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Have you applied? AAEF’s Scholarship & Grant Program
posted by: Melissa | September 20, 2013, 02:10 PM   


Talk to teachers and they’ll tell you of the grand ideas they have for their classes.  They’ll speak passionately of all of the projects they’d like to implement, the books they’d like to read, and the techniques they’d like to try.  Unfortunately, with more and more school districts pulling back on funding, many teachers lack the resources to fulfill their exciting ideas.



That’s why my favorite part of my job is overseeing the Association of American Educators Foundation National Scholarship & Grant Program.  A couple of times each year, I not only help provide teachers with funds they need for their fascinating classroom project or for critical professional development, but I get to see all the wonderful and original ideas that teachers have.  Anyone who claims that teachers are just replaceable cogs in a machine has never read the applications we receive each year.

With our classroom grants, we look to fund unique and interesting projects that have a deep impact on student learning in the classroom, the school, or even the community.  While we’re not throwing millions of dollars around, never underestimate what a passionate teacher can do with only a few hundred well-spent dollars.  In the past, we’ve funded new science equipment, outdoor education programs, community service projects, and art education projects, just to name a few.  Using the  Scholarships and Grants tag search on this blog you can look back and read about the inspiring things teachers have done with AAE funds over the years.

With our teacher scholarships, we seek to help arm teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to become more effective educators.  We often pay for teachers to attend conferences or workshops that focus on a particular area or skill.  In the past, teachers have attended literacy summits, learned how to integrate technology in non-intuitive subject areas such as P.E., and learned new techniques for courses in music, personal finance, and more.  Teacher scholarships are a great opportunity for a teacher who is looking to add a new skill to his or her pedagogy tool belt.

While AAE members are given preference on applications, our scholarships and grants are open to all educators.  Moreover, no subject or grade is favored over another--we’re just as likely to award a grant to a preschool teacher as a high school teacher.  We consider an application from a school librarian, counselor, coach, art teacher, or music teacher with the same weight that we give to a core subject area teacher.  We want our students to succeed, and we want to fund the educators that have the inspiration and drive to help them succeed.

Our next deadline, October 1
st, is quickly approaching.  If there’s a project that you want to fund or a conference you want to attend, now is the time to apply!


 

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