Information for volunteers

Out and About in Mt Morgan aims to provide students with a range of opportunities to express their feelings, understandings and opinions of historical events that occurred in Mt Morgan. They will develop the knowledge, values and attitudes to carry out tasks such as:

• Writing a brochure about Mt Morgan
• Acting out events in Mt Morgan history
• Role playing simulated community meetings or problematic scenarios involving topics such as re-opening the mine or a preferred future for Mt Morgan
• Debating topics such as 'Was the mine a benefit or a curse to Mt Morgan?', 'Learning history benefits students' and 'Life in the past was harder than today'.

By the time the students visit Mt Morgan they have a basic idea of the facts surrounding each site. However the object of actually visit each site and listening to the guide is to bring each site to life. Guides and volunteers may need to clarify with teachers the time available for each site, the interests of the students and the topics or Mt Morgan sites investigated during the pre-visit activities. The guides should provide factual information about the objects and sites visited as well as try to tell stories about Mt Morgan to help bring to life the sites and events that occurred, thus providing the students with a greater feeling for the place.

Possible sites that the group may wish to visit during their tour include:

• Cemetery - the Linda Memorial, the Hayes Memorial; a cairn under which lie the remains of Aboriginal people, the Chinese "Heuung Lew" or Prayer Oven, graves dating back to 1888 especially those that reflect the harsh living and working conditions of days gone by number of accidental deaths, women and children buried in the cemetery.
• The Catholic Church
• Museum
• Railway station
• Mt Morgan High School
• Mine to examine the positive and negative effects the mine has had on the community and surrounding environment
• The dam and Dee River
• Mafeking Bell
• Coronation Light
• Pubs
• Cutter Statue and Cutter Lane

It would enhance the quality of students’ experience to pause at the conclusion of each site visit for a de-briefing and reflection. Depending on the focus the students and teacher have chosen the guides may wish to develop leading questions to improve the insight the students have gained, to help they reflect on their feelings, and to increase their awareness of the issues involved.

The students may need to take photographs and jot notes about their site of particular interest. This information will then be added to their draft brochures when they return to the classroom.

If students are presenting persuasive speeches or role play scenarios, they may wish to interview the guides to gain specific information to help them develop their arguments and reinforce their point of view. Guides could check with the teacher to establish what topics the students are focussing on.

To support students in successfully carrying out dramatisation of events such as Running the Cutter, collecting coins for the Mafeking Bell or re-enacting a mine fire, they will need time to observe, touch, walk about and share their feelings as various sites are visited. Stories guides tell at these sites will leave an impression with the students and help them imagine these events and characters and thus improve their dramatisations.

If students are to convincingly present of points of view in arguments and debates when they return to school they will need time to discuss these at each site so guides will need to allow for this if possible. By listening carefully to students conversations the guide may be able to clarify ideas and information for the students.

At all sites the students should clarify their opinions and attitudes with the guides to gain another opinion or perspective. This will ensure that the information the students present on their return to school is accurate and balanced.