National Professional Organizations In Education Flashcards
The National Education Association
The National Education Association, or NEA, is an organization of professional educators dedicated to advocating for educators’ rights and to making sure education in the United States is the best that it can be for all students. There are six core values of the NEA: equal opportunity, a just society, democracy, professionalism, partnership, and collective action. There are seven types of individuals who can join the NEA, including teachers, education support professionals, higher education faculty and staff, retired educators, students in an education program, substitute teachers, and administrators.
The American Federation of Teachers
The American Federation of Teachers, or AFT for short, is a union for educators founded in the early 20th century in Chicago. Its members are usually members of a local union, which is part of a state organization, which is part of the AFT, and together they work to change laws and restrictions regarding education. There are six components to the AFT’s mission:
Improving the lives of its members;
Giving a voice to members’ concerns;
Strengthening educational institutions;
Improving the quality of services that the AFT provides;
Bringing together members to support each other; and
Promoting democracy, human rights, and freedom through education.
Field-specific Organizations
Field-specific organizations, also called subject-specific organizations, are membership-based associations for teachers in specific subject areas. Benefits to joining them include news and information, professional development, and discounts. Common field-specific organizations include the National Science Teachers Association, National Council for Teachers of English, and the National Council for Teachers of Math, among others. To find a subject-specific professional organization, teachers can do an online search or talk to experienced educators in the content area they are interested in.
