The second of the series is titled Come Together – Educate, Wednesday 8 and 9 August 2024.

Come Together – Educate will explore contemporary issues in education NSW and beyond. Speakers will be invited to provide some blue-sky thinking in education across pedagogy, technologies and contemporary education research and theories.

Afternoon sessions will provide opportunities for PTC NSW member associations to showcase their respective associations through a variety of thought-provoking workshops.  Workshops could be cross-disciplinary, encouraging collaboration among professional teacher associations in NSW who significantly enhance the educational experience for both educators and students. Highlight the resources, professional development opportunities, and networking advantages that come with being a member of your association.

Come Together- Educate provides a unique platform where PTC NSW member associations can come together at the one conference and share their respective KLA expertise, resources and value to members while at the same time broadening reach to new potential members. 

Here are some ideas to promote membership, cross-association collaboration, and widen the reach of professional teacher associations in NSW.

Interdisciplinary Curriculum Development:

Member associations are invited to collaborate on workshop presentations that span multiple disciplines and address contemporary educational issues. Work collectively on developing interdisciplinary curriculum materials that can be shared among participants. This can involve creating resources that integrate elements of different KLA’s.

Share examples of successful projects and discuss how they can be adapted for different subjects.

Explore the implementation of project-based learning as a cross-disciplinary teaching approach.

Share best practices in assessment and feedback techniques. Presentations on how different associations approach assessment and provide constructive feedback to improve student learning outcomes.

Networking and Community Building:

Come Together – Educate will facilitate networking and collaboration opportunities across associations and memberships. Create opportunities that engage a diverse audience, where teachers can share their work, ideas, and resources, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.

We encourage member associations to collaborate on workshop proposals. These joint workshops could highlight the synergies between different disciplines or approaches, fostering a sense of collaboration among attendees.

By embracing these strategies, associations can create an environment that promotes diversity, creativity, valuable networking and collaboration and the value of an association membership.

Use the conference as an opportunity to promote and increase membership. Offer special promotions or incentives for new members who join during the event. Member associations are invited to set up booths or displays to showcase their work and initiatives.

Interactive Panels:

We have included opportunity for association representatives to share experiences, insights, and successful strategies on how a membership of a professional association enhances a teacher’s educational experience.

Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives:

Develop joint initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion in NSW education. This could involve creating resources that highlight diverse professionals, cultures, and perspectives, fostering a more inclusive approach to learning in NSW.

Explore the possibility of collaborative publications or newsletters featuring articles from various member associations. This can help disseminate valuable information and insights to a wider audience.

Social Media Campaigns:

PTC NSW will leverage our social media platforms and extensive data base network to promote cross-sectoral association initiatives, diversity of professional teacher associations and value of membership to reach a wide audience. We will use hashtags and online communities to facilitate discussions, share ideas, and connect educators across our membership.

By implementing these strategies, professional teacher associations can break down subject silos, promote cross-KLA programs, attract new members while supporting current members and create a more interconnected and innovative community in NSW education.

Post the conference series, there is an opportunity to establish cross-association committees or working groups to address specific educational challenges. These groups can continue their collaboration beyond the conference, working on joint initiatives that benefit educators state-wide, reinforce the value of association membership, and attract association volunteers to help support associations moving forward.

I trust that the concept of this conference Come Together – Educate, and the entire series, has ignited the formulation of possible workshops that have not been tried before. Of a collaborative delivery of ideas that can bring different associations together workshopping the one idea from several perspectives

We are calling for papers for presentations and workshops from interested PTC NSW member associations. Please click HERE to register your interest. 

The conference series of Come Together also provides a unique opportunity for association members who are not teaching in the featured KLA but could contribute a valuable workshop. For example: - Career Advisors, Gifted and Talented, Psychologists, EAL/D, English, Science or History! The possibilities are open ended and only limited by the imagination.