I remember one of my teachers, Margaret McCurley, with particular affection, writes Carmel McConnell. I was at the Sacred Heart Convent in Dagenham, East London, a lively school with pupils from around the world – families drawn by the Ford Motor Company works. I wasn’t the best behaved child, but my behaviour, and to some extent my whole life, was improved by the presence of Mrs McCurley.When I was 14, we debated new subjects based on our own views. That might not sound radical, but it was. Especially as Mrs McCurley, a no-nonsense teacher with a reputation for strictness, taught sociology. We learned about the class system, the reasons for poverty and the role of government and we were encouraged to form opinions. What kind of society did we want to create? What was the purp
19 March 2015, The Tablet
The teacher who inspired me
Get Instant Access
Continue Reading
Register for free to read this article in full
Subscribe for unlimited access
From just £30 quarterly
Complete access to all Tablet website content including all premium content.
The full weekly edition in print and digital including our 179 years archive.
PDF version to view on iPad, iPhone or computer.
Already a subscriber? Login