April 2025

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.

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Updates from Teaching & Learning

SVEA Aspiring Educators

The 2025 SVEA-AE Convention was a huge success! Don’t believe us; Check out these pictures to see how our future educators enjoyed learning from each other and from VEA leadership.

Early Enrollment for SVEA-AE

Early enrollment is open for first-time Aspiring Educators to join early for the upcoming 2025-2026 membership year. Membership will start September 1, but liability coverage and access to NEA Member Benefits start the day you join. This is a great opportunity for students who will begin their student teaching assignments before September 1^st. Click here to join and choose the “2025-2026 Membership Year — Early Enrollment” option.

Current Aspiring Educators may renew their membership for the upcoming year, too.

Special Education

With a host of resources available, check out the NEA website for training and support.

NEA Disabilities website — https://www.nea.org/individuals-with-disabilities

Disability Rights and Inclusion Online Learning Opportunity — https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/professional-learning/resources/disability-rights-and-inclusion-online-learning-opportunity

VEA Learning Portal

Are you an educator who works with students who are English Language Learners (ELLs)? Check out these courses from NEA!

ELL: Supporting English Language Learners: Standards-Based Instruction
ELL: Second Language Acquisition and Instructional Strategies
ELL: Assessing Second Language Learners
ELL: Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

Early Enrollment Training – Check out the Spring Early Enrollment Training hosted by VEA staff! This webinar is designed to teach local leaders how to help others join the Union using Join Now, know the benefits available to Early Enrollees, and understand the relationship between Early Enrollment and building power. Click here to view instructions on how to access the training.

Access the VEA Learning Portal HERE.

Upcoming Opportunities

Innovation Summit: Rethinking Learning and Teaching for the Future Across Virginia! April 23-24

Professional Development Workshops for Science Teachers

Download the flyer here

Questions? Contact Melinda Bright, mbright@veanea.org

To learn more about National Board Certification, visit our website or go to www.nbpts.org.

From the William and Mary TTAC, check out this article on 5 Strategies for Increasing Student Engagement or this article for administrators on Engaging Teachers to Engage Students: Specially Designed Instruction in Action

From the VCU TTAC, check out this article on Beyond the PD: How coaching supports implementation after a professional development.

Spring Breaks
Autism Awareness Month
GLSEN Day of (no) Silence 4/4
Paraprofessional Appreciation Day 4/3
National School Library Week April 6-12
Earth Day April 22

Who's Who in Teaching and Learning

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: Stephanie Lovelace

Local: Franklin County Education Association

Role(s) that you have completed with VEA: Local President, V. President, Treasurer, Secretary, VEA Executive Board, VEA Board, ESP Committee, Co-Chair Election Committee Year Round Organizing Committee, and USAC Committee

# of years in education: 28

# of years in VEA: 27

How has being a union member helped you? Being in the union has opened so many opportunities for me. I have grown into a person who advocates for the causes of our students and our professionals. I have been allowed to attend so many great conferences where I have learned even more about our rights and responsibilities. Learning about what other states are doing makes me want to do more. I feel more confident when talking to people and sharing with them that it is okay to have a voice and that it takes more than 1 person to advocate for what is right. It takes a village!

If you could give 1 piece of advice to someone in education, what would it be? My advice to a new member and any other member would be this: If you are Your voice does matter when it comes to advocating for your students and in a time of need, you have people that will be there to support you. You have great opportunities to grow in the profession that you love as well as so many resources on the VEA website. Of course, not to mention the great member benefit program that opens up great savings. Your voice does matter when it comes to advocating for your students as well as your colleagues. It is okay to speak up.

The Latest from VEA

Teaching & Learning Today: April 2025