Rohan Roberts

Rohan describes teaching as ‘a calling’ for him. He currently leads an Honours programme designed for gifted students from 40 schools in Dubai. He teaches to try and bring about a better world by encouraging critical thinking in his students, alongside empathy and leadership. He believes in a scientific perspective and makes an effort to keep up with findings in pedagogy and neuroscience, while his many interests as astronomer, painter, author and musician allow him to identify and develop the multiple talents of his students. In this, he draws on the theories of Ken Robinson and Bill Lucas.

Many of Rohan’s students have progressed to international universities with full scholarships, and they achieve very highly within the school examination system, repeatedly winning the Cambridge International Award for distinguished performance in English. Last year Rohan won the prestigious Gulf Education Supplies and Solutions award for Innovation in Education, and he received the 2014 Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Distinguished Teacher Award from the Deputy Ruler of Dubai. He also won the 2013 GEMS Education Outstanding Teacher Award for Professional Development (he is the founder of the GEMS Honours programme). He has created training material for over 200 teachers.

If successful, Rohan would use the funds to promote his Intelligent Optimism and Kindness Anonymous projects, promote STEAM education through curriculum development and events, and spread his Sixth Reformers project to other schools.