SHARING GOOD PRACTICE is the theme of the third annual national conference for primary-school principals. Sean Cottrell, public relations officer with the Cork Primary Principals' Network, which is organising the seminar, explains that, with rapid changes in education, principals feel the need for support groups and discussion forums.
The conference, which is supported by the Department of Education's In-career Development Unit and the European Social Fund, will be opened by Dr Don Thornhill, secretary of the Department of Education, on Friday October 11th.
Dr Aine Hyland, professor of education at UCC, will speak about the implication of multiple intelligences for primary school assessment. Concurrent workshops will be facilitated by two school principals, Eileen Flynn and Maire Roycroft, and Oliver Mahon, a teacher turned barrister and author.
On Saturday morning, Pat Cox MEP will talk about value for money in education, while Senator Joe O'Toole, general secretary of the INTO, Sister Eileen Randles of the CPSMA and Gus Murray, a communications expert, will facilitate concurrent workshops.
The Cork network comprises seven support groups for principals, each with 10 members. The network works in parallel with the INTO and most. of its members are also active at branch or district level in the INTO. The previous two national conferences each attracted over 250 participants and similar numbers are expected this year.
