State ACTEs Opening Channels for Communication, Common Interest

By Anna E. McEwan

Members of the Alabama Association of Colleges for Teacher Education meet with officials from the state department of education and Alabama’s representatives to the Southern Regional Education Board’s Teacher Preparation Commission.

One of the benefits of state chapter affiliation with AACTE is the opportunity it provides, through the Advisory Council of State Representatives (ACSR), to network with those from other states who share the work of preparing educators. Our collaboration is facilitated through participation in regional conference calls, AACTE Annual Meetings, and the State Leaders Institute as well as communications like the monthly State Directions e-newsletter. As we learn how others are responding to federal, state, and local education initiatives, we find opportunities for mutual support and ways to present a united voice.

Gain a Sense of Connection at the State Leaders Institute

By Anna E. McEwan

Chapter leaders listen intently at the 2015 State Leaders Institute

In 2015, I participated for the first time in AACTE’s State Leaders Institute (SLI). In thinking about what I gained from participation, the phrase that comes to mind again and again is a sense of connection.

Psychological research suggests that those who feel consciously connected with others—or with their environment, or with anything that is larger than themselves—tend to be more physically and mentally healthy than others. Perhaps it’s too lofty to suggest that your participation in SLI will improve your overall well-being, but I can testify to several practical benefits!