Art was integral to the site and method of teaching at the Wellington Teachers’ College Karori campus. As senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Lisa Terreni writes, the role of art was developed not just a teaching aid but as integral to the idea that “learning and teaching need to encompass the spiritual, natural and human realms of understanding which all people, particularly children, require to successfully exist and thrive in the world.”

In this illustrated lunchtime talk Terreni shares her recent research into the ceramics collection that was established at Wellington Teacher’s College (later known as the Wellington College of Education) in the 1950s that is now owned and maintained by the Faculty of Education. As well as providing insights into collection items including the artists backgrounds and the unique environment in which the works were made, Terreni also highlights the innovations in teaching that contributed to the development of the collection and how the collection is inspiring current and future teaching.

Dr Lisa Terreni is a senior lecturer at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Education, teaching in the early childhood education and primary school Initial Teacher Education programmes. Terreni's PhD research focused on determining the extent of art museum visiting by the early childhood sector in New Zealand and investigated barriers to access. Terreni is also an artist, and her current research explores the art collection that is owned by the Faculty of Education at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.