonial Society
• M. Cannon Old Melbourne Town before the Gold
  Rush
• T. Flannery The Birth of Melbourne
• B. Nance Level of Violence -Europeans and
  Aborigines in the Port Phillip District (1981)
• A.G.L. Shaw The Port Phillip District
  Victoria before Separation
• State Library Victoria Social Conditions and
  Political Life The Colonial Experience, The Port
  Phillip District, Education Centre, 1999

41
Analysing Visual Representations

• CCF
• Content
• Argument?
• Literal and Symbolic elements?
• Who or what is omitted?

42
Analysing Visual Representations

• CCF
• Context
• Date produced? significance?
• Whose view? Who is it for?
• Representing what?
• Whats going on?

43
Analysing Visual Representations

• CCF
• Function
• Eg Middle class white Australia
• _________________________________
• Link and write paragraphs using key terms
• Move from the general to the specific
• Develop linking visual to broader issues

44
Gold Books

• M. G. Blanden Australia All our Yesterdays
• M. Cannon Melbourne after the Gold Rush
• Grant and Searle The Melbourne Scene 1803
  1956
• J.R.J. Grigsby The Turbulent Years 1770 - 1980
• T. Gurry The European Occupation
• G. Weller J. Clarke Gold
• G. Searle The Golden Age
• G. Searle The Gold Generation

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Unit 3 Area of Study Two - Books

• R. Darlington Unity Diversity Australia since
  1850
• Hirst, J The Sentimental Nation. The Making of
  the Australian Commonwealth, Oxford Uni Press,
  Australia, 2000
• Kingston, B The Oxford History of Australia
  ,Vol. 3, 1860 1900, Oxford Uni. Press, 1988
• White, R - Inventing Australia Images and
  Identity 1688 1980, Allen and Unwin, Australia,
  1984

46
Unit 3 Area of Study Two - Books

• Ward, Russel The Australian Legend Oxford
  Press 1958
• Hoban, Mary Exploring Asian Histories HTAV
  1993
• Tudball, Libby Australian Perspectives
• Gibb, D.M. National Identity and Consciousness
  Thomas Nelson Australia 1983
• Cantwell, John Sinclair, Kathryn (Eds)
  Readings Images of a Nation HTAV 1997
• Gurry, Tim An Emerging Identity Heinemann
  Educational Australia 1988

47
Unit 4 Area of Study One

• Choose one of WWI, Depression, WWII
• Need to be able to resource it
• Need to have student interest in the topic
• This is best done as the research therefore
  need to have access to resources

48
Debating Australias Future Attitudes to the
Vietnam War1965 and 1970

• 1965
• Australian advisers increased to 100
• 1st American combat troops
• Menzies announced 29th April service
• 1970
• April Prime Minister Gorton reduction of
  Australian troops
• 1970 1971
• Australia reached peak with large moratorium
  rallies

49
Unit 4 Area of Study Two

• Choose one of the issues
• Need to be able to resource it
• You need to have an interest need to be able to
  teach it quickly
• Need to have student interest in the topic

50
Source Analysis

• Overall Aim Respond to a primary source image,
  document, song, newspaper, cartoon, painting,
  diary entry etc
• (Something that can photocopy well in black and
  white)
• Response
• Evidence
• Conclusion
• Spend 5 minutes looking at it
• Written, in 30 minutes as a mini-essay
• Begin Generic statement re actual things
• For eg
• Main Body Dont miss a thing squeeze the
  visual for everything, literal and symbolic.
• What it tells you about the time period
• Values
• Principles
• Ideals

51
Source Analysis

• Comments on things about
• The source
• Who?
• When?
• Significance of this?
• BUT
• Other sources which show your wider
  understanding
• Eg similar to
• Compliment one another
• THEN
• Bring it all together
• What does the SOURCE tell you about the time?
• At the end include other things you know about
  the period to support your discussion.

52
Using Evidence

• Use other evidence to compare and contrast with
  the document/visual presented, for eg
• Quotes from the time or historians
• Figures or statistics
• Experiences letter, diary entries
• Paintings, drawings, photographs
• Cartoons, comics
• Newspaper articles

53
Historiography

• Read documents from the texts and think of them
  in terms of the 4 broad questions listed below.
• When Reading History you need to ask yourself 4
  broad questions-
• Who wrote it?
• Why did they write it?
• What style of history is it?
• In what context did they write?

54
Satisfying the Criteria

• Have accurate knowledge dates, names, spelling
  etc.,
• Understand the issues link to the visual
• Use words and terms from the Study Design
• Refer to the context and date in the first
  sentence
• Use specific evidence to support answer
• Analyse evidence arrive at a conclusion

55

• Create a table from Study
• Design make summary
• Notes at the end of each
• unit.
• Keep for revision period.

56
Thank you for listening
Slides containing images have been deleted for
publishing online. If you wish to receive the
full presentation please email me
Jo.Leech_at_carey.com.au