Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/208500
IN DEPTH LOOK "Young educators need to feel a commitment to their profession and getting involved, whether that is through organizing, political action, or through the Association, eSWAG offers that opportunity and helps create that connection of teaching being a career instead of just a job." system and the effects of standardized tests. He feels he will have greater flexibility, thus having a bigger impact on creating a quality public education setting, as a college professor instead of a teacher in the K-12 education system. "There is a lot of pressure put on K-12 teachers that takes away from their desire to actually teach their students. Strong emphasis is being placed on how well students test; therefore, if students cannot be measured, then they will not be effective in society, which puts student potential at stake. This is a system that tends to train students, leaving little room for inspiration." Looking for Support The reality of these statistics can be devastating when considering the impact on the teaching profession and our students, which makes the purpose of supporting new teachers even more important. Lewkowitz values the knowledge and support of veteran Association members because he knows they have a great deal of experience with classroom management, parent concerns, and other instructional issues. "As a new teacher, I knew if I had a question I could go ask my local association president or a veteran teacher." "In my district, we have a mentor program that really helps new teachers in their first few years of teaching," says Gould, a member of Glendale Union EA and the AEA Board. "What's great is that most of these mentors are Association members and they have created an incredibly supportive environment." Numerous studies on teacher retention have cited leadership development and decision making input as key to curbing attrition rates. Two years ago, the young educators of AEA created Educators Soaring With Aspiring Goals (eSWAG) to provide networking, professional development, and community engagement opportunities for new young educators. Their goals are to: •Provide a professional network and support system for young educators so they can have a successful teaching career •Give young educators a voice in their local Winter.13advo.indd 21 — Amber Gould association by encouraging them to be more actively involved in their local •Help with the recruitment and retention of young members by engaging them in professional development opportunities •Be more involved in community engagement. This group of young educators has organized many events to engage and offer support to young members as well as help out their community. Last year they collected over 2,000 books from members, students, parents, and community members to benefit various children's groups across the state. They plan on collecting even more for this year's drive. eSWAG has also provided professional development opportunities about classroom management and student loan forgiveness. "I know that many young teachers struggle with student loans," says Gould. "I entered college with a full-ride scholarship, but as tuition rose, scholarships did not. I think that young educators need more resources on student loan forgiveness and our future teachers need our support in the fight for lower tuition rates." Leadership Development "Young people don't always find leadership opportunities and eSWAG is a way to provide that," says eSWAG Chair Lewkowitz. "It gives young people an outlet for their passion in the community and with kids. We welcome everyone – of all ages, members and nonmembers, teachers and support staff – to our social events. We target some of our events, like the Educator Bazaar, to new young teachers because we want to be a resource to help them." eSWAG organized the Educator Bazaar this past summer to collect classroom supplies from educators across the state to help new teachers set up their classrooms and be prepared for the opening of the school year. Read more about this event on page 9. "Young educators need to feel a commitment Continued on next page AEA Advocate x Winter 2013/14 21 11/4/13 3:23 PM