Will Orr-Ewing: Recent Episodes
Will Orr-Ewing
I have been working in the field of education for over a decade. I run Keystone Tutors, and a summer nature + creativity camp called The Imaginarium. In this History of Education podcast series, I interview great teachers from the UK independent preparatory sector about their teaching lives and what recommendations they have for teachers today.
In episode #2, I interview Rory Darling.
Rory taught Maths and History at many of the top boarding boys preparatory schools in the country, including Summer Fields, Cothill, Ludgrove, Aysgarth and Elstree.
In this interview, we talk about:
Teaching and learning Standards back in the 70s? Importance of historical knowledge for context; and skeleton. Importance of knowledge generally. Knowledge vs skills / group work; + lesson plans Real-world Maths Maths: drilling and rote vs. being open-minded Maths: CE vs GCSE and ISEB vs KS3 History: importance of having a skeleton Games to entertain students - avoiding being bored. What made a good headmaster? Discipline
In this interview, I speak to retired Charterhouse House Master and Director of Admissions, Hugh Gammell.*
We cover,
- His reflections as a housemaster at Charterhouse and the vocation of being a teacher
- Teaching teenagers from the 1970s to today. What has changed and what hasn’t?
- Teenage rebellion & risk taking & the conformism of children today
- The mavericks and misfits who “make a difference”
- The former pupils who have made him proud
- The importance for children of having non-academic interests
- Specialisation - studying history for its own sake
- Boarding, independent schools and their place in society today
- Mobile phones and the curse of technology today
*The interview was recorded in a restaurant and I'm afraid the sound quality is not good. However, you get into the groove after a few minutes and I hope it will be intelligible.
In Part 2 of my interview with legendary Prep School Headmaster, Nigel Talbot-Rice (NTR), we discuss amongst other things:
Discipline Crazes Class Calling home Boarding under 13
In Episode 6 of my Education podcast, I interview the famous Summer Fields Headmaster Nigel Talbot Rice.
Nigel joined prep school teaching upon leaving Oxford. He started his career at Papplewick after which he taught at Summer Fields for the rest of his career. He served as the school's Head Master for 22 years (1975-1997) and is undoubtedly one of the school's most significant heads in its history.
In this interview, we talk about:
- His story into teaching - his move from Papplewick into Summer Fields.
- Differences between Summer Fields then and now.
- His plans to buy a school in the 1960s - with Summer Fields legend Nick Alridge.
- His developing educational philosophy - such aspects as behaviour, academics, religious instruction and financial prudence.
- His thoughts on boarding prep schools now and in the future.