Saplings Teacher Professional Learning Workshop

Yuwaalaray playwright Hannah Belanszky and Kalkadoon director Abbie-lee Lewis bring their exceptional talent to the stage for Saplings, a collection of hilarious and heartbreaking stories born from workshops with young people experiencing the youth justice system from Marrickville to Moree.

In this professional learning workshop for teachers, Australian Theatre for Young People theatre company will share their process of developing Saplings to support delivering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creative and performing arts content in the classroom. 

The workshop will discuss behind the scenes insights, how to support culturally safe learning and performance spaces, and engage with community and young people to tell their stories. 

This online workshop aims to build teacher confidence in embedding First Nations stories, cultures and perspectives into the classroom. 

What to expect 

• Behind the scenes insights about the development of Saplings before visiting the Opera House to see the performance
• Building confidence in teaching First Nations creative works to Indigenous and non-Indigenous students
• Connecting and sharing with likeminded colleagues online
• Participants will be emailed prior to the online session to share workshop updates and complete a short survey
• This is an online workshop suitable for secondary teachers, First Nations educators and creatives working with young people ages 12+ 

Subject areas: English, Drama, Aboriginal Studies, Music.

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities: Creative and Critical Thinking, Literacy, Personal and Social Capability, Intercultural Understanding, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. 

Key themes: First Nations cultural practices, storytelling, rituals, song lines, identity, collaboration, theatre design, dramaturgy, creative writing, music and sound design. 

This workshop is supported by the St George Foundation, Create NSW and Creative Australia. 

Teachers can also access the Saplings Creative Learning Teacher Resource to explore the themes and stories in the classroom.

Presented by Sydney Opera House and the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP)