Teaching & Learning Today: July 2024
July 15, 2024
July 15, 2024
We hope you are having an enjoyable summer! You may be teaching summer school, taking classes, planning for the coming year, or just taking some time off to relax and enjoy family, friends, travel, etc. Whatever the case, enjoy it while it lasts. We will continue to provide upcoming opportunities and information in our year-round newsletter. Feel free to share it widely!
Want to Know More About National Board Certification? VEA, as an affiliate network of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, provides support for candidates pursuing certification. One-on-one mentors and/or monthly cohort meetings are facilitated by trained professional learning facilitators. To apply for support in the 2024-2025 cycle, click here.
To learn more about National Board Certification, visit our website or go to www.nbpts.org.
This month, all of our nuggets will come from the Virginian Department of Education (VDOE)
New Mathematics Resources Released
The new VDOE Mathematics Instructional Guides include three sections: Understanding the Standard, Skills in Practice, and Concepts and Connections. A Mathematics Instructional Guide FAQ Document (Word | PDF) has been developed to provide information about the purpose, structure, intended audience, and use of the Guides. A supplement to the Mathematics Instructional Guides, the Concepts and Connections Articulation Guide (Word | PDF) provides support in identifying concepts aligned Standards that articulate across grade levels or courses.
Classroom-to-Classroom Virtual Exchange
Upcoming free training for teachers starts in late July for the 2024-2025 school year. Classes are paired based on class time and desired language for participation (Spanish only, English only, or a combination) so the exchange with Mexico or Colombia can take place during the school day. The training prepares teachers to lead the live discussions about the content and to navigate a virtual exchange. Support and resources, except internet and student devices, will be provided.
Virginia Children’s Engineering STEM Institute
This regional offering will be held on September 21 at King’s Fork Middle School, Suffolk. Teachers and administrators will have the opportunity for networking and learn more about STEM in breakout sessions. This is the first of several regional events. Join to learn more!
Virginia Literacy Act: Science-Based Literacy Instruction Training
Read Superintendt’s Memo 003-24 to find out more information!
The VDOE has published a legislative update regarding legislation affecting education passed by the 2024 General Assembly that has become law. This video presentation (PDF slides) covers many of these new laws. To further assist you with understanding these laws, VDOE has prepared summaries that explain how they affect school divisions, students, and parents.
View the VDOE legislative update website HERE.
The work of the Department of Teaching and Learning extends out of headquarters and works directly with members. This month, we will be featuring our Content Developers:
Name: Shaniqua Williams
Local: Manassas
Role(s) that you have completed with VEA: Content Creator, local officer for previous local/district spanning over nine years, current Fitz Turner Commission Chair, Vice President Elect – District H
# of years in education: 10
# of years in VEA: 10
How has being a union member helped you? Being a Union member has helped me by adding lovely people to my family network. My love for VEA/NEA is layered. There are so many projects/programs you can get involved in, to have you grow in your field. So many opportunities have been created for me to learn from others. I am thrilled to have had many mentors in my life that now are a part of my family, and I call on them for personal and professional advice, and I owe that to my membership in the Union.
If you could give 1 piece of advice to someone in education, what would it be? I am a School Counselor. My advice is to never think being a member of the School Counselor Professional Organizations are enough. Membership in the VEA/NEA is important and will create space for you to connect with other professionals of your field, while you also attend to ways to make our entire education world a better place. My real advice is to strive daily to be the person you needed, or respected, when you were a student in school.
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.
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