Quarterly Update
February 2012
Staff Exchanges
Staff exchanges are an essential part of MDVI Euronet activities. Operating on a low-budget basis, staff from schools for the VI and MDVI come together to share ideas and work co-operatively. One such project is currently taking place and involves music teachers and therapists from the Royal Blind School, Edinburgh, Jordanstown School, Belfast, and Primary School for Children with Visual Impairment, Dublin.
"We are buzzing with new ideas and totally overwhelmed by the warmth and enthusiasm with which we were welcomed by all your staff and pupils. It was a really memorable and worthwhile experience and thank you for organising it and putting so much effort into its success. We are now really looking forward to continuing the project here in Edinburgh!" Music Teacher at the Royal Blind School following visit to Dublin.
January 2012
Sound and Picture Project
The Sound and Picture Project is an EU funded Comenius Project which aims to empower learners with MDVI through ICT and demonstrate how learning and teaching resources can be created using freeware has now launched its website at www.soundandpicture.eu.
OPTIC Project Awarded European Shared Treasure Star
National Agencies responsible for the administration of Comenius Projects flag Star Projects in European Shared Treasure database, based on the quality of the project and its results. Agencies will also identify other best practice for their national promotion during their dissemination and exploitation events in your country. The OPTIC project (See MDVI Euronet Projects) was awarded an ESF Star and congratulations to all who made this possible.
December 2011
Jordanstown School Official Opening
MDVI Euronet would like to wish Jordanstown School all the very best for their official opening on 7 December 2011. They have built a fantastic new school and should be very proud of their achievement.
European Projects Under Development
Throughout this autumn term, member organisations have been involved in meetings to prepare a number of EU funded Comenius Projects. Under development are:
IMAGINE MDVI or An Inclusive forum to develop Movement, Action, Gesture, Improvisation, Negotiation and Expression of Multiple Disability Visual Impairment adults. The overall aim of this project is that, through transnational collaboration, project partners will explore and develop the concept of theatre for adults with MDVI. The project will develop the potential and talents of the focus group so that they can be actively involved in public performance. Partners believe that individuals with MDVI become expressive, happy and vocal when performing in front of an audience. However, they also need the right training and support. Using a common script, partners will develop a set of guidelines to be used by any professional working with learners with MDVI in the area of theatre.
Orientation and Mobility Project. The preparatory meeting for this project will be held at St Joseph's Primary School, Dublin in January 2011. The project will examine methods in which the natural curiosity of children to explore their environment can be supported in the development of O&M. The full title for this project will be worked out at the preparatory meeting.
JOBS MDVI - The aim of this project is to explore and identify specific issues for professionals in addressing lifelong learning and work related issues for people with MDVI during transition into the workplace, into adulthood. Furthermore, to train, develop skills and competencies of professionals to be better enabled to meet the needs of people with MDVI. Finally, also to develop methodologies and establish guidelines to support and train professionals to meet this specific need of the target audience.
Sharing Expertise
In addition to the above projects, a staff exchange is being planned between the Royal Blind School and St Joseph's Primary School for teachers of music. It is also hoped that Jordanstown School in Belfast will join the project. In addition to the exchange of good practice, teachers will work with pupils on a musical interpretation of Finn Mc Cool, a legendary giant who is associated with the World famous Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.
The strong links between St Joseph's Primary and the Royal Blind School are also enabling the Primary School to introduce Rebound Therapy into the curriculum following successful fundraising which has enable the school to purchase the necessary high specification trampoline.
November 2011
PE and Leisure Workshop at RBS
In October, the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh held a workshop on PE and Leisure for young people and learners with MDVI. Read more about the workshop in the autumn newsletter which can be downloaded from the homepage. But here are a few photos of the delegates at work.
October 2011
Eberhard Fuchs
In July, Eberhard retired as Headteacher from the Blindeninstitutsstiftung after 37 years of service. Eberhard has been at the heart of MDVI Euronet since its very beginning over 10 years ago and a very active supporter of the network. The Blindeninstitutsstiftung marked his retirement in July and a number of MDVI Euronet members were fortunate to attend the celebrations. Eberhard will certainly be missed, but we all look forward to the fruition of his plans for an inclusive coffee shop in the heart of Wurzberg.
Special Schools Report - Ireland
The National Council for Special Eduction in Ireland have produced an policy advice document for the Minister of Education for the future of role of special schools and classes. Read the report at www.ncse.ie/publications/policy.asp
September 2011
MDVI Euronet Conference
On Monday and Tuesday, 27 and 28 June 2011, St Joseph’s in Dublin hosted the first MDVI Euronet Conference. The title of the conference was ‘The School for the Visually Impaired has Changed. Challenges for a New Generation’, which was inspired by a presentation by Mr Eberhard Fuchs, Head of Blindeninstitut, Wuerzburg, at the 2000 ICEVI European Conference in Cracow.
The conference addressed four themes:
Journeys to Inclusion From Across Europe
A Vision of MDVI Education
A Life Well Lived
Educating the Educators.
The conference was moderated by Dr Steve McCall (University of Birmingham) and facilitated by Dr Mike McLinden (University of Birmingham), Dr John Ravenscroft (University of Edinburgh) and Mr Iain Prain (former VP of the Royal Blind School).
The conference attracted 65 delegates from 11 different countries. Delegates listened to presentations on the importance of preserving the knowledge base of special schools, developments in special education in Finland, multisensory learning, the uniqueness of each leaner with MDVI with the importance of the ICF framework and the importance of the teacher as a professional enquirer. The final film produced by the MDVI Active project was also shown.
A key feature of the conference was four breakout sessions which allowed delegates to discuss questions related to the 4 themes.
For more information about the conference , together with the conference findings which were collated by Dr McCall, please visit the conference website at www.mdvi-conference.org.
