PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES: Thursday, November 16, at 10.30am – MacRobert Building, University of Aberdeen
Former Formula One World Champion, Sir Jackie Stewart, will visit the University of Aberdeen today (Thursday, November 16) to meet with key education professionals appointed to lead a pioneering project that heralds a transformation in teacher education for children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties.
Sir Jackie will be joined by Catherine Macaslan, Vice-Principal of the University of Aberdeen, when he meets with Professors Martyn Rouse and Lani Florian. Professor Rouse has been appointed as Chair of Social and Educational Inclusion and Director of the Inclusive Practice Project, while Professor Florian will take up her post as Chair of Social and Educational Inclusion in January 2007.
The new posts have been created as part of the ground-breaking £1.4million Inclusive Practice Project to investigate and develop new ways of training teachers to help children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. The innovative project will support the professional development of experienced teachers to ensure that every child has an equal chance for participation and learning in school. The project involves the staff in the University’s School of Education developing approaches to ensure that new teachers have a greater awareness and understanding of the educational and social issues that can affect children’s learning. It will also ensure that new teachers have developed strategies they can use to support and deal with such difficulties.
Professors Rouse and Florian are joining Aberdeen from Cambridge University. They have a distinguished record in research and development work for schools, local authorities and national and international agencies in the area of special needs and inclusion. They have published widely on inclusion, teaching strategies and achievement.
As well as meeting the new Chairs, Sir Jackie will meet with Myra Pearson, Head of the School of Education, and representatives from Dyslexia Scotland and the Scottish Executive. He will then join a group of students for a classroom session on inclusiveness.
Sir Jackie’s visit to the University today follows the official opening of the MacRobert Building in December 2005 when he joined with Scotland’s First Minister Jack McConnell to open the building and announce the funding package for the Inclusive Practice Project.
Cathy Macaslan, Vice-Principal for Learning and Teaching at the University of Aberdeen, said: “I am delighted to welcome back Sir Jackie Stewart to our first-class School of Education. The School is quickly establishing itself as a leader in a new era of teacher education and we are proud to be demonstrating our commitment to doing everything we can to make sure every child in Scotland has an equal chance.
“The School of Education has made its mark on the University contributing to the pursuit of best practice in learning and teaching and we are honoured to be working with Sir Jackie and the Scottish Executive on the Inclusive Studies Project. This initiative will, I believe, be of major significance for Scotland’s school children.”
Professor Martyn Rouse said he was enjoying his first challenges at the University of Aberdeen. He said: “I am delighted to have this unique opportunity to lead a project that will help transform the way we prepare and support teachers to work with children who experience difficulties in learning. I am proud to join a University with such ambitious plans for its future.
“This forward-thinking Institution offers exceptional opportunities to develop educational and social inclusion by working with new and experienced teachers, their schools and local authorities. The support of Sir Jackie and the Scottish Executive has been crucial in the establishment of the Project.”
Myra Pearson, Head of the School of Education at the University of Aberdeen, said: “Martyn Rouse and Lani Florian are very highly regarded intellectuals in the area of social and educational inclusion. Their work is some of the most original and exciting being done today in this field.
“Their appointments are wonderful news for the University of Aberdeen and they will provide exactly the kind of academic leadership and vision necessary to continue to develop Aberdeen as an international centre of excellence in teaching.”
The MacRobert Building was officially re-opened in December 2005 after a £13m refurbishment to benefit the 1,400 full and part-time students and 150 members of staff within the School of Education. The nine-storey building, which is situated at the heart of the King’s College campus, features state-of-the-art facilities with an entire floor of computing facilities available on a 24-hour basis. The building ensures the School has access to unparalleled facilities to continue to provide innovative teacher education using the latest in technology.
After visiting the University of Aberdeen today, Sir Jackie will visit Kaimhill Primary School in Aberdeen to talk to pupils affected by dyslexia and other learning difficulties. The pupils recently wrote to Sir Jackie to thank him for his support of the University’s Inclusive Studies Project.
Kaimhill Primary School headteacher Nancy Davidson, said: “We are all very much looking forward to welcoming Sir Jackie to the school and it is fantastic that he is taking time out of his busy schedule to come to meet the pupils in our dyslexia unit and address our assembly. The children were delighted that Sir Jackie wrote back to them and everyone in the school will benefit from hearing about how he has dealt with dyslexia and the kind of help that is available.”