Some of the help is decidedly high tech, such as the new multimedia CD-ROM the NEA is distributing free to new members. The CD has lots of ideas and resources to help new K-12 teachers and teacher aides become more confident practitioners, giving them ready access to teaching tips on video as well as articles and pamphlets that can be printed out for parents and others. The NEA has developed other high tech resources as well. Through e-mail, any school employee can subscribe to a new resource called Works4Me , a listserv that sends out weekly short, practical classroom tips contributed by school employees across the country. We feel a special obligation to help those new to the profession, for all of us remember only too well how daunting those first few years in the classroom can be.
Teachers can also find help through more traditional means.
NEA's Professional Library, the nation's largest publisher devoted exclusively to providing professional development materials for educators, offers several books especially for new teachers. These materials, Chase says, were specifically designed to help teachers improve their skills. They also provide a valuable road map to help newcomers understand school systems, identify valuable resources, and better serve students for the future.