ITE: Induction Week Activities at Derby City Museums

What did we do?

Many hands-on activities were provided which enabled all trainees to get involved and understand how enlightening such visits can be with primary aged children.

At Derby Museum and Art Gallery students explored the paintings in the Joseph Wright Gallery in greater depth and undertook drama activities.
The Looking for Light trail cards introduced students to objects around the museum with all of the objects linked by the theme of light: for example, focusing on the way they shimmer, shine, glow or reflect.

At Pickford’s House the trainees undertook drama activities including freeze-framing life in the past and holding conversations in role. Many also enjoyed the dressing-up activity available for all visitors to the site!

At the Silk Mill trainees developed focused observation skills hunting artefacts which matched an obscure picture, as well as finding equivalents of objects used today. The second activity enabled trainees to create a sound-scape replicating the unique noises that the engines would make.

What were the outcomes?

Trainee teachers gained confidence and ideas in how to use museums in creative ways to complement classroom learning

Museum and gallery staff gained an opportunity to showcase the potential for museum learning to trainee teachers at a formative stage in their teaching careers