I have recently announced that I will be retiring from teaching at the end of the academic year. With nearly thirty-three years spent in school and the majority of that in school leadership, the job remains rewarding but the 05:30am alarms are no longer such fun. I am incredibly proud of the learning my students have done and the authenticity I believe I have been able to maintain as a subject specialist when the curriculum and time for it was shrinking.
Within History Teaching, my areas of expertise have been:
Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century English History, including Witchcraft History
American History 1840-1895
The History of Medicine from Ancient Times until the Present
The developing relationship between humans and animals, particularly during times of war and displaying wild animals.
I have always been particularly interested in developing ways for students to understand the motivations of people in the past and the idea that people are not always consistent in their beliefs and actions. This is particularly important for students attempting to achieve the highest levels in the new GCSE qualifications.
Within Ethics, including religious and non-religious Ethics, my areas of expertise were:
Human and Animal Rights and inter-relationships
Issues of Good & Evil.
I have been a GCSE 'Ethics and Philosophical issues in the Modern World' examination marker for one of the main examination boards.