Category Archives: My educational philosophy

Wallace and Bruce…with a twist!

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Although it has been a while since I last engaged with my ePortfolio, I have come back to it to write a new post that focuses on my own learning experiences at school. I believe that in order for successful learning to take place, the teaching must be fun and engaging. If this is achieved then knowledge is much more likely to be retained and these experiences will be memorable for children, even years after.

One of my most memorable experiences from school comes from Primary 5. The topic of Wallace and Bruce is one that is taught across Scotland and has been done for many years, therefore it is very easy for this to become rather boring by simply recycling teaching resources and materials. However, when the time came for my class to tackle this project, my teacher ensured that things were going to be done differently. It is hard to make a topic relevant to children when it happened roughly 700 years ago but my teacher made sure that we could relate to it. The plan was to work through the project, attaining the knowledge of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce and pulling in a variety of curricular areas to help us do so as we went, and towards the end we would put on a play for the whole school that would showcase our knowledge and give them an insight into the events of Scotland in those days. Putting on a show was a great way of making this project memorable as well as helping us to summarise what we had learnt over the course of the topic. However, the big hook came in the context of the play. This was not simply going to be a standard Wallace and Bruce play that told the story of these two Scots. The play was to be set in the context of ‘Doctor Who’, whereby the Doctor and his sidekick would travel back in time and meet with William Wallace and Robert the Bruce at famous points of Scottish history, for example The Battle of Stirling Bridge. Given that ‘Doctor Who’ was very popular at this time, this context acted as a great vehicle for ensuring that Wallace and Bruce were more relevant than ever to a class at that time.

Due to the fact that we were tying in a TV show that I loved into our learning, this experience has always stood out for me and is one that I will always remember. The class teacher successfully  ensured that a historical topic was culturally relevant to a group of young children and did so in a way that allowed them to use their imagination, creativity and enthusiasm. We received excellent feedback from other classes, teachers and parents which showed that our hard work throughout the course of the topic paid off  and filled everyone in the class with pride. It is because of all of this that I still remember this learning experience from school…also because my mum has the whole thing on tape and insists on watching it regularly!

Mr McAughey’s Ideal Classroom

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As part of Sharon’s input on classroom management and organisation we were asked to design our classroom and provide a rough layout of it. From the moment that we were asked to do this my head was filled with ideas for what I could have in my classroom and the way that it would look. Below is a diagram of what I would like my future classroom to look like:

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In this particularly instance I have designed the classroom to hold 30 children at maximum whereby there would be 10 children at each of the three tables in the centre of the room. These tables would be organised to ensure a mix of abilities at each so that ideas could be expressed and peer learning can take place effectively. The tables would also be organised to incorporate a mixed gender seating arrangement. This would provide all pupils with the opportunity to interact with members of both the same and opposite sex as well as allowing them to develop socially. However, this seating arrangement would not remain the same for every lesson. For maths and language lessons, the organisation of tables would be altered so that children are working with peers of the same level as them. The layout of the tables also means that it is possible for whole class lessons to take place whilst every child is seated at their table. This also makes way for working in pairs or groups during these whole class lessons and allows children to share their ideas and knowledge amongst their peers at that particular table.

 

To the right-hand side of the entrance to the classroom, there are two displays on the wall. The first is an information board that has various informative resources for the class, for example the timetable for that day as well as a board that tells the date and weather in the foreign language that the class are learning. The second display is a points ladder system whereby there are three ladders – bronze, silver and gold – that every pupil can climb when they are awarded points. This display allows children to track their progress in the classroom and also rewards for their good work and behaviour accordingly. Both of these resources have purpose and bring something to the classroom.

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Taken from Sharon Tonner’s ‘Organisation and Classroom Management’ presentation

As for the display at the back of the classroom, next to the reading corner, this will be used to portray the class project at one particular time. Children’s work on that project will be displayed here from any of the curricular areas, in particular art as this may be informative to the class as well as boosting that pupil’s self-esteem as their piece of work is displayed. At this display, there will also be a table whereby various books and sources to do with the project will be displayed. Children will be able to access these sources and interact with the display in order to develop their knowledge. The display at the far end of the classroom, which is next to the computers, is a space that allows children to choose a piece of work that they feel was done well and display it to the rest of the class. This concept is based on a display that I previously seen a couple of times and works effectively as a way for children to take pride in their work and engage in their own learning process. It is also an effective method in encouraging children to discuss their learning and their ways of working with peers. On top of all this, it also makes for a bright and dynamic decoration in the classroom and gives off the impression that this is a class of active learners who engage in their own learning.

As you can see, there is also an incorporation of ICT and technology within my classroom. I feel that this an important concept to bring into the modern classroom and it is vital that children are competent in using this technology – for some children, the classroom may be their only opportunity to engage with such technology. The IWB is a hugely effective tool for both teachers and pupils and is beginning a much more common feature in teaching and learning. Therefore, it is important that this be a focus in my classroom. It also provides a huge variety of different learning experiences for children and could be used to some extent in every area of the curriculum. The IWB is also an easy way of incorporating various forms of multimedia into lessons in order to make them more captivating as well as more memorable to the children. As for the computers, they also have a number of uses within the classroom. For children who struggling with writing, the computers provide an easy alternative that allows them to get the job done. They also provide children with a new way of working and can be used by groups to research particular topics for a class project, thus giving way to interactive as well as peer learning. The computers can also act as a way develosmartboard6ping pupil responsibility and strong teacher-student relationships. In order to use these resources, they require pupils to be sensible and respectful otherwise the privilege of being allowed to use them will simply be taken away.

In the corner of the classroom there is a reading area/library. I have chosen to incorporate this feature as I believe that it is important to emphasise the importance and relevance of language and literacy. This facility would offer a variety of books to pupils so that there is something for everyone in the hope that they will grow to enjoy reading and develop their abilities in this area. An additional feature in the reading corner is also a display od books recommended by me – the teacher – and pupils. Pupils are able to display what they have been reading and recommend it to their peers based on their own experiences when reading the book. I also feel that a reading area provides a quiet space for children to escape to if needs be. It provides them with a place where they are able to take a step back from work if they are not in the right state of mind to learn at that time. Whilst emphasising the importance of language, the reading corner also considers the feelings of the child and is effective in building a comfortable learning environment for them.

As for the organisation of resources in the classroom, I have provided storage facilities where jotters, pencils, rulers and other classroom essentials can be stored. If this space is maintained and kept neat then this can maximise teaching and learning time as every one in the class knows where to find the necessary utensils. This also makes for a more orderly and smooth running of the classroom and benefits the children in the long run. I have also provided trays at the front of classroom. Each will be assigned their own tray and this acts as their own personal storage space for various things such as a break-time snack, the book that they are reading or unfinished worksheets that they wish to complete at a later time. Trays also combat clutter on tables, therefore maintaining a neat and organised classroom that allows for maximum learning time in the classroom.

After completing this task and considering how I’d like my own classroom to look one day, I understand the importance of the classroom layout and how the organisation of this can have a major impact on the way in which my pupils learn. The idea of having my own classroom one day is very exciting and I’m sure as I progress throughout the next few years this image will change as I gain experience in different classrooms of different shape and size. I am looking forward to placement where I can observe how the classroom layout has an effect on the learning experience for children and possibly experiment with some of my own ideas within the classroom.

 

 

Dreaded Numbers

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Following on from Tara’s recent maths workshops, I decided to go back and think about my own thoughts and experiences in maths. It made me realise that throughout the entirety of my school career, maths was something that I had always struggled with and always lacked confidence in. In fact, the only enjoyable thing I could actually recall from maths was watching “El Nombre” in P1, whereby the Mexican counting hero was forever ‘writing numbers in the desert sand’. From this you can already begin to imagine my disdain when I discovered that we had to attend a imgres2-hour maths workshop. However, my moans and groans quickly disappeared within the first hour of this workshop as we were shown new and exciting ways to teach maths and transform it from mere numbers on a page to something that was fun as well as captivating.

 

After this first workshop I began to think about my own experiences in Primary School maths. I struggled throughout school with maths, particularly in P6 and P7, and found that it was something I simply thought I could not do and would never be able to do. I would always have to seek the help of one of my friends who was seen as the best at maths in the class, even by the teacher. Looking back upon this now I realise that this probably didn’t help anyone in the class. Having the teacher openly state her confidence in one pupil’s maths abilities whilst everyone else struggled with the work obviously would have a huge impact on everybody’s self-confidence. From this, I have been able to identify the importance of equality and fairness in the classroom and strive, even more now, to ensure that my classroom is a place of equal opportunity. The process in which maths work was carried out in school was also very dull and boring. The majority of lessons began with a rushed 10-question mental maths quiz followed by a list of pages we were to work through. Although some of the pages contained pictures and different puzzles that aimed to brighten up maths work, the majority of lessons were dry and therefore nobody would engage fully and be able to enjoy maths.

 

Then came secondary school and with it, more boring maths at an even harder level. It was at this point that I became even more disengaged with maths and even less confident in it. There were more pages (this time without pictures and puzzles) and more difficult concepts that I simply couldn’t get my head round. From hereon, I think I just gave up with maths.

 

It wasn’t until last week’s workshop that some of my faith was finally restored in maths when I discovered the importance of it and the various ways that I could bring it to life in the primary classroom. Firstly, we began the workshop by trying to position our feelings and confidence in maths on a scale of 0-10; 0 being no confidence and 10 being very confident. I decided to position myself rather far down the line for both feelings and confidence. However, by the end of the lesson I felt as if my position for both areas had changed dramatically, particularly in feelings towards maths. Tara had succeeded in highlighting the importance of maths in everyday life – something I had always questioned in secondary school and never received a realistic answer. The various ways in which children learn maths was also explained and I soon realised that maths was more than merely answering questions lifted from a textbook and listening to the class teacher explain different concepts. Children learn better if they are able to see the maths being carried out and then practise what they have seen by doing it themselves – there are more ways of doing maths than textbook work. If children are given the opportunity to discuss and justify their strategies and ways imagesof thinking then they are able to consolidate their own methods and perhaps learn new ways of working from their peers. Being able to discuss maths also makes for a deeper and better standard of learning than that of passively listening and doing.

 

At the beginning of the lesson, maths was something that I had absolutely no interest in and zero passion for, however, upon leaving the class it hit me. As a teacher, maths is something I must make enjoyable and interesting and something that I should be passionate about. It is my role as a teacher to identify and expose maths in the environment and provide children with the skills they require to be competent and active in solving problems. In order to effectively teach these skills however, maths must be presented in a fun, exciting way and in a manner that should not be feared by neither teacher nor pupil. Perhaps the film “School of Rock” was right after all – maths is a wonderful thing.

“School Of Rock” maths song

Feeding back on Feedback

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For me, feedback is a hugely effective tool that can allow you to take control of your own learning whilst allowing your peers to help guide you to success. However, it is important to understand what makes useful feedback and what has little or no use. Below is a video clip that outlines 5 tips for giving useful feedback (in this video, feedback is referred to as ‘recommendations’). If you look at Assessment Futures (2009) Guidelines for giving and receiving feedback, you will see that this document also see that the same 5 tips feature here.

 

 

http://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/Giving-and-Receiving-Feedback.pdf

When giving feedback to my peers during this task, I consulted both of these sources before and after reading their work. This level of feedback was relatively new to me so I felt it important to pay great attention to the guidelines. I felt that being realistic was important however also felt it crucial to always maintain consideration for the person’s feelings. Therefore, being sensitive is also a key element in being able to provide useful feedback. However, feedback is only useful if it is honest. It is often hard to pick out areas for improvement when the work is of such a high standard and therefore I simply resorted to recommending a point that the writer may not have written about. I soon realised that this was often the case with my work also. Although honesty is important, it is equally important to also mention strong areas in their work, which can be carried into future writing.

 

When it came to receiving feedback, I found it to be a very positive experience and actually got me thinking a lot more about the standard of my own work and how I can try to improve it in certain areas. In most cases, my peers had commented on a point that I had not written about. This forced me to consider the depth of my work and how I should try to consider more outlooks on a particular issue, something that I will attempt to tackle in future. It also gave me a new sense of pride in my work as I realised that other student teachers had taken the time to read and critique my work. This idea of having value within a group may be able to be carried into the classroom and help to develop pupils’ sense of self-worth. Feedback can act as a hugely effective way of involving children in each other’s learning and helping to develop a sense of community within the classroom, which in turn can help children realise their own responsibilities in their learning journey.

 

When offering feedback in the future I will continue to follow the guidelines offered in order to help my peers reach the highest standard of teaching possible. I will also carry these guidelines into the classroom so that the pupils in my class are able to meet their full potential. Useful feedback is hugely effective in boosting self-esteem, which may then drive pupils to succeed and reach aims within the classroom. Feedback is crucial for both students and teachers, however only works fully when both parties cooperate.

The Enquiring Practitioner

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In order to understand what it means to be an Enquiring Practitioner, it is important to be aware of what the term actually means. From reading the “Practitioner Enquiry” section on the GTC Scotland website, I understand Practitioner Enquiry to be an investigation carried out by a professional in their own field in order to expand their knowledge in this area. This investigation is hugely effective as it allows us, as teachers, to reach our highest standard and provide the best experience for our pupils. This can be done both in groups and individually, each coming with potential benefits and difficulties.

 

Practitioner Enquiry has many benefits for teachers who are trying to develop their own knowledge of their practice. These include:

  • Empowering teachers and encouraging them to challenge the current status quo of education. Through this, they can transform the way that education works.
  • Providing a method for teachers to monitor their own practice. By monitoring this they are able to critically analyse their teaching methods and develop them, ultimately bettering their performance as a teacher which impacts the learning experience for pupils.
  • Developing their knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning. This new knowledge helps teachers make more professional judgements as well as enhancing their own self-esteem and professional identity. This, in turn, can have a direct impact on the way that teachers deliver their lessons to the class.
  • When working collaboratively with fellow professional, people are able to learn from one another and essentially broaden their horizons of thinking regarding teaching education. Through this, barriers are broken and teaching can become more of a team effort which can better the learning experiences for pupils.
  • Collegiate working with fellow teachers can help develop ideas and strategies until they come up with the best solution. This can then be carried into lessons to provide the best learning experience possible.

 

Below is an image taken from the GTC’s website which highlights the key elements of Practitioner Enquiry:

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Overall, Practitioner Enquiry is hugely beneficial to teachers as it can help to broaden their knowledge and understanding of their own field through being critical and analytical. This new knowledge can then be passed on to pupils and/or colleagues to improve their learning experience within the classroom, or in the case of colleagues, improve their own practice within the classroom. Practitioner Enquiry is also beneficial in helping teachers to develop new teaching strategies through being critical of their own practice and picking out the strengths and weaknesses of past teaching experiences. As a student teacher, I believe that Practitioner Enquiry will play an important part in my development as it is important that I constantly reflect on my own practice to ensure that I am able to provide the best learning experience possible and obtain a wide knowledge of the teaching profession.

Unit 2D – Reflection

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Firstly, it is important to establish what is meant by ‘reflection’ in learning. This term essentially refers to considering various solutions to problems and in education, this can be done through evaluation of one’s work and adopting a critical approach towards it. Reflection is often portrayed as a process with multiple stages in which the learner begins by establishing what the task was and what was expected from it. The process then continues and forces the person who is reflecting to consider their feelings towards the task, the positive and negative areas, and what they could have done to improve. This model of reflection is called “The Gibbs Reflective Cycle”, which is adapted from Gibbs, 1988, P.47. One of the most important stages of this process, for us as learners, is developing an ‘Action Plan’, which is essentially a strategy for dealing with this task if it happened again. This is beneficial to learners as it forces them to analyse their own actions during this task and create a new method of approaching it that is constructed of their previous strengths and new revised methods based upon poorer experiences.

There are many ways in which you can reflect on your own work, for example discussing the end product of a task set with a tutor and allowing them to criticise your work and provide feedback on poorer areas and ways in which you could improve them. Learners could also work within a group to analyse their own work and allow their peers to suggest areas for improvement as well as strong areas that can be applied to future work and tasks.

One of the most important things to keep in consideration when reflecting upon your learning is to be honest and critical. If one fails to adopt a truly critical mindset then reflection can be useless and have absolutely no benefit to one’s learning. It is important to admit to weak areas within your work and not blatantly ignore them. If a task is not completed particularly well and the learner fails to identify the areas whereby it did not go well, then there can be no improvement made. It is also important to be open to criticism from different outlooks and not merely ignore them. Criticism from external viewpoints can have a massive effect on the way in which you try to improve your learning and they can also help to introduce areas for improvement that perhaps you did not notice. However, it is also important to pay attention to strong areas within your work as these skills can be applied in future tasks to ensure that the learner produces a high standard of work.

Reflection is a critical process in which the learner is able to take control of their own learning and plan new ways to achieve a higher standard of working.

The Virtues of Teaching

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In my opinion, five of the most crucial virtues of teaching are:

  • Patience
  • Fairness
  • Kindness
  • Respect
  • Integrity

Patience 

When working with children, patience is absolutely vital. Each pupil will have their strengths and weaknesses and it is up to the teacher to help them in any way possible. Therefore, it is very important to give the pupil all the time that they require in order to allow them to overcome this area where improvement is needed.

Fairness

Fairness is also a crucial characteristic to possess as a teacher. No pupil should be put at a disadvantage and singled out. This can ultimately damage their learning experience and knock their confidence. It is important, as the teacher, to ensure that the classroom is totally equal.

Kindness

In order to welcome children into the classroom and ensure that their learning experience is enjoyable, a teacher should be kind. School can often be a daunting experience for many young children, therefore it is the job of the teacher to be kind in order to allow children to be able to approach them and feel at ease during their time inside the classroom.

Respect

If a teacher is to uphold their authority in the classroom, it is important that they be respected by their pupils. However, the only way to be respected by the children you teach is to respect them in turn. It is also vital to respect every member of staff within the school you work in. Every staff member is part of a team and each member of that team must respect one another. This ensures that everyone can work effectively, essentially bettering the learning experience for every child.

Integrity

Integrity is also a key virtue to have as a teacher. It is important to be honest as a teacher and possess a good set of moral principles as this can effect the teacher’s decision-making in the classroom and ultimately effect the learning experience of pupils. Possessing integrity as a teacher may also suggest a certain level of commitment to the profession which, in my opinion, is vital to being a successful teacher.

Online Unit 1C – The benefits of active learning and co-operative working

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Firstly, in order to be able to understand the benefits of active learning, it is important to understand the key meaning of the term and the main ideas that surround it. Active learning is essentially a learning model that makes the learner take responsibility for their own learning. It is also important to realise that active learning is considered to be more than merely passively reading a piece of text from a textbook or copying notes out straight from a lecture presentation. In order to be an active learner, you have to go the extra mile and try to develop notes that you take in a lecture or add in your own thoughts when reading a piece of text. There are various ways to participate actively in one’s learning, some of which are highlighted in the video below in Benjamin Bloom’s catalogue of methods.

Active learning can produce various benefits, one of which is capability to allow students to look a particular issue from different critical viewpoints. This can help to widen their knowledge on this issue and allow them to have a more balanced understanding and overview on this particular issue. This newly acquired understanding can then work to help them build a stronger argument when faced with a critical analysis task on the particular issue. Active learning is also a massively effective way of granting students ownership over their own learning and allows them to essentially take the driving seat in their education. This in turn can motivate them more and help them achieve success as they feel more motivated by responsibility. Another benefit of active learning is that it forces students to relate one topic with another that has been previously covered in lessons or lectures. This gives way to connections being built within a student’s education and can help them establish the wider picture whereby they consider how this contributes to the learning objectives of their learning.

Working co-operatively can present many benefits not only for the individual, but also for the group itself. One of the main benefits is that it allows each member of the group to develop their own understanding of a particular issue through sharing and exchanging ideas within the group. Each member of a group has something to offer but also something they can take away. Working in a team can also provide guidance and assistance if required as you have the opportunity to seek help or ask questions to fellow members of the group. Working co-operatively can also generate healthy debate on a certain subject matter whereby ideas from different perspectives are being expressed, thus helping work towards the common goal of achieving the task but with a more balanced approach towards it. Within the teaching profession, it is important to embrace co-operative work as this can help develop relationships with fellow colleagues, therefore leading to ideas being shared which can better the learning experience for children.

Professionalism and the Online World

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Social media; helping to connect people with mutual interests all around the world and providing a gateway for people to learn, discuss and share. In today’s society it plays a massive role in almost everybody’s lives and yet, if misused, it can be fatal. In the teaching profession, being careful on social media is a critical part of being professional. Social media can present both challenges and opportunities for a teacher and each is left to form their own opinions on the matter.

In order to be professional, teachers must abide by the GTC Scotland’s code of conduct. Although the GTC acknowledge and respect the private lives of teachers, it is still vital to consider how personal behaviour on social media can impact and essentially damage one’s fitness to teach. When considering the online presence of a professional teacher it is important to try to highlight opportunities that this can present and not just focus on challenges it can cause. However in order to seize these opportunities it is likely that the teacher will either have to find an equal balance between professional and personal online activity or set up a totally separate account that can be used for professional purposes. An example of an opportunity that social media can bring to the classroom is the idea of being able to share the work of your pupils around the world with various other schools and classes via the internet. Social media can provide an online space where schools, pupils and teachers are able to connect with each other and in turn share, learn and form global relationships. Social media can essentially be transformed into a global classroom if used properly. This link via social media can also allow children to form global friendships through a “pen pal” system. In my own experience I have seen this done and become a huge success. This idea of the teacher using social media as a method for children to discuss their learning and school life with another child from a different part of the world is only one of the amazing opportunities that can be brought about it.

Not only can social media be used to develop communication on a global level, it can be used a much smaller scale and essentially just be used for classmates to communicate with each other. For example, when children are conducting research for group projects they can use social media to share their finding with peers within their group thus creating a much more efficient method of sharing and learning. As well as this, children will also be able to share this information by sending it to their class teacher thus allowing the teacher to watch over the pupils’ work online. By using social media in a classroom, this will also provide children with the online experience and develop their computing skills. This new understanding of social media and the type of etiquette expected when using it will benefit children as social media is ever growing and is playing a much bigger part in society every day.

On the other hand, social media can be temperamental and cause some issues when used in education. Firstly, it is important to understand that once something has been posted online it is on there forever, even if the post is deleted. As a teacher this fact must be kept in mind at all times as well as the GTC’s code when online, especially on social media. One potential problem for teachers using social media is that of their personal life being discovered by pupils. Although it is important for a teacher to be friendly and approachable to children, it is important that boundaries are kept and the teachers’ privacy remains separate from their professional life. Curious children may search for their teacher on social media sites and possibly try to communicate with them via this form. Any form of communication between teacher and pupil is not permitted unless in an appropriate school space. However, there are measures that can be taken to minimise the risk of this type of issue. Making all social media accounts private will help reduce the chances of pupils discovering a teacher’s private life online. Also, the account could be set up using a nickname or middle name in order to make it harder for children to trace their teachers on social media.

There can also be potential risks when using social media with a classroom environment as well as privately. The world of social media is vast with all sorts of things being posted on it. Unfortunately, there is material online that is in no way suitable for children and the classroom. Therefore when using social media, teachers run the potential risk of accidentally accessing some of this content. All it takes is an accidental click on the wrong link or webpage and a teacher’s career can be put on the line. Unfortunately, for this reason, social media can bring potential danger to the classroom and is considered by some to be left outside of this environment.

Overall, I feel that with society advancing and developing every day it is important for teachers to keep up with these changes to ensure that a child’s learning experience is up-to-date and therefore fully beneficial. With social media being a key component in this everyday advancement I feel that it is important for teacher’s to have a positive attitude towards online activity and try to fully embrace social media and all of the useful resources that it brings. Having said this, it is also equally important to always bear in mind the potential dangers of the Internet and ensure that the necessary precautions are taken to ensure not only the safety of children, but also that of the teacher themselves. However, teachers should not let these hypothetical risks scare them away from using the Internet. If utilised fully and properly, social media can be a powerful learning tool that can benefit both pupil and teacher.

How did my gender affect me when I was a child?

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After considering this question for the past few days and trying to remember experiences at primary school, I’ve come to realise that my gender did actually play quite a significant role in various aspects of this part of my life.

One of the subjects where gender seemed to matter most was in PE. These lessons were either constructed with a “boys group” and a “girls group” or, for some games, two male captains who would have choice over the whole class for their team, often leaving the girls to be the last ones chosen. Reminiscing on this now just highlights how your gender was quite possibly the most important part of your identity at primary school other than your name.

Then there were the lunch queues. Something as simple as eating being organised by gender. Obviously, there would be the boy’s queue and the girl’s, both standing as silently as possible in order to gain access to the dinner hall first. This sense of competition, which could also be found in PE lessons, featured at lunchtime heavily, whether it be in the queues or merely in playground games. It was as if the whole of primary school was a 7-year-long battle of the sexes.

Large groups of boys and girls could often be found marching around the playground at playtime chanting (what now seems totally ridiculous) “Boys are the kings” or “Girls are the best”.

All things considered, gender was absolutely vital in my time at primary school.