I recently visited the Des Moines Area Heartland Area Education Agency (AEA) in Johnston, IA. As a future teacher I was able to tour the building and browse through the resources that the agency provides. There is one downfall with the agency, you cannot be apart of the AEA until you have a full-time teaching job. Once you become a teacher you can visit the AEA and rent items that the AEA has or you can sign up to have the items delivered to your school. They will deliver items all over the state. They have many resources to help with differentiation in the classroom.
For professional development the Heartland AEA offers workshops, trainings, and services to help teachers in the classroom. They focus mainly on the curricular areas of literacy, math, science, and technology. The professional development offered by the AEA is all over the state of Iowa. Their calender of October is packed with opportunities to help teachers become more effective.
After I toured the AEA I felt excited to know that there was something out there to help me and others become more effective in the classroom. The people working at the AEA are extremely helpful and are easy to reach. I know in the future I will be a part of the Heartland AEA and use its resources.
That's awesome you had the opportunity to visit an AEA! I am glad to hear about all the resources AEA has to offer. As a future teacher, I too worry about not having all the tools I need in order to be an effective teacher. It's refreshing to hear that the people are helpful within the agency and are easy to reach. It's unfortunate you have to be a full-time working teacher in order to become a part of an AEA, but luckily they are out to help when we do begin to teach! Thanks for the helpful information!
ReplyDeleteI have been to Heartland and had the chance to look around last summer and it is a great tool for teachers. It surprises me because of all the practicum experiences I've had not 1 teacher has mentioned using the AEA.
ReplyDeleteIn regard to the fact that their services are only available for full-time teachers, I wonder if you get a long-term sub position if they would allow use of their services?
Their website is very resourceful and easy to navigate. It offers a lot of information such as links to local community organizations, which may be good to get to know.
Megan,
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great organization. Schools require that teachers continue their professional development, and this usually means taking additional classes. But the resources available on the AEA website look like they have as much to offer as some classes. I liked the fact that the website provides information for teachers and parents. It's encouraging to see organizations that address educational issues by connecting parents, educators, and professional services. I wasn't able to find what the funding mechanism is for the program. Is it private or public funding?