The development of teacher networks in Victoria was a joint initiative of the AGTV, the Department of Education in Victoria, the Goethe-Institut and the (then) German Fachberater - Volkmar Sturm.
The AGTV received a seeding grant from the DOE in 1994 to further develop teacher Networks for German on the understanding that they become self-funding. This involved the AGTV appointing a Network Coordinator - Christine EkinSmyth - to liaise with and find Network Leaders throughout Victoria. The State Poetry Competition acted as a catalyst for the formation of some Networks.
Country and metropolitan AGTV Networks now exist across Victoria and form the heart of our organisation. They are partially funded by the AGTV.
Since 1999 teachers in each Network enjoy access to quality resources housed in Goethe-Institut Resource Centres, an idea conceived through discussions held at the Joint-Standing Committee for German.
Networking for teachers is an effective strategy to promote cooperative partnerships, to deliver professional learning programs to teachers to meet local needs, for sharing resources, for communicating with the AGTV membership and for the organisation of student activities within the Network and beyond.
