School’s in, for the 1850s at Sovereign Hill

JANINE Baker has been appointed the first female principal of the school that sits in Sovereign Hill.

The school actually consists of five costumed goldfields schools each epitomising a different style of colonial education – Red Hill National School, St Peter’s Denominational School, Ballarat Benevolent Asylum Ragged School, St Alipius’ Diggings School and the Wesleyan Day School.

Students change every two days at the unique special purpose schools, which are a joint venture by the Victorian Department of Education and Training and Sovereign Hill Museums Association.

Ms Baker, previously assistant principal at Horsham West and Haven Primary School for 11 years, is responsible for the costume Sovereign Hill’s two-day immersive educational experience for visiting primary students.

“It’s just a very unique opportunity to be working with the children immersed in the era of the 1850s, it will be an adventure,” she said.

While Ms Baker knew every one of the 125 children at Haven Primary School, the impact of the two-day turnover of students means she has to develop an instant rapport with the kids and their teachers.

“While I play the 1850s roll of strict school ma’am I need to be empathetic with the students,” she said.

“We don’t change the historical context of the school or the lessons but we make it easily relatable and tailored to suit the needs of the kids.”

Ms Baker is very passionate about integrating the curriculum and rich learning tasks in the main stream having done a lot of work ensuring the pupils can see what they are learning is going to be relevant to their everyday life.

“This is not just history here, part of the Victorian curriculum is personal and social capabilities and kids who step into the 1850 role experience lots of different behaviours,” she said.

“As soon as they put that costume on, they become part of the living museum of Sovereign Hill.”

The education program at Sovereign Hill is aimed at the Grade 5-6 students which fits in with the history component of the Victorian education syllabus.

In preparation for learning at Sovereign Hill each of the pupils writes a letter, taking on the persona of an 1850s child, to the school headmaster or mistress of whichever of the five schools they will be attending.

It is a letter about who they are, their life and their journey to Australia in the 1850s, which is referred to throughout the program by the teachers, almost like a script or resume.

“The kids who actively step into the role get the most from their time at Sovereign Hill,” said Ms Baker.

Visiting students, dressed in 1850s costumes, experience the differences between their own lives and education and that of their counterparts on the Victorian goldfields.

To fully comprehend life back then, the pupils conduct themselves according to 1850s etiquette while using slate pencils, dip pens and ink in the classrooms.

There are no mobile phones to be seen or used during recess as the students take part in 19th century games, playing with marbles, spinning tops and knucklebones.

As plastic does not exist in the school’s 1850s world, students while in costume, quench their thirst at the drinking taps available at all the schools and around Sovereign Hill.

The trip back to the past affords today’s kids the unique experience of fully adjusting to and appreciate, the significant way their lives have changed from the youngsters of 168 years ago.

Ms Baker officially takes over on Tuesday, 29 January, overseeing all the teachers and the students who attend the five schools, having acted in the position in terms three and four last year.

The program is delivered by Ms Baker and Department of Education teacher Stefanie Rosestone along with five Victorian Institute of Teaching trained educators employed by Sovereign Hill as education officers.

Students from 80 schools a year attend each of the five Sovereign Hill schools with about 10,000 students coming through.

Bookings for 2020 attendance which open on Tuesday, 29 January will sell out in two days.