Teaching & Learning Today: April 2024
April 16, 2024
April 16, 2024
Welcome to Teaching and Learning TODAY. We encourage you to monitor this newsletter regularly and respond to those areas that interest you. We facilitate the development of professional learning by members, for members and are grateful for the opportunity to do so. Allow us to assist you to learn, grow professionally, and impact others.
Please share our newsletter far and wide!
Are you currently pursuing National Board Certification or working to maintain your existing certification? The VEA now has experienced NBCTs trained to serve as Professional Learning Facilitators (PLFs) to support you. VEA members pursuing certification can now receive one-on-one coaching as a benefit of membership. If you are a current candidate seeking support, apply here.
If you are even considering National Board Certification, plan to attend Jump Start this summer. Save the dates: June 27-29 at the Embassy Suites in Richmond! Registration will open April 25.
To learn more about National Board Certification, visit our website or go to www.nbpts.org.
In an effort to improve our customer service, the Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Licensure is pleased to announce a new telephone answering service that will provide callers with options to direct calls to a licensure representative, reliable voicemail service, and a hold queue that answers calls in the order in which it was received with regular wait time updates. We hope the addition of this new phone service improves the customer experience for all our stakeholders and provides you with the personal connection and information that you require. The Office of Licensure phone number is 804-786-2302.
The work of the Department of Teaching and Learning extends out of headquarters and works directly with members. This month, we will be featuring one of our member partners:
Name: Juanzel Cardoza Felder
Local: Hopewell City Public Schools
Role(s) that you have completed with VEA: Content Creator
# of years in education: 18
# of years in VEA: 18
How has being a union member helped you? I am a better educator because of the support the VEA has provided such as conferences, professional development and job security. Their support is much like health insurance i.e most of the time you don’t need it but you should have it in case of emergencies.
If you could give 1 piece of advice to someone in education, what would it be? Being an educator is not for the weak. It has its challenges and rewards. There is an abundance of daily tasks. As educators we play a huge role in supporting students to unlock their potential and talents, we inspire them to do their best and prepare them for the future. At times it can be overwhelming however the rewards out weight the challenges.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, teachers in Virginia earn 67 cents on the dollar compared to other (non-teacher) college-educated workers. Virginia’s teacher wage penalty is the worst in the nation.
Learn More
