|
|
|
Why
Join a Professional Organization? Adapted from a distance
education conversation with students in the personnel
preparation program at By Stuart Wittenstein, Superintendent, In
this back-to-school issue of the DVIQ, which will be mailed to teacher
preparation programs for distribution to their students; future teachers, I’d
like to share my two cents worth on why to join a professional organization. My
reasons are many and varied: 1.
Professional development - Journals, newsletters, listservs, continuing
education, conferences, congeniality … it seems like the longer I’m in this
business, the more I need to learn, and need to share with others. These
activities bring many of the intrinsic rewards of the profession – associating
with individuals who do what you do, understand your joys and frustrations, have
weathered the same storms – it’s an important part of renewing and
refreshing who I am and why I continue in this career.
Burn out? Not a chance. 2.
Leadership development – Volunteering for committee work or to be a board
member or officer of local or national chapter helps develop skills in the
professional that will advance the career of those who are considering eventual
switch to administration, personnel preparation, or research. 3.
Political action – Professional organizations speak for teachers and kids with
disabilities at the federal, state and local levels. Other professions and
interest groups have their lobbyists and political action committees. We need
ours. While you may see many difficulties in the current way service is
delivered to kids, believe me it was a horror 28 years ago when I started –
we’ve made enormous progress, even when sometimes all we’ve been able to do
is to hold our own. So, if you don’t have the time, energy or skills to be a
lobbyist, send some bucks to your professional organization – along with an
e-mail with your opinion and needs and desires – and let them do the work on
Capitol Hill. 4.
Parent education – One of your roles is to educate parents and encourage advocacy in
constructive, effective methods. Timely information, important data, and cutting
edge legal decisions are provided through professional organizations. And these are just the top four that occur to me
today. Tomorrow will reveal new rewards of membership, volunteerism, and
professionalism. |