Teachers' Environment Network

The Teachers' Environment Network (TEN) has been running since 2005 and is a joint Nillumbik and Banyule undertaking. The network aims to support local teachers in both schools and early childhood settings in delivering an integrated and locally relevant sustainability curriculum by:

• providing an opportunity for teachers to share knowledge, experiences and skills about environmental education and projects they are undertaking

• providing support, advice and encouragement to schools and early childhood centres, wherever they are on their sustainability journey

• providing a range of relevant and interesting professional development sessions for teachers around sustainability education

• bringing awareness to relevant Council environmental projects, policies, grant opportunities and events.

The Network usually holds two meetings per term on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon from 4–6pm. Often the meetings are held at Edendale, but sometimes at local schools to showcase an environmental project, or other local destinations such as the Gawa Trail in Watsons Creek or Bunjil Reserve in Panton Hill. It provides a variety of guest speakers, as well as the opportunity for discussion and sharing.

The sessions have continued to provide an interesting and varied array of speakers and topics including:

Dr Rachel Forgasz, a lecturer from Monash University, who spoke about climate change education
Dr Luis Mata, an ecologist from the University of Melbourne who spoke about native pollinators and pollinator observatories
Holly Hale, an incursion provider from the Yarra Valley specialising in bees and minibeasts and their importance in the environment
A sustainability grant-writing workshop run by CERES
The Gardens for Wildlife, Home Harvest and Seed Library programs and how schools can get involved
Kim Davis, a volunteer wildlife rescuer and carer on her role and how to help if you find an injured animal
Katrina Naish from A Fitting Connection (textile waste and recycling)
Rachel Sietzema, on dealing with environmental and climate-anxiety

Proposed TEN Program for 2025

Thursday 20 February @ Edendale – “Starting over Sustainability Initiatives” (including presentations from ResourceSmart and SWEP representatives) for teachers new to sustainability in school, or looking for some fresh ideas

Wednesday 26 March @ Edendale

Gardens for Wildlife, Schools for Wildlife and Pollinator Gardens in Schools

Thursday 15 May

Topic TBC, focus around World Environment Day

Thursday 12 June @ Apollo Parkways Primary School

Indigenous themes workshop, bush tucker, medicinal uses and integrating it into the curriculum

Wednesday 13 August @ Montmorency Primary School

Introducing their new frog bog and tour of school (kitchen garden, animals)

Thursday 4 September @ Edendale

Environmental and Climate Action for Kids conference

Thursday 11 September

“Walk and talk” in Bunjil Reserve with a Council Biodiversity officer

Thursday 23 October

Topic TBC

Attendance at TEN meetings can be counted towards teachers' Professional Development requirements for VIT registration.

Please note that dates for meetings can change during the year depending on presenter availability. An email invitation is sent out prior to each meeting to everybody on our email list. If you would like to be added to the TEN email database, please sent us an email at edendale.education@nillumbik.vic.gov.au

We are always interested in ideas for speakers and topics, so please feel free to contact us if you have any ideas.

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