President's Address Peebles 13 May 2011 Congress, Guests, Colleagues, In March of this year, I attended a conference on CfE on behalf of the Association.   I was introduced by the chair as the representative of an organisation which had been a “critical friend” to CfE.     I’ll repeat that:   “a critical friend”.   I think that was an absolutely accurate description of our stance.   The SSTA is fundamentally in favour of CfE’s principles:   greater flexibility…

Printable Version st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } 1 ASSESSMENT AND CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE [(1) Introduction] My intention today is to ask some questions about the role of assessment in encouraging sound learning, with particular attention to Curriculum for Excellence. I'll be dealing with the actual proposals made for the National Qualifications, but I'll also deal with the role of assessment more generally. Two general principles seem to be at the heart of Curriculum for Excellence: the importance of students' believing in themselves, and…

President's Address Peebles Hotel Hydro 7 May 2010 It's been thirteen years since an SSTA Congress coincided with a UK General election. The result then was rather different from the one we face today of course. But, whatever judgement History finally makes on the events of the last thirteen years, there are one or two lessons for us as trade unionists and of course not a few consequences also. For obvious political reasons, none of the party leaders have been…

This newsletter contains an overview of events at the Assoications annual Congress held in Peebles on 15/16 May 2009.   The full text of the motions passed at Congress can be seen in the May 2009 Bulletin.

President's Address Peebles 15 May 2009 Congress, Guests, Colleagues, Congress may recall that last year the part of my speech reported in the press was the section on bullying. I discussed the effect bullying had on staff and the need for all of us to stand up to bullies and support victims. Although I was prepared for the response in the press, particularly from those who have a vested interest in denying that such problems could every exist, I was…

Congress, Guests President, Colleagues, those of you who were assiduously watching the pictures you have just seen, will have faced a test of recognition. In the bye going, you will also have faced a test of gender and race awareness, but I'm sure you passed that with flying colours. However, recognition is a much more complex task than one would imagine. For 30 years, the UK and USA failed to recognise "Red China" as they called it. It was clearly…

Congress, Guests, Colleagues, You may have noticed an increasing emphasis on rights this year. People would seem to have an absolute right to do whatever they wish and be fully protected from the results of their actions. You may even have shared my wry smile over the gambling addict who tried claiming damages from the bookmaker he donated his money to. Scottish society has apparently changed. We no longer have a community whose ethics are based on the canny reticence…

The Association's Annual Congress was held on the 16 & 17 May at the Peeble Hotel Hydo. The President's Address and the General Secretary's Report are now available for your information

General Secretary's Report -11 May 2007 President, colleagues, in presenting this report to you today, I want to take the opportunity to introduce you to the latest member of the Eaglesham family, Isaac Kael Eaglesham, born on 25th April at 17:00, weight 7lb 6oz, first child of Martin and Sara, first grandchild for Doreen and me. Shortly after his birth, someone said to me "You have now seen the face of the future", and these words remained uppermost in my…

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS - FRIDAY 11 MAY 2007 ““YOUR CONCERNS – OUR PRIORITIES” I became an SSTA member 35 years ago in 1972, at a time when probationer teachers were arriving in schools in considerable numbers, without already having signed up to membership of any professional association and I suspect that unlike the majority of members I made a conscious and reasonably well-researched decision to do so. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that this was at least…