Many areas and resources available through the NCTE website require a membership. A NCTE membership includes many benefits, including online discussions, peer-to-peer advice and communication, access to related journals and other publications, the right to vote in matters that come before the council, discounts on books available through the NCTE website, access to technology fairs and conventions, and a wide variety of information and access to various seminars, motivational speeches, and lesson ideas.
NCTE membership includes benefits and resources that are geared towards beginning teachers as well as experienced educators who require help. The Professional Pathways Development Program, while valuable to seasoned teachers as well, offers informative web seminars, podcasts, lesson plans, classroom videos, perspectives on ELL students, and support from the NCTE.
The NCTE holds a convention each year. This year's convention will be the 99th annual gathering, and will be held in Philadelphia, PA. This convention is held to expose members to professional seminars, speakers, strategies, and materials that can aid in their professional lives. The convention also gives members an opportunity to share best practices and other information with one another.
When NCTE's extensive history, influence, and significance is taken into consideration, the institution can be viewed as more than a source for resources, news, and convention information. New teachers, faced with a challenging and often seemingly insurmountable profession, are often overwhelmed with the profession they have entered. Knowing that an established organization is willing to help can make a difference with both a new teacher's professional perspective and future out look.
The Virginia Association of Teachers of English offers many opportunities for beginning English teachers. The Associations website offers numerous online resources and reference materials. These resources are divided up into sections containing links for Elementary, Middle, and High School - College teachers. The VATE teacher resource page offers link to numerous electronic free text databases, SOL mastery and study materials, explanations concerning Virginia's current educational policies, access to the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE, and SAT preparation materials. The website also offers many resources for students, intending for teachers to use these to enhance their classrooms. Student links include poetry games, interactive reading websites, programs that allow students to create and produce their own plays, vocabulary games, various quizzes, online writing labs, guides to grammar, creative writing prompts, and much more. The association's website also offers a "Great Teaching Ideas" archive that includes many lesson ideas and strategies that are available for teachers to download in .pdf format and use in their classrooms.
Aside from games, online resources, lesson materials, ideas, and inspiration, the association also provides a certain degree of legal backing to English teachers. Every professional like to know that he or she is not alone in their efforts, and VATE provides an infrastructure of legal advice and help to members who require it. The association is strongly against censorship of it's members, urging any teacher who feels as if he or she has been a victim of censorship to contact the organization for help. SLATE, or the Support for Learning and Teaching of English, offers breakdowns of current NCTE policy and legislation for members. The association has recently voted to request that the Commonwealth of Virginia delay the implementation of the new English SOL's until the concerns and questions of their members are addressed, proving that the association serves as a voice for teachers across the state that are concerned with the regulations and requirements of the Department of Education. Links to teaching job opportunities and resources for information on continuing teacher education are provided through the website, as well as various grant and award funds that are available for both exemplary English teachers and students. Finally, the Virginia Association of Teachers of English holds conferences to ensure that teachers are constantly exposed to cutting edge theories and materials and foster the sense of professional integrity and camaraderie that comes along with professional associations.
This October VATE will hold its 49th annual conference, celebrating its 96th year as an organization, in Williamsburg, Virginia. The annual VATE conference is a chance for members to gather from all over the state and share ideas, share inspiration, and grow as professionals. More information can be found at the VATE official website.
The Virginia Department of Education website also offers opportunities for perseverance and beginning teachers alike. The website updates information regarding training, workshops, conferences, online tutorials, continuing education, historical information, pertinent statistics, policy information, incentives, news, initiatives, and job postings. Although the site reads and feels much more formal and exists as the central hub for every aspect of education in Virginia, the benefits and information detailed at this site are valuable to any individual involved or concerned with the current state of Virginia's educational system.
