How to use this toolkit

Explore and use the AEA Learning Portal
Find NEA Microcredentials to fit your interests
Find professional learning specifically for your role

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AEA Learning Portal

AEA has a registration and learning management system to help centralize trainings and workshops and allow learners to access their portfolio throughout the year. Upon completion of a PD course, you can receive an AEA PD credit and look back at your training history.

The link below will bring you to our LearnUpon system. When you reach the AEA Learning Portal sign-in page:

Find "Don't have an account?" and click Register now.
You will be prompted to enter your email address and create and confirm a password.
Once logged in as a learner, you can view the full catalog of offerings by selecting "Catalog" in the top navigation bar.

In addition to live and virtual course registration, the Learning Portal houses self-paced trainings from both AEA and NEA to advance your professional development and sharpen your organizing skills.

Professional Development courses are FREE for AEA members. Non-members can still access our online PD offerings for a fee.

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Educators sit against a wall learning together.

Micro-Credentials

Only AEA & NEA offer over 175 micro-credentials for recertification that have been created by educators for educators.

WHAT’S A MICRO-CREDENTIAL?

A micro-credential is a short, competency-based recognition that allows an educator to demonstrate mastery in a particular area. AEA/NEA micro-credentials are grounded in research and best practice and designed to be:

Personalized: You can create your own learning journey, based on your interests and career goals; gaps in your skills; and the specific needs of your students, school, and district.
Flexible: You can study when it’s convenient for you, alone or with your peers.
Performance-based: Unlike “sit-and-get” certifications, AEA micro-credentials are awarded based on demonstrated mastery of the subject matter, not just for showing up.

Browse the Micro-Credential Library Get Started with Micro-Credentials!

Our micro-credentials are free for all of our members. To become a member, join now. Non-members may participate in our micro-credential program, but must pay any associated fees.

Online Professional Development for ESPs

ESP Professional Growth Continuum (PGC)

The ESP Professional Growth Continuum (PGC) consists of eight Universal Standards within three Levels of Practice. The three Levels of Practice begin with Foundational, moving to Proficient, and working toward an Advanced/Mastery level of professional practice. These three Levels of Practice span across all nine ESP career families with opportunities for ESP to enhance their professional standing by being a role model, mentor, and/or leader at each level.

Learn more >

Building Winning Teams: Effective Paraeducator-Teacher Teams (BWT) (NEA Micro-credential Stack)

The micro-credential implementation support model brings educators together in collaborative groups, such as professional learning communities (PLCs), to focus on common learning goals. NEA's micro-credential offerings vary from Bully Free Schools, Supporting LGBTQ Students, to Classroom Management. Micro-credentials allow ESP the opportunity to move along the ESP Professional Growth Continuum through online professional development.

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ESP Webinar Recordings

NEA ESP Quality Department in the Center of Great Public Schools, in collaboration with various professionals in the education workforce, have created a wide variety of professional development webinars designed to support the professional growth of Education Support Professionals (ESP).

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Autism-Focused Intervention Resources and Modules

Each AFIRM module focuses on an Evidenced Based Practices for learners with ASD and includes:

engaging case examples that demonstrate the behavior or practice in use,
multimedia presentation of content with audio and video clips, and
interactive assessments that provide you with feedback based on your responses.

Learn more >

Professional Growth Continuum (NEA Micro-credential Stack)

This stack provides states, local education agencies, and individuals opportunities to comprehend the NEA's ESP Professional Growth Continuum, the 8 Universal Standards of professionalism for all ESPs, and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the areas of competency and how it impacts ESPs for each Standard at the proficent level of the Continuum.

Learn more >

Professional Development for Aspiring Educators

Preparing for Testing and Licensure

Becoming a teacher of record requires more than just an education degree or good grades. There are often multiple standardized tests you need to pass. And it's different in every state—from the minimum scores required for licensure to the types of tests themselves. We’ve developed tools to help you navigate the testing and licensure process.

Tools to Help You Succeed

Student Teaching and Residencies

Your time as a student teacher is your best and last chance to get real classroom experience before you take control of your very own classroom, so it’s one of the most important parts of your teacher training. Everyone’s experience is unique, but we want to give you an idea of what to expect: green flags, red flags, and tips to help make the most of your internship time.

In addition to the resources below, members of the National Education Association are working to end unjust unpaid student teaching. We are putting together a collection of stories from Aspiring Educators across the country to help us work with leaders to develop policy proposals and change legislation.

Share Your Story

Make the Most of Your Experience

To help you make the most of the student teaching experience, we gathered advice from current student teachers, early career educators, cooperating teachers, EPP faculty, school district hiring personnel, experts who track who is hired and how well they succeed in their career.

Choose the Right Program: They may call student teaching “clinical practice,” “residency,” or a variety of other names. Regardless of what it’s called, here are a few desired features that you should discuss with your program advisor.
Build Positive Professional Relationships: Principals, district personnel directors, cooperating teachers, and university supervisors all agree there are some very basic habits that are essential for success as a student teacher. They also agree that demonstrating a commitment to these basic actions determines whether a teacher candidate will be considered for employment when seeking that first job.
Engage Beyond the Classroom: A list of activities we recommend invaluable list of learning experiences that will truly help you become a better teacher for each of your students and a key to leadership development to advance your professional career for years to come.

Addressing Common Challenges

Suggested Activities and Lesson Plans

Better Lessons: NEA has partnered with the Master Teacher Project to build a database of free, comprehensive lessons and effective strategies created by high-performing teachers across the country.
Read Across America: NEA’s Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone.
Build Just and Equitable Schools: NEA's Center for Social Justice has created a professional development program designed to help educators identify and correct explicit and implicit discrimination in their classrooms.

More Lesson Plans:

Graduation and Early Career Educators

Everyone's path to becoming an educator looks a little different. These resources will help you navigate the process of finding a job and ensuring your first few years in the profession are a success!

Finding Your First Job

If you have secured your next position, fill out this form and we will send you monthly professional resources designed to help you throughout your career!

Advice from Fellow Educators

Suggested Activities and Lesson Plans

Better Lessons: NEA has partnered with the Master Teacher Project to build a database of free, comprehensive lessons and effective strategies created by high-performing teachers across the country.
Read Across America: NEA’s Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone.
Build Just and Equitable Schools: NEA's Center for Social Justice has created a professional development program designed to help educators identify and correct explicit and implicit discrimination in their classrooms.

Teaching Guides

Tackling Common Challenges

Learn More

Do More

We are THE voice for educators in Arkansas. See what membership can mean for you!

Ensuring the Success of Every Student.

The Arkansas Education Association is a professional organization for teachers, education support professionals, students and advocates. Our fundamental objective is to work for quality and equitable public education for all of Arkansas students, the betterment of the Arkansas state education system and quality working conditions for educators.

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Suggested Results

Professional Development

How to use this toolkit

AEA Learning Portal

Micro-Credentials

WHAT’S A MICRO-CREDENTIAL?

Featured Course: Five Core Propositions (NBCT)

Online Professional Development for ESPs

How to Become a Teacher - A School Me Series

Professional Development for Aspiring Educators

Preparing for Testing and Licensure

Tools to Help You Succeed

Student Teaching and Residencies

Make the Most of Your Experience

Suggested Activities and Lesson Plans

Graduation and Early Career Educators

Finding Your First Job

Advice from Fellow Educators

Suggested Activities and Lesson Plans

Teaching Guides

Tackling Common Challenges

Get Special Education Resources

References

Learn More

Do More

Use Your Educator Voice.

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Ensuring the Success of Every Student.

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