History and work in museums
Bringing the past alive for children has been one of my passions, and I had nine years’ experience as a teacher with History Off The Page, for which I devised several of the theme days and parts of others. I aimed to provide children with hands-on activities, shared experience and an emotional understanding of the problems of the time. I addressed a historic theme or era of teachers' choice through art, drama, dance and/or literacy with children, and provided Inset training for staff in approaches to history through the arts.
I was an associate lecturer in primary and early years history at the Faculty of Education, Cambridge University, for twenty four years.
I ran workshops and dramatic re-enactments in Peterborough and Ely Museums, Peterborough Cathedral, churches and Addenbrookes Hospital, have acted as a children’s guide at Burwell Museum and have undertaken training courses at the Fitzwilliam and St. Neots Museums.
For my history work packs see Publications.
Comments from evaluation sheets after teachers’ Inset day
Excellent, very hands on and relevant
Very practical and useful
Wonderful ideas of how to use drama as a teaching tool
Good tips on classroom management in drama
Wide range of activities covered
Obvious and brilliant ideas – why hadn’t I thought of it before!
Excellent ideas – very practical
Very calm
Imaginative ideas that can be taken straight into the classroom
Have already decided to change some of my history plans for after half-term to incorporate some drama
Super ideas that are adaptable to any topic
Enjoyed the puzzle activity
Will engage the children
Great way to form ideas for history teaching
Useful to see real life demonstration of how it’s done alongside commentary
Efficient use of time with a lot of material covered
Good mix of activities
Examples
British Museum – Pompeii through drama and dance
Schools - Tudors’ ‘upstairs downstairs’, dance and portraits day
Museums – enactments: Victorian school, Lady Willoughby and others; hands-on workshops
Addenbrookes Hospital – enactments: Florence Nightingale, Alice Fisher
I was an associate lecturer in primary and early years history at the Faculty of Education, Cambridge University, for twenty four years.
I ran workshops and dramatic re-enactments in Peterborough and Ely Museums, Peterborough Cathedral, churches and Addenbrookes Hospital, have acted as a children’s guide at Burwell Museum and have undertaken training courses at the Fitzwilliam and St. Neots Museums.
For my history work packs see Publications.
Comments from evaluation sheets after teachers’ Inset day
Excellent, very hands on and relevant
Very practical and useful
Wonderful ideas of how to use drama as a teaching tool
Good tips on classroom management in drama
Wide range of activities covered
Obvious and brilliant ideas – why hadn’t I thought of it before!
Excellent ideas – very practical
Very calm
Imaginative ideas that can be taken straight into the classroom
Have already decided to change some of my history plans for after half-term to incorporate some drama
Super ideas that are adaptable to any topic
Enjoyed the puzzle activity
Will engage the children
Great way to form ideas for history teaching
Useful to see real life demonstration of how it’s done alongside commentary
Efficient use of time with a lot of material covered
Good mix of activities
Examples
British Museum – Pompeii through drama and dance
Schools - Tudors’ ‘upstairs downstairs’, dance and portraits day
Museums – enactments: Victorian school, Lady Willoughby and others; hands-on workshops
Addenbrookes Hospital – enactments: Florence Nightingale, Alice Fisher
