ABSTRACT
Once the subject had been incorporated into the New South Wales curriculum, teachers required support to introduce it to the classroom. The nature study idea was complex, addressing pedagogical, scientific, aesthetic and environmental issues. This chapter introduces early explanations and definitions of nature study by advocates in New South Wales. Their papers represent an Australian body of work on the reception and dissemination of the subject as part of progressive education. The chapter considers how students were prepared for nature study at the newly constituted Teachers College. Like the papers of advocates, the preparation of teachers, studied through archival sources, journal articles, the College curriculum and its textbooks links theory and practice. Teacher training sheds light upon educators' conceptions of nature study and how the subject should be introduced to classroom practice. Finally, Australian literature that supported nature study in the early years of its teaching in the state schools is discussed.
