While their students were enjoying winter holidays, a group of teachers from around the state were learning the technical art of cheesemaking in readiness for practical lessons in the classroom later this year.
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The professional development course was held at New Town High School and coordinated by Home Economics Institute of Australia Tasmania Division vice president and home economics teacher Karen Weitnauer, with support from the Tasmanian Agricultural Education Network.
Schools involved included Circular Head Christian School, Campbell Town District High, St Brendan Shaw College, St Virgil’s College, Mountain Heights High, Claremont College, The Friends School and New Town High.
Mrs Weitnauer said she had run similar courses for the public, producers and New Town High School students, but this was the first professional development course for teachers.
Year 9 New Town High School student Max Watson was also invited to join the course to support Mrs Weitnauer.
“These skills can be applied in a classroom setting in agriculture or food technology,” she said.
“Some of the state’s senior schools came on board and it was good to have some college teachers as well. Those teachers see the benefit of the program.”
During the two-day course, Brisbane-based master cheese maker Graham Redhead taught nine teachers to make ricotta, mozzarella, quark and Persian feta and create a pizza for lunch, using the cheese they had made.
The feta was cut and put into sterilised glass jars then marinated in olive oil with herbs from Mrs Weitnauer’s garden.
“So they went home with a product that is ready to market,” she said.
“It’s really about field-to-fork with milk, herbs from my home garden, preserving and then making the final product. We also milled wheat and made flour for the pizza dough.
“It shows the journey of the food and they understand where the food comes from so the teachers can pass that on to their students.”
Each teacher went back to their respective schools with a booklet including information about the cheese making process, recipes and links to the curriculum, to help them work the lessons into food and fibre production.
“Many schools have gardens or raise animals and learning about different production methods is an important aspect of agricultural education,” Mrs Weitnauer said.
The teachers will share their cheese making exploits via an online group.
Johanna Baker-Dowdell
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
