1. Teachers and Professional Organizations Competency 5.3
Effective Teaching
Teachers and Professional Organizations
Competency 5.3

2. Learning is Lifelong!
After college graduation, teachers continue to receive training.
There are over 500 teacher organizations, supporting a variety of interests and needs within education.
Look over the Organizations
Any of Interest?

3. Organizations – Why?
Professional organizations provide teachers professional development opportunities in all fields.
They host meetings where teachers can associate with others who share their particular interests.
Many have journals and magazines that keep their members updated on recent research and topics.

4. National Education Association
The oldest and largest teacher organization is National Education Association (NEA).
About 2/3 of the teachers in the United States belong to the NEA.
The primary focus of the NEA is professional governance: committees in political action, teachers’ rights and benefits, and human relations.

5. American Federation of Teachers
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is about half the size of NEA.
It is affiliated with organized labor (AFL-CIO, and has done much to improve working conditions and financial rewards for teachers.

6. Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development
The Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) encourages research and disseminates information on educational issues.
Members receive the highly respected journal, Educational Leadership

7. Options, Options, Options
Some professional organizations are dedicated to future teachers or are open to students, such as:
Student National Educational Association (SNEA)
Future Educators of America (FEA), sponsored by Phi Delta Kappa
Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)

8. Check for Understanding
Use the Internet to visit three professional educational organization websites and gather information.
Try organizations from the Professional Organizations handout, then proceed to write an abstract on an article of your choice.