The latest cohort of budding primary and secondary teachers completed the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme at the University of Aberdeen on Wednesday (June 9).
They are the third cohort to exit from the pioneering combined Primary and Secondary education programme developed by the University in 2007.
The students rounded-off their studies by presenting their collaborative experiences from their Further Professional Studies (FPS) elective courses to staff and peers during the annual FPS Conference.
The conference was followed by a final key-note lecture and the award of the Richard Greig Memorial Award for Professional Studies.
Richard Greig, who died in 2006, was a well liked and hugely respected lecturer in PGDE Business Education and as a tutor in the wider role of Professional Studies for 14 years.
During the time that Richard worked with his students and colleagues he became regarded as a man with strong values of fairness, equality and integrity.
At all times he is remembered for conducting himself professionally and with a calm and balanced approach. Added to this was his witty sense of humour that made many smile.
Richard was equally well known and respected within his field for his work at a National level through SQA and for his management of the Business Education Network (BEN) which was established in 1989.
In keeping with the spirit of the award, Graham Laing was identified by his tutors as a student who stood out in terms of his commitment, engagement and professionalism across all aspects of the PGDE programme. He will now take up a probationary teaching post at Auchterellon School, Aberdeenshire in August.
The final PGDE lecture was delivered by Professor Andrew Pollard of the Institute of Education, University of London.
Professor Pollard is former Director of the recently concluded Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP) - the largest and most extensive educational research project ever undertaken in the UK (www.tlrp.org/aims/index.html)
He is a distinguished and respected academic and author of the acclaimed Reflective Teaching text.
Professor Pollard's lecture was entitled TLRP, Teacher Professionalism and Reflective Practice.
He also ran a seminar for staff in the School of Education in the afternoon entitled Professionalism, Pedagogy and its implications for Reflective Teaching. PGDE students and staff from a range of programmes engaged in discussion of the outcomes of the TLRP in relation to teaching and teacher education.