J7 class teacher and tutor, Mrs Cook, joined Lathallan two-and-a-half years ago, following in the footsteps of her three children – Ramsay, Elizabeth and Harry – who are all pupils at the school. We took a few minutes to find out more about her teaching style, and what drew her and her family to become part of the Lathallan community.
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What led you to decide on a career in Education:
After leaving school, I didn’t really have a strong sense of what I wanted to do. I was good at maths so decided to study accountancy at Aberdeen University, before taking my first steps on the career ladder. I soon realised it wasn’t for me and, with the idea of becoming a teacher growing in my mind, I left to do a postgraduate degree in Education aged 25. Not long after, my husband’s job presented an opportunity for our family to move abroad and we spent the next 12 years living first in Australia and then Texas, where I was a stay-at-home mum. When we returned to the UK, we enrolled the children at Lathallan and, shortly after, I registered with the General Teaching Council. When a role came up at Lathallan in 2020, I applied and haven’t looked back.
Tell us a bit about your role and what it entails:
I am the J7 class teacher and tutor, which means I get to teach the core of the curriculum; numeracy and literacy, plus social studies and RME, while also getting to be involved in games delivery, all of which I love. Now all the pupils bring a Chromebook to school I am able to incorporate ICT into our day which has been a huge gain. As a junior school teacher, we don’t really have such a thing as a ‘normal’ day. We write and work on maths every day as set lessons, but then we might find ourselves out planting in the polytunnel or tidying up the raised beds, running cross country or throwing the javelin. We read daily too and enjoy going outside to do so, often in the treehouse on the school grounds.
How would you describe your teaching style?
I don’t have a particular style because the J7 pupils spend a lot of time with me so that would get very boring, very quickly. I like using social studies and RME for group-based project work where I find out what the pupils want to learn and then support them as they work independently towards their goals. Maths is my first love and I enjoy using a variety of digital resources to show worked-through examples. Dice and card games, as well as digital games, are always well received and help to embed knowledge. I also use songs quite a lot to support literacy work as they can be an effective way to support the pupils in committing information to memory.
Can you remember your first job?
Like everyone else my age and from this part of the world, it was at the berries, aged five – I thought I was going to be rich but it turns out that I helped pick them for five minutes and then decided I preferred to play instead. I had the Marykirk paper round growing up, for a few years, and won’t quickly forget the dark cold mornings when the rain is driving into the side of your face, which definitely wakes you up.
When did you first learn about Lathallan School and what drew you to working here?
Unlike most staff with children at the school, my kids came first and I followed. A position was coming up and a couple of staff suggested I apply for it. I did and was lucky enough to get the job.
What has been your favourite part of working at Lathallan to date, and why?
I love the freedom I am afforded in how I tackle all the different elements of my job, both in the classroom and in how I utilise the school grounds. Having technology thrust upon me due to teaching in lockdown has been a huge personal boon and one that benefits my pupils enormously. Games is another facet of my job that I love. I get to be involved with netball, track and field, swimming, cross country, laser run (watch this space) to name a few and get to witness first-hand the multitude of benefits that team and individual sports have for our pupils. Skills such as decision-making, organisation, communication and resilience are built on the courts and fields. The volume of PE and games time our pupils have access to is one of the main reasons my own children are at Lathallan.
What has been your proudest or most memorable moment at the school to date?
Personally, I was pleased to get my Google Educator Level One qualification and aim to get my Level Two. I also gained my Scottish Athletics Coaching Assistant qualification this year and would like to gain the next stage of Athletics Coach soon. Really proud moments come in class or during other parts of our school day when I get to witness ‘penny dropping’ moments, like when a pupil achieves something they weren’t sure they could or I notice a quiet act of kindness between children.
The J7 boys winning the Albyn RGU cross country team event was also quite high up there – the boys trained hard for the win and were delighted – as was the clean sweep at the Blairmore Cup, which was beyond impressive. I also loved our Lights and Literacy event, the Christmas Fair and Farm Shop / Living Museum; all occasions when parents can come in and get a flavour of what the pupils have been working on. Getting to know our senior pupils better on the Wales trip was also invaluable, as was the evening football and volleyball warfare.
What is your favourite Lathallan tradition or aspect of school life?
I love the pipe band and Mr Nevans. The pupils work so hard and Mr Nevans pushes them and keeps the bar high. I also enjoy sports fixtures and Mrs Howie; she has such a wealth of experience and works so hard to get the best out of each pupil. I also love the Junior School debates, Burns Supper, and the way the pupils stand when a visitor enters the room.
What interests do you have outside of your job?
I am a swim / running / netball / triathlon / biathlon / laser run / aquathlon (triathlon without a cycling leg) mum so I don’t have much time for hobbies but do help out with coaching at Stonehaven Banchory Athletics club. When I do find time, I will get back to working out, gardening, reading, walking my dog and feeding the birds.
What are you most proud of having accomplished?
Training for marathons and triathlons when my kids were very young, representing Scotland in high school in running and entering the workplace after more than a decade of being at home with the kids.
Describe Lathallan in three words?
Family, ambitious, nurturing and outdoors. I needed four.
What would you say to parents thinking of sending their children to Lathallan?
That’s easy, do it.
What’s your favourite book and why?
All of the ‘Famous Five’ books and ‘Anne of Green Gables’. I escaped into them as a kid. I also liked the Beano because of Dennis and Gnasher, and Minnie the Minx – a strong female lead in a less traditional mould.
If you had £1m to give away, what would you do with it?
A tartan track with a high jump. Wait… how much is a pool…?
How would you most like to be remembered?
As a sub three-hour marathon runner, so ‘inaccurately’ (PB 3:01).
Favourite travel spot?
Mill O’ Mains in Dundee when I was four. I stayed with my cousin in a high-rise and got to put the bin bags down the rubbish slide. Peter Island in the British Virgin Islands would be a close second.
If you were stuck on an island, what three things would you bring?
A ball, mask and snorkel, and a parasol. It’s a desert island, right?
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us?
I played basketball and netball in Australia, and co-ed soccer in Texas with an ex-Belize internationalist.