Completing The Law Day Out for Teachers: Conducting Court Visit Excursions will contribute 5 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Registered PD addressing 2.1.2,2.2.2,6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW

The Law Day Out for Teachers – Conducting Court Visit Excursions 

This course exposes the workings of the criminal justice system in NSW and how; the law operates in society, the importance of the rule of law, the relationship between jurisdictions, the development of law as a reflection of society and influences on the Australia legal system. It fosters a deeper understanding of the intersections between the key elements of the legal system – jurisdiction, judicial decision making, the role of discretion, the role of legal personnel and the outcome of legislative decision making.

Time

Session Focus

Activities

08:45-9:00

 

9:00-10:00

  • Preparing students for arrival and entry to court building including security screening and court protocols & etiquette. See attached resource

 

  • Meeting with a Senior Judicial Officer

Participants are:

  • Briefed on court etiquette and procedure by facilitator

  • Introduced to facilitating court visits with students including discussion of regulations, protocols and security requirements.

  • Discuss learning outcomes relevant to court visits

  • Conference with a Senior Judicial Officer

  • Conduct a Q&A session with Judicial Officer to update teachers on recent case law, judicial thinking and functioning of the legal system in NSW.

  • Discuss with the Judicial Officer best practice for teachers when conducting court excursions with their students

 

 

10:00 –11.30

  • Court observations of various Supreme, District and Local Courts cases – mapped to Commerce and Legal Studies syllabuses

Participants:

  • Engage in curated court observations – cases chosen based on relevance to syllabus

  • Discuss the application of law, the role of legal personnel in the criminal justice system, law reform and relevant legal theories as applicable to the operation of the court on the day

  • Discussion of how to apply the legal knowledge and understanding gained in court observations to improve student learning

 

11.30–12:00

  • Travel by foot to District or Supreme Court building/s.

Participants:

  • Engage in professional dialogue with teacher colleagues and facilitator about court observations and how to create well sequenced experiential learning for students when they visit courts.

 

 

12:00-13:00

  • Court observations of various District or Supreme Court matters – mapped to Commerce and Legal Studies syllabuses

Participants:

  • Engage in curated court observations – cases chosen based on relevance to syllabus

  • Discuss the application of law, the role of legal personnel in the criminal justice system, law reform and relevant legal theories as applicable to the operation of the court on the day

  • Discussion of how to apply the legal knowledge and understanding gained in court observations to improve student learning

13:00 –14:00

LUNCH

  •  Professional Conversations and Travel to Workshop Venue

 

14:00 –15:30

 

  • Workshop with Legal Education professionals

Participants:

  • Receive a guide on how to design and implement their own syllabus relevant experiential learning excursion to the courts for their students – resource attached

  • Discuss how to tailor the excursion to their schools regulatory requirements – special needs students, risk assessment documentation, supervision requirements

  • Organise the content they have observed during the day into their teaching and learning