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July 13, 2018
Dear Parents,
Re: Aitchison engages the World -2018-19
I am delighted to announce that Mr. Simon Murray (recently retired Headmaster of St Peter’s College, Adelaide, Australia –one of Australia’s great boys’ schools) will be our special guest for one week in early September. Simon is a recent recipient of an Order of Australia for his contribution to education, and heads the ‘Positive Education’ movement that has done much to add to the effectiveness of pastoral care in schools. Positive Education is an approach to education that blends academic learning with character & well-being. Preparing students with life skills such as: grit, optimism, resilience, growth mindset, engagement, and mindfulness amongst others.
On a recent visit to Wellington College, I was impressed by that school’s response to adopting aspects of this very interesting approach in raising the levels of self-esteem and positive interaction among staff and students. Simon will be attending staff and student meetings to hold discussion, and then lead a one day professional development for all teaching staff –a student free day. We look forward to benefiting from Simon’s input.
On a recent visit to Wellington College, I was impressed by that school’s response to adopting aspects of this very interesting approach in raising the levels of self-esteem and positive interaction among staff and students. Simon will be attending staff and student meetings to hold discussion, and then lead a one day professional development for all teaching staff –a student free day. We look forward to benefiting from Simon’s input.
In addition, Professor Mathew McCartney (Oxford University and Head of South Asian Studies) will be with Aitchison for September and October in-residence to assist with Oxbridge preparations, talks applying to Oxford and helping with applications, mentoring boys and observing school processes.
Professor McCartney reports: "I began as an economist and then my job titles just got longer and longer. I studied for a BA in Economics at King’s College, Cambridge (1993-1996), and after plodding through the obligatory micro, macro and econometrics was fired for enthusiasm with the study of development under Peter Nolan, Ha-Joon Chang, Mushtaq Khan and Chris Bramall. Enthusiasm waned somewhat in the early stages of an MPhil in Economics at Keble College, Oxford (1996-1998), before being revived by the discovery of QEH and especially Barbara Harriss-White and the accompanying MPhil dissertation on India. After I spent two years (1998-2000) in Zambia working in the Ministry of Finance under an ODI Fellowship, but it never quite usurped my academic fascination with India. I returned to academia doing a PhD under Mushtaq Khan at SOAS, London. I remained at SOAS for eleven years, graduating from PhD student to a Lecturer in the Economic Development of South Asia. I returned to Oxford in September 2011 to take over from Barbara Harriss-White as Director of the South Asia Programme. During this academic journey I have had the pleasure(s) and frustration of teaching in South Korea, India, Pakistan, Denmark, and Japan, and working with the UNDP, US Aid, World Bank and EU in Zambia, Botswana, Bangladesh, Georgia, Egypt and Bosnia."
Finally, we will welcome four Balliol College graduates to engage with senior students in various studies during the first months of the new academic year. This is the initial batch of Balliol graduates who join us as part of a unique arrangement with Aitchison. All will be accommodated here and be fully involved with teaching and tutorials –and some in sport. Several of our Balliol graduates have also expressed an interest in pursuing careers in the teaching profession. I believe the connection with young, outstanding graduates is something Aitchison must always offer.
Michael Thomson M.A., Dip. Ed., M.A.C.E
Principal