If you are looking for much better value in more comfortable surroundings,
try the EBEA conference at Easter. You can combine all you need to know for
the year 2000 + updates with Blackpool's Stakis Hotel (it was OK for Tony
Blair!) and fun on the Pleasure Beach!

Phone the office 01273 846033 or email [log in to unmask]

Jenny








>I received a flyer from Durham Univ Economics Department this morning
>(other Econ Business Educator Colleagues may have done likewise).
> 
>Flyer advertises a three-day teachers' conference (12-14 July, 2000)
>Covers "latest thinking in economics" (minimum wage, unemployment,
>environmental stuff, competition, EMU, Asian crisis) plus  "hands on
>sessions with one of the main exam boards to mark past papers" plus
>"syllabus 2000" - information about the new courses plus a session on
>developments in teaching methodology.
> 
>Sounds ok ..... although the chance to mull-over past papers in mid July
>is a nightmare re-visited from countless exam board training days (if in
>doubt .... fill the time by arguing about exam marking!!) and we will have
>made most decisions on which courses to run in September 2000. So the
>chance to "discuss details" looks fairly tame and uninspiring!
> 
>2 nights in a college room in Durham (ok not cheap buy hardly the
>excellent Three Tuns hotel down the main street which can do a decent B&B
>for %60 per person per night)
> 
>Some food thrown in (literally perhaps) before the "evening sessions"
>where we might indulge ourselve in "reviewing each day's progress  or
>partake in "teacher discussions" and "responding to delegate's interests"
>........ my own interests lie in going round every pub in Newcastle in two
>years ... perhaps I might be persuaded to put together a Powerpoint
>presentation (remember Barry Young!!!!).....)
> 
>OK .... its time to work out what 2 1/2 days of seminars on stuff we
>should know about already and two nights in a student room ("whats that
>strange smell?")  plus some college grub (tasty)  will cost your
>department / school / personal bank balance. Remember we are talking
>holiday time as well so no lost days at the chalkface looking after Year
>10.
> 
>Have a guess first
> 
>£100?
> 
>£150?
> 
>£200?
> 
>not even close
> 
>Durham Univ are suggesting £500 per person. They are hoping for 50
>participants (they might get them) which will draw in a cool £25,000.
> 
>We are asked to confirm our interest with "names of participating teachers
>(yes teachers)" by Friday 17 December. I was tempted to take my
>Departmental colleagues for a well deserved week in Washington and New
>York to visit the Fed Reserve, City institutions and do a little shopping
>......3 nights plus the flight for £385 ......... but no ..... two days in
>seminars at Durham for all three of us should make a hefty dent in the
>school's finances well into the next millennium!
> 
>I will be using this flyer as an excellent case study for my Year 10.
> 
>Cheers
> 
>Geoff
>