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In 2013, I asked my new husband if he would be willing to be known by a portmanteau of Worth (my maiden name) and Lobo (my husband’s name). ‘Perhaps ‘Wolobo’?’ I said, enthusiastically, ‘Or ‘Lobworth’? He declined. More fool him. 

I (Paula Wolobo) am a secondary school teacher of history and I have taught in both state and independent settings. I currently have responsibility for the co-ordination of history at Key Stage 3 level. I am also a classroom Lead Practitioner. In 2016 I set up my school’s Journal Club.

For the academic year of 2019-2020, I was a University Lecturer on the History PGCE course at the University of Bristol. I continue to work with the university as an Associate Lecturer. 

I am an associate editor for the journal Teaching History, in which I have written several full-length articles. I have also penned various features for the journal such as the ‘New, Novice or Nervous’ guides to subjects such as progression in evidential understanding and addressing controversial issues in the classroom.

I have also been a supervisor for the Master of Education ‘Researching Practice’ and ‘Advanced Subject Teaching’ programmes  at the University of Cambridge, where I trained to be a teacher.

In 2013, I set up a pilot ‘Raising Aspirations’ project, designed to provide an introduction to historiography for state school pupils who are interested in applying to Russell Group or Oxbridge universities. I need to resurrect this project after two exhausting maternity leaves, but I never seem to have enough time after I’ve picked up all the Lego and put vanish on all the school uniform. 

I occasionally dress up for lessons (I make a very good John Ball, but I need to work on my Queen Elizabeth), and I like baking, although I am very bad at it.

Email me: paulaworth@hotmail.com

Publications

Worth, P. (2011) ‘Which women were executed for witchcraft? And which pupils cared? Low-attaining Year 8 use fiction to tackle three demons: extended reading, diversity and causation’ in Teaching History, 144: History for All Edition.

Worth, P. (2012) ‘Competition and counterfactuals without confusion: Year 10 play a game about the fall of the Tsarist empire to improve their causal reasoning’ in Teaching History, 149: In Search Of The Question Edition.

Worth, P. (2014) ‘Combating a Cook-centric past through co-curricular learning: Year 9 dig out maps and rulers to challenge generalisations about the Age of Discovery’ in Teaching History, 154: A Sense of History Edition.

Worth, P. (2014) ‘Cunning Plan: Different interpretations of the significance of historical events in the First World War’ in Teaching History, 155: First World War Edition.

Worth, P. (2014) ‘‘English king Frederick I won at Arsuf, then took Acre, then they all went home’: exploring the challenges involved in reading and writing historical narrative’ in Teaching History, 156: Chronology Edition, pp.8-19.

Worth, P. (2016) ”My initial concern is to get a hearing’: exploring what makes an effective essay introduction’  in Teaching History, 164: Feedback Edition.

Worth, P. (2016) ‘Evidential Thinking: Language as Liberator and Gaoler’ in Counsell, C., Burn, K. and Chapman, A. (Ed.s) Masterclass in History Education: Transforming Teaching and Learning (London: Bloomsbury).

Worth, P. (2018) ‘‘This extract is no good, Miss!’ Helping post-16 students to make judgements about an historian’s construction of argument’ in Teaching History, 170: Historians Edition, pp.16-21.

Worth, P. (2018) ‘Here ends the lesson: shaping lesson conclusions as an iterative process in improving historical enquiries’ in Teaching History, 173: Opening Doors Edition.

Worth, P. (2019) ‘Beyond Bletchley: the role of women in the history of the RAF’, in Exploring and Teaching the Twentieth Century, Historical Association.

Worth, P. (2021) ‘Beyond myth and magic: Year 7 use oral traditions to make claims about the rise and fall of the Inka empire’ in Teaching History, 184, Different Lenses Edition.

Worth, P. (2023) ‘Three strategies to support pupils’ study of historical significance’ in Teaching History, 190, Significance Edition.