Conference

2008 Safe Internet Use

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Highlights of previous SSBA conferences :-

2007 Developing a Parent Council and Encouraging Parental Involvement

2006 The Way Forward for Parental Involvement

2005 Parents in Partnership

2003 Partnerships and responsibilities

2002 SSBA is fit for the future

2001 Roadshow

2000 International
and published book
available here online

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Workshops
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Professional Association of Teachers

The Professional Association of Teachers was founded in 1970 as a new independent teachers union.

Our motto - "CHILDREN FIRST - STRIKE NEVER" - has its origins in the fact that young people are at the heart of education and that their needs and aspirations are paramount and are, after all, the reason that we are here.

In common with all teacher unions, PAT is committed to successful partnerships between parents and teachers.

We as teachers acknowledge the crucial role that parents play as the first educators of their children, and their ongoing role as children move through formal education.

After all, children spend more time out of school than they do in school.

Shared understanding, consistency and constructive communication should form the basis of good working relationships.

As the Headteacher of a small rural school I can say with confidence that this approach has proved itself successful.

My own School Board, established for the first time in 1995 within months of my taking up the post of Headteacher, is a forum for lively debate, critical questions and a great deal of good humour and friendship.

But the issues that exist in education today, in Scotland or anywhere else in the world, cannot be solved by parents or teachers alone - or by volunteers or statutory agencies.

It is partnership that is crucial to successfully resolving issues. No one person or organisation has all the answers but, by working together, through constructive communication and valuing all opinion, we have the opportunity to do the best we can for our children.

In furtherance of that partnership PAT is delighted to have had such a long and successful relationship with the Scottish School Board Association and we look forward to strengthening those links - Professionals Allied to Teaching - the whole team.

SUSAN LESLIE,
Immediate Past President

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