Please note: this resource pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content and links may be outdated.

Introduction

I would like to share some Cumbria University Year 4 primary history specialist student's written work with you. These students who are in their final year have just completed their last assignment (on the Ancient Greeks) and after the cheers and tears I have actually really enjoyed marking their work. Why?

Preparing the writing programme - Approach and preparation

I am a specialist in Ancient History but I know little about the Ancient Greeks and was only teaching it because an esteemed colleague and true expert, John Thorley had just retired. As I planned for the start of the course in September I had decided upon an approach which would:

• focus on my strengths as a teacher (a deep understanding of the ancient world,
• my ability to make creative use of sources and artefacts,
• my liking for good films),
• course members' strengths as a group (a tremendous capacity for hard work, a core of very talented students, a tolerance for my creative approaches and a liking for good films) to make the most of a potentially difficult situation.

Therefore, all the preparation for teaching I needed was...