As if job-seeking pressures were not enough, this building with sweeping lawns and vaulted halls was completely overwhelming. Bizarrely, they said, it had been built as a children's orphanage in the early 19^th century, and the giant windows were positioned at such a height in the rooms so that the children would not be able to see out!

So, it was a strange place to be embarking on  a career to be spent teaching young people, during which, one would have thought, the whole point was for them to look out of the windows, at least metaphorically.

The tradition of the lad o’ pairts is one treasured by Scots and Scottish educators - we want our pupils to have the broadest choice possible of subjects and experiences in school.

It is a vision goes far beyond the timetabler’s art, a belief that was reaffirmed for me twice in one day.

In a sense, it was an odd end to a peculiar year. Teacher training back then was different; working now with probationers I’m inspired by their knowledge and reflection on their craft.

In the mid seventies we were underwhelmed by the lectures on sociology, psychology, and method, and cast adrift in our teacher placements.

However, I cheered up when I realized there were only two questions - keeping it short and simple is often a short cut to real insight.

The first of the two questions, both asking respondents to reflect on being teachers, asked: "What do you know?"