What Are The Largest Organizations For Teacher Advocacy?
Teachers, whether they work in public or private schools or universities, significantly influence the quality of the education students receive. Their actions can affect students' ability to maximize the learning opportunities given to them. Unfortunately, teachers aren't always free to provide education in the way that they think will be easiest for students. Educational policies and school regulations largely determine the methods and strategies teachers can use in the classroom.
There have even been cases in the past when teachers have been terminated from employment because of issues with their teaching methods and strategies. Situations such as these serve as the reasons behind the spread of teacher advocacy. Teacher advocacy involves the empowerment of teachers in getting their voices heard, especially on the issues of educational reform and policies.
If you're interested in the concept, you might be asking, "What are the largest organizations for teacher advocacy today?" There are several organizations in the US that include teacher advocacy in their main goals. All these organizations emphasize how important it is for teachers to realize their role in educational reform.
Unlike other people involved in the educational system, teachers have the ability to see first-hand the effectiveness or inefficiencies of the educational policies implemented in schools. In most situations, they know which educational policies get positive responses from students and parents. This unique ability makes it even more important for teachers to consider themselves as advocates of education.
The largest organizations for teacher advocacy today are also national teacher associations. The Association of American Educators, or AAE, includes teacher advocacy and protection and its stated mission. Although it doesn't consider itself as a union, the AAE is the largest national association of professional teachers in the United States. Professional members of the AAE are said to have a voice in state-level and national-level government policies.
Many websites for advocacy groups today also answer the question "What are the largest organizations for teacher advocacy?" These advocacy groups usually operate at the state level, providing support for teachers in the state's schools. These groups are largely comprised of public school teachers. Aside from teacher advocacy, these groups empower teachers and recognize their contributions to society.
Teacher advocacy was previously possible only through large teacher unions. This is still one of the most popular forums for teacher advocacy, given a union's financial resources and political influence. Many educational experts consider these unions as inefficient media for teacher advocacy, though. In a union, the assembly holds a floor vote on policy changes. Teachers who aren't part of the majority are simply left unheard or ignored, even if these teachers come in numbers.
These days, though, there are many ways for teachers to express their advocacy. The World Wide Web and the Internet gives all Web users the chance to be heard, and many teachers and organizations have taken advantage of this to spread the word about their cause and the importance of teacher advocacy. However, teachers who want to speak up can also join teacher advocacy groups in their state, so they can learn what it takes to be an advocate for teaching. Teachers concerned with educational policy reform aren't required to join these groups, but these groups can help them learn about proper teacher advocacy.
If you're looking for the answer to the question "What are the largest organizations for teacher advocacy in my state?", you can count on the Internet to help you. Many state-level teacher advocacy groups have websites that teachers can browse to learn more about the topic. Aside from providing vital information on teacher advocacy, these groups can also give teachers helpful strategies and training guides on effectively advocating the cause for teachers.
Professional Teacher Organizations
- Alberta Teachers' Association
- Alliance for Education- Works in partnership with the Seattle Public Schools to ensure that the District has the essential resources and leadership.
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- American Association of Teachers of German
- Association Europoenne des Conservatoires (AEC)
- American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
- Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI)
- Association of Texas Professional Educators
- Aussie Educator - 'a total education web page for Australia'
- California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators (CAADE)
- California Association of Teachers of English
- California Teachers Association
- Council for Advancement and Support of Education
- Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
- DAAD - German Academic Exchange Service
- International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
- International Technology Education Association (ITEA)
- National Association for Interpretation
- National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT)
- National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
- National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
- National Education Association (NEA)
- National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
- North American Montessori Teachers' Association (NAMTA)
- Orange County Association for the Education of Young Children
- Tennessee Education Association
- Texas Classroom Teachers Association