STEM professional teaching organizations are among the best opportunities teachers have to grow and improve. Administrators and teachers alike should be researching, understanding, and promoting all the benefits STEM professional teaching organizations provide to help promote and improve teaching and learning.
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Why Join a STEM Organization?
Joining a STEM professional teaching organization can revitalize your teaching and contribute to better performance by students. Many people think, “Why should I pay dues or fees to join and be a member of a STEM professional teaching organization? What do I get for my money?”. These are easy questions to answer.
STEM professional teaching organizations’ major purposes are to advance the teaching and learning of a particular subject and/or teaching method(s). They support the interests of the people working in the subject area and advance the understanding of that subject area to the general public. A STEM professional teaching organization is one of the best ways to stay current in your field. They:
are a leading authority in a subject area and offer first looks at the latest developments, technology, teaching methodologies, and research in your subject area.
provide excellent benefits to their members like journals, conferences, and professional growth and development.
provide wonderful support for their members by creating a network of like-minded teachers who can support and share ideas for teaching and learning your subject.
provide some of the very best proven teaching lessons and resources.
good resume builder that shows you care about teaching and are committed to growing and improving in your chosen field.
Local, State or National STEM Organization?
Hopefully, everyone sees the benefits of joining a STEM professional teaching organization. When you do, you will have to decide if you are going to join a local, state, national and/or international STEM organization. Consider what benefits are you looking to receive by being a member of the professional organization you choose.
Does the professional organization provide you with the knowledge and support you need to improve and grow as a teacher?
Does it provide you with good teaching resources that makes your teaching better and easier?
Does it help you network and discuss pedagogy with other teachers in your subject area?
These questions can easily be answered by going to the professional teaching organizations' website and looking around to see what they provide.
Finally, after you join your chosen professional teaching organization get involved and take advantage of all the benefits it has to offer. When you do you will be amazed at how much you will grow and improve your skills as a teacher.
Choosing the Right STEM Organization
To help you get started choosing an appropriate STEM Professional Teacher Organization below is a list, hyperlinked to their associated websites, of many state and national professional teaching organizations by subject area. Do some exploring of their website and see which one is the best fit and will benefit you the most.
Science
Technology
Engineering
Math
General Teaching Methodology
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