Hello!! I am just curious, what groups does everyone belong to? I am a student teacher and I really believe in professional development. I want to know what groups are important to be a part of! Thanks in advance!!!
Thanks! I am going to be teaching Middle School Science or maybe high school...I am not sure yet. Depends what I get hired to do... but I favor Middle School!
There's the National Science Teachers Association http://www.nsta.org/ I am a member of NCTM and NEA.
I belong to ASCD, Illinois Association for Gifted Children, the Illinois Association of Teachers of English, and the Illinois Reading Council. I have also in the past belonged to the National Council of Teachers of English.
On the national level I'm a member of NSTA (Ntl Science Teacher's Assoc.) On the state level: LSTA - Louisiana Science Teacher's Assoc. LEEA - Louisiana Envioronmental Education Assoc (I've been the state secretary for the past 6 years) LESTA - Louisiana Earth Science Teachers' Assoc. and LFT - Louisiana Federation of Teachers (union which I don't necessarily agree with, but much cheaper than the others).
I love NSTA! There is a journal just for middle school science teachers. You can also subscribe to different groups within the membership. I have received so many ideas from there!
One does not need to join as a member in a professional organization in order to partake of professional development...I do a lot of professional reading- we can make quite a list, I'm sure, of 'must reads' to have on your professional reading book shelf...Also my district has many in-school opportunities for PD- Teachers College Reading and Writing workshops, Math Solutions, etc...Also we are part of a professional development curriculum center which offers PD classes. I've also taken 60 credits beyond my masters in various PD grad and inservice classes....Never stop learning- teachers should be the 'head learners' in their classrooms!
I dropped all group memberships so I could save money. I'd like to drop the PTA too, but I think maybe not..... I'm such a miser sometimes. I still keep informed, though. Sometimes I "borrow" the NEA magazine from the Central Office.
I think the most important group is your peers. Not the district mandated groups but professional learning communities you create with peers without district requests. I meet once a week with 3 other teachers and we are working on DI and improving our classroom practices. We meet for 1/2 an hour after class. Very worthwhile.
