Welcome

The Association of Teacher Educators in Virginia is an affiliate of the national organization, Association of Teacher Educators (ATE). ATE is an organization for individuals who have a professional interest in the preparation and continuing education of teachers and other professionals in the field of education. Members represent public and private schools, colleges and universities, professional associations, and learned societies, and government agencies.

Message from the President

Dear Colleagues,

 The Association of Teacher Educators in Virginia is your organization for development and support in our profession. As teacher educators, we have much to celebrate in terms of the many exemplary ways that we prepare and support teachers in Virginia. From pre-service through veteran teachers, our organization is a key vehicle for advocacy at the local, state, and national levels. 

During the fall conference Dr. Pat Shoemaker, Executive Director of ATE-VA and Dr. Brenda Gillman, President of Virginia Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (VACTE) signed a formal MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING documenting how the two organizations will work together to promote quality teacher education in Virginia.

 On December 17, 2007 nine representatives from ATE-VA and VACTE and four preservice teachers participated in the first “Day on the Richmond Hill” listening to the Governors budget speech and sharing key talking points with leaders from both the House and Senate. The talking points were in support of the PreK Initiatives, VITAL, and Safe and Secure Schools. We will continue to work with David Bailey and Associates for legislative action to ensure our voices are heard.

 As we plan for the Spring ATE-VA/VACTE conference April 3-4, 2008 at Sweet Briar College we will continue working on our Safe and Secure Schools initiative as a positive response to the tragedy at Virginia Tech last spring. As a group we have identified the following vision and mission statements for the Safe and Secure Schools initiative.

Vision: To ensure that educators have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to deal with crisis and promote a safe and secure learning environment for Virginia’s children. Mission: To identify the set of knowledge, skills, and dispositions that teacher educators and the educational professionals they prepare are equipped to deal with crisis and promote safe and secure learning environments in our schools.

 As a service, we will be glad to advertise job openings at Virginia Institutions of Higher Education, please send the information directly to our webmaster Jurgen Combs (jcombs@su.edu ). Other activities include attendance at the Advisory Board for Teacher Education and Licensure (ABTEL), participation in a range of steering committees with the Virginia Department of Education, and engagement with our state legislators regarding all matters that impact teacher education and P-12 education.

 Please contact any of us on the ATE-VA Executive Board if you have questions, concerns, and suggestions about our organization or issues that we need to address.

Sandy Brownscombe
Professor of Teacher Education and Physical Education
Eastern Mennonite University
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
Phone: 540-432-4368
Fax: 540-432-4071
Email: brownscs@emu.edu