Children's University Tasmania school coordinator Malcolm McArthur is happy to be compliant in a deception of his students.
Mr McArthur, Assistant Principal at Fairview Primary School at New Norfolk, views Children's University Tasmania as an opportunity to provide the best kind of learning - learning through stealth.
"The children are learning, but they are not necessarily aware that they are learning because they are enjoying themselves," he said.
"It is a great opportunity to be able to provide engaging activities for children outside of school hours and extend their learning.
"I think it's a great program."
It is an opportunity Mr McArthur seized during his time as CU school coordinator at Springfield Gardens Primary School, in West Moonah, and is now introducing at Fairview, where the early response has been very enthusiastic.
"I was surprised with the reaction," he said.
"The first day after Sean [Children's University Tasmanian Regional Lead Sean Stevenson] addressed a school assembly, I had 35 kids come and ask for information forms.
"I have 15 members so far, mostly between grade 2 and grade 4.
"Once the other kids see the graduates later in the year it will build I am sure."
Having played a very significant role in the growth of the program at Springfield Gardens, Mr McArthur is well placed to know.
"The first year I had six core students who graduated, and the following year we had 20 kids involved," he said.
This success was built on maximising resouces and experiences offered by Children's University Tasmania, as well as the broader team at the Peter Underwood Centre and the University of Tasmania generally, and through other partnerships. These included:
- a school holiday program provided by Tennis Tasmania;
- ongoing after-school coaching sessions provided by Tennis Tasmania at the Domain Tennis Centre;
- a school holiday program at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) Red Handfish Exhibition;
- a school holiday program on the Windewarde Bound;
- a lunchtime cartooning activity provided by professional cartoonist John `Polly' Farmer;
- the University of Tasmania Derby (model car making);
- designing Styrofoam cups for a voyage of the RV Investigator and investigating the science behind what happens to the cups when they are sent to the depths of the ocean;
- and online and hard copy resources (e.g. the CUA Portal, The Wonder Weekly, UCTV Alive for Kids).
Mr McArthur also organised a wide range of other lunchtime activities for CU members by approaching other community partners, including:
- St John's Ambulance First Aid in Schools;
- the Australian Red Cross Pillowcase Project;
- the Ten Lives Cat Centre education program;
- Tasmania Police;
- Black Square Chess;
- craft groups;
- and the Nepalese community within the school to learn about a different culture and language.
The positive impact of Children's University
Mr McArthur has no doubt about the positive impact the learning opportunities and the experience of attending a graduation had on the students and their families.
"Once they are in the program for a year they are hooked," he said.
"I have no doubt that one of the kids in the program [at Springfield Gardens] will go to University and being involved in Children's University definitely opened the eyes of a couple of others to the possibilities."
While Children's University has just started at Fairview Primary, Mr McArthur is already turning his mind to what fun and engaging activities he can source within the local community.
A plan for a sustainable gardening program is already well advanced, as are discussions with Derwent Valley community radio station TYGA FM.
Children's University Tasmania Coordinator Georgia Sutton said Mr McArthur was a great example of what was being achieved by hardworking CU school coordinators.
"We are very conscious that teachers and other school staff are very busy people, and therefore highly appreciative of the fantastic people that take on the CU school coordinator role in our partner schools," Georgia said.
"Mr McArthur is remarkable for his passion for the program and devotion to his students.
"The learning experiences he has sourced and organised outside of school hours are awesome.
"He even organised a bus and travelled with students to the Domain after school, so students could go to tennis coaching sessions."