Phi Delta Kappa Takes Lead on Future Educators Clubs
Phi Delta Kappa International, the professional association in education, is organizing Future Educators Association clubs in schools across the United States and internationally. The Future Educators Association (FEA) program provides opportunities for middle school and high school students to explore careers in education.
A similar program was conducted by the National Education Association until 1969.
Phi Delta Kappa International (PDK) has long been involved with recruiting talented students into education. PDK sponsors the Prospective Educator Scholarships. In addition, local PDK chapters around the world provide hundreds of scholarships each year to students who plan to become teachers.
The FEA program not only helps students explore careers in education, but it also provides service opportunities and offers schools and communities a chance to shape their own future by shaping the future of the education profession.
For more information, contact:
Amanda Graham, International FEA Director
at fea@pdkintl.org
Phi Delta Kappa International
P.O. Box 789, Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
Phone: (812) 339-1156 or 1-800-766-1156
What Is FEA?
Mission
The FEA provides middle and high school students with opportunities to explore teaching as a career option.
It helps students gain a realistic understanding of the nature of education and the role of the teacher.
The international FEA office manages the network of nearly 1,000 FEA chapters, offers support to FEA advisors through trainings and publications, coordinates a network of state FEA contacts, plans the annual national conference, and fields questions from advisors and anyone interested in learning more about FEA.
FEA Goals
- Strive to interest students in the education profession
- Recruit future educators with diverse ethnic, racial, social, and economic backgrounds
- Promote academic excellence and leadership responsibilities in students interested in teaching
- Enhance quality of school's educational program through an appreciation of teaching and contributing to the smooth operation of the school
- Promote a positive image of education to students, parents, and the community and disseminate information about teaching
- Encourage members to be positive role models in the school, the organization, and the community
History
During the first half of the last century, the National Education Association initiated a Future Teachers of America program. Local chapters of that program still exist in a number of states. Similar efforts also were made by various state departments of education, many local schools, and most notably, by Jan Towslee. As president of the Association of Teacher Educators, Towslee made the development of Future Educators of America a priority.
Phi Delta Kappa International has decided to help develop an international FEA network that, it is hoped, will draw together the individual initiatives into a cohesive, nationwide program of support for the development of new teachers.
What Local FEA Chapters Do
For students . . . FEA helps them to explore teaching as a career option, provides them with a realistic understanding of teaching, and encourages students from diverse backgrounds to think seriously about the teaching profession.
For teachers . . . FEA offers them a chance to shape our nation's future by shaping the future of the education profession. It also gives teachers opportunities to examine, clarify, and explain their role in students' lives.
For schools . . . FEA is a service opportunity that elevates the role of teachers and offers new avenues of communication about education and its place in the community.
For communities . . . FEA provides a chance for communities to "grow their own" future teachers and raises the status of the education profession in the eyes of their citizens.
For colleges . . . FEA expands the pool of applicants to teacher education programs and provides early identification of potentially excellent future teachers.
For the education profession . . . FEA extends the vision of the profession by enlarging the talent pool. It creates a positive image of teaching for students, parents, and other citizens. And it encourages the influx of new ideas and diverse points of view.
Options for Post-Secondary Chapters Learn More. . .
How to Start an FEA Chapter
It takes only one committed individual — a student, a teacher, a business leader, a school administrator, a parent — to light the spark. That individual contacts others who see a need for a Future Educators Association chapter. As a group, these individuals examine their local needs, discuss how they believe a chapter can help them meet those needs, and begin to involve students in initial planning and organization. Always obtain appropriate administrative approval.
The next step is to complete a charter application. This is an interactive PDF form.
How to use this interactive PDF form.
| Return it to: |
Future Educators Association Program
Phi Delta Kappa International
P.O. Box 789, Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
Phone: (812) 339-1156 or 1-800-766-1156
Email: fea@pdkintl.org |
There is an initial $100 fee to become an internationally recognized charter chapter. The fee includes the charter, the FEA manual/handbook, one FEA poster, one advisor's pin, and five student pins. If your chapter already has purchased the Advisor's Handbook, the initial cost to become an internationally recognized charter chapter is reduced from $100 to $75. After the initial year, the fee is $65 per school year to renew your charter.
How to Enhance an Existing Future Educators Club
Existing groups whose purposes are similar to those stated for FEA chapters already function in many schools. Regardless of their name and history, these existing groups may benefit from becoming part of the Phi Delta Kappa International network. Leaders of such groups are encouraged to contact PDK to find out how they can tap the national resource network.
How PDK Chapters Can Support FEA Chapters
There are several ways that Phi Delta Kappa chapters can support their local FEA chapters (find an FEA chapter close to you). Below are some suggestions of activities the chapters could do together:
- Offer to send a speaker to an upcoming FEA chapter meeting. Possible topics include A Day in the Life of a Teacher (or elementary teacher, high school teacher, special education teacher, or principal, depending on the Kappan 's area of expertise), local current topics in education, the impact of NCLB on daily classroom teaching, etc.
- Work with the FEA chapter to establish or improve a teacher shadowing program.
- Work with the FEA chapter to establish a mentoring program and encourage Kappans to Adopt a Future Teacher.
- Hold a program specifically designed for FEA students and invite the chapter to attend. Possible topics include leadership, ethical decision-making, classroom management, or preparing for college, depending on the expertise of the Kappans and the interests/needs of the FEA chapter (the advisor could provide potential topics of interest).
- Invite the state Teacher of the Year to speak, and invite the local FEA club to attend.
- Invite the school district's Teacher of the Year to speak, and invite the local FEA club to attend.
- Offer to provide a series of workshops on various teaching topics at FEA meetings during the school year.
- Develop and carry out a service project together to benefit the local school or community.
- Work with FEA chapters to establish a teacher recognition and appreciation program at the chapter's school.
- Offer scholarships for local FEA chapters/students to attend national or state FEA conferences.
- Offer start-up funds to help new FEA chapters get chartered.
How to Join an FEA Chapter
Students and others interested in joining an existing FEA chapter should contact the local advisor or their school's guidance counselor.
Internationally Recognized Chapters -View List
Advisor's Handbook
A handbook for advisors is available by contacting Phi Delta Kappa. There is a $25 charge plus shipping/handling. If your chapter already has purchased the Advisor's Handbook, the initial cost to become an internationally recognized charter chapter is reduced from $100 to $75. After the initial year, the fee is $65 per school year to renew your charter. Phi Delta Kappa's toll free number is 1-800-766-1156; Phi Delta Kappa's FAX number is 1-812-339-0018; the Phi Delta Kappa address is 408 N Union, P.O. Box 789, Bloomington, IN 47402-0789.
The handbook contains approximately 86 pages. The table of contents for the handbook is presented below.
Future Educators Association Handbook for Chapter Advisors
Sixth Edition
- Table of Contents
- Introduction and Acknowledgments
- FAQ About FEA
- How FEA is Organized
- How to Start an FEA Chapter
- Sample Chapter Bylaws
- Installation and Initiation Ceremonies for FEA Chapters
- Developing a Yearly Action Plan
- Activity and Program Ideas
- How to Promote a Chapter and Recruit New Members
- Budgets and Fundraising
- Appendix A: Leadership Tips
- Appendix B: Chapter Committees
- Appendix C: Competitions
- Appendix D: Teacher Recognition Activities
- Appendix E: Careers in Education
- Appendix F: Financial Aid
- Appendix G: FEA Resources
- Appendix H: Sample Chapter Forms
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