The National Education Association (NEA) is celebrating their 90th American Education Week from November 13th through November 19th. Starting in 1921 American Education Week began as a way to bring under-educated and illiterate World War I Veterans to the forefront. Public education is a priority and for one week every year our accomplishments are celebrated and our needs are highlighted.
The purpose is to gain support and cooperation of the public in meeting the needs of the public education system. NEA recommends five ways you can get involved:
- Help fund a teacher’s classroom project- teachers are spending their personal money to finance many of their classroom projects. Go to neafoundation.org for more information and ways you can contribute.
- Take the Priority Schools Pledge – volunteer, tutor, mentor, or provide other support to underprivileged schools in effort to close educational gaps. Go to neapriorityschools.org for more information and ways to contribute.
- Nominate a classroom superhero- teachers can be superheroes too. The support and guidance they provide to our youth is immeasurable. Go to classroomsuperheroes.com for more information and how to nominate your superhero.
- Support Fix America’s Schools Today (FAST) Act- learning is an experience and your surrounding can propel or inhibit that experience. The environment in which our children learn is just as important as what they learn. Go to NEA Issues to support the FAST Act. It’s really very simple; just enter your zip code and they provide all the tools for you.
- Support Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)- Took the Priority Schools Pledge go a step further and ensure that the system in which education funds are distributed is fair. Go to childrensdefense.org for more information and NEA Issues 2 to support the ESEA reauthorization.
American Education Week
Monday – Kick off the week by getting involved in your child’s education.
Tuesday – Parents Day (Schools open their doors and invite parents in to visit their child’s classroom.)
Wednesday- Education Support Professionals Day (It takes more than teachers to make sure our students are getting a good education, support all our public education professionals.)
Thursday- Educator for a Day (Bridge the gap between educators and community leaders by letting a community professional teach a class. How do you think they would do?)
Friday- Substitute Educators Day (Substitutes are not for our kids to slack off, they provide much needed support to the educational system and allow learning to continue when teachers are absent. Substitutes are calling for well deserved increased respect in their profession, more professional support and basic benefits.)
How are you going to get involved? Just as we support our Veterans we should support those who support us, everyday.
Comments