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Membership FAQs

The Association of Educational Therapists is a professional organization. However, as well as preserving its membership base, like most professional organizations it seeks to grow and cast a wider net in order to maintain and increase a supportive influence within the profession it serves. The Membership Committee is charged with being active in: 1) promoting our organization to new members, and 2) encouraging existing members to renew. Our column will focus on questions frequently asked as we pursue these two goals.

What are the different categories of AET membership? Why do we have these categories? What are their particular benefits?

What is the typical background of an educational therapist?

Where do we find future educational therapists?

How do we contact potential educational therapists?

What can someone do who lacks part of the required academic coursework for Associate membership?

What if someone comes to us with years of clinical experience but cannot neatly “pigeon-hole” long-ago academics into our required categories?

What does AET, and specifically the Membership Committee, do to reach out to members more isolated because of their geographical location?

How often does a member need to renew his or her membership? How does the renewal process work?

Q: What are the different categories of AET membership? Why do we have these categories? What are their particular benefits?  

GENERAL MEMBERS (formerly called Affiliates)

There are many members of AET who are supporters of our mission yet haven't the verified coursework to move on to Associate and Professional levels of membership. The fee for this type of membership is $100 yearly (soon to be raised to $125). The benefits include reduced conference fees and discounts at the AET store, access to our website and study groups, and a subscription to both our Journal and referral Directory.    Others in this category have applied for Associate Professional membership, paid the $35 fee for processing their applications, and are awaiting confirmation that their application has been approved, at which time they will move to Associate level of membership.  

STUDENT MEMBERS

Students enrolled in a program where they are pursuing a post-masters certificate or a degree as an educational therapist are eligible for membership at the reduced fee of $45, which offers the benefits of an General level. When ready, they can apply for Associate membership for the usual $35 application fee. As they begin their practices, the Associate membership fee is reduced for the first year to $100.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Educational therapists in this membership category have completed the required coursework or equivalent training in educational therapy, have had their references, transcripts and resumes processed, and are on their way to Professional level. Courses may have different titles, but must cover the prescribed training (please visit aetonline.org to view academic requirements.). ETs may remain in the Associate level for up to five years, receiving all the benefits of General as well as Professional level discounts to AET events, including workshops and conferences, and listing in our nationally-distributed AET Directory. With the consent and support of a BCET mentor, an imminent option is a hyperlink from our online searchable Professional Referral Directory and online member Directory to a personal information page.  

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS

Once Associate membership has been approved there are two further steps before becoming a Professional member of AET:

Once achieving Professional level, as well as the benefits mentioned previously, ETs receive referrals from the AET office, access to the Practice Management page of our website, and will be designated with a protected certification mark: ET/P. The purpose of this mark is to highlight the training and experience of the individual. The next issue of our journal will have more details about the next step to Professional level of membership.  

BOARD CERTIFIED EDUCATIONAL THERAPISTS

Before applying, a member is expected to have Master’s level training in educational therapy or a related profession, be a Professional in good standing for at least a year, and acquire an additional 1000 hours of clinical experience. As well as the benefits of other levels, a Board-Certified member of AET may now use the protected certification mark, BCET, indicating the achievement of mentor status in our profession. To become a BCET, there are two steps:

ALLIED PROFESSIONALS

This level or category of membership is appropriate for licensed professionals in fields that overlap with educational therapy and with our interest in serving those with learning issues, such as psychologists, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, and administrators of schools and clinics for students with special needs. These members must verify that they are licensed. They receive our ET journal and Directory as well as discounts to AET events and materials. They are listed in our on-line Directory with the option of a hyperlink as well.

There is one further benefit that ALL members have: taking part in an organization that strives to maintain high professional standards in the interdisciplinary field of educational therapy. Our work can be isolating by itself, but as part of an association we are able to continue our educational and personal growth as well as supporting our profession.  Return to Top

Q. What is the typical background of an educational therapist? 

A. Many educational therapists are professional educators who have worked with students with special learning needs. Some are certificated teachers, learning specialists, school administrators, college professors, and allied professionals. Others have been tutors in a particular academic area and become “hooked” while working with learners outside of the formal educational systems. Finally, although not as common, some have a background in law, business, and/or counseling.   Educational therapists have a genuine interest in student learning and in providing individualized instruction and remedial services. When working with clients, they apply knowledge of academic or work-related tasks, different curriculum areas, various teaching methods, and training in the neurological and psychological aspects of human development.  Return to Top

Q.  Where do we find future educational therapists?

A. Some are serving as resource and learning specialists in public and private schools, or are working with hospitalized children and adolescents. Some are enrolled in teacher training programs, some work in educational institutions, some work in allied fields such as psychology and speech/language remediation. Some are parents of students with special learning needs. Future educational therapists may currently serve as tutors or teacher assistants in classrooms or come from a totally unrelated field. They become ETs after completingAET-approvededucational therapy programs at colleges and universities, taking coursework from various universities’ special education programs, attending our AET Educational Therapy Institute, or after proving the existence of equivalent coursework and experience.  Return to Top

Q. How do we contact potential educational therapists?

 A. We contact them through their educational programs, advocacy groups, parent teacher associations, professional organizations and associations, and through our AET website and study groups. Return to Top

Q. What can someone do who lacks part of the required academic coursework for Associate membership?

A. As we mentioned in our last column, we have a subcommittee of volunteer ET’s experienced in counseling students who are seeking to fill gaps in their academic preparation. When requested, we will arrange for the interested party to receive this counseling.   We also offer course counseling to formal applicants if they are notified that they are missing coursework.

For example, an applicant who has just finished a Master’s degree in Special Education might apply to AET for Associate membership. Our members obviously have a great deal in common with this person, both in training and professional goals. A large amount of clinical experience is not expected; this can be arranged after she becomes an Associate member and begins working toward Professional membership. However, the applicant’s Master’s degree lacks two required courses: Human Learning and Child/Adolescent Development. These courses, which differ slightly from one certificate program to another, have been designated by our organization, and the partnering college and university, as providing an important context for the practice of educational therapy. Typically they are undergraduate courses, and if the applicant was not an education major as an undergraduate, she has not taken them.   Therefore, we seek to help her locate ways of fulfilling these two requirements. Return to Top

Q. What if someone comes to us with years of clinical experience but cannot neatly “pigeon-hole” long-ago academics into our required categories?

A. We have another subcommittee within Membership that we call the “Flex” option. Here we seek ways to credit on-the-job experience as fulfillment of related academic re

quirements. In a sense, we are “grandfathering” (or “grandmothering”) applicants in as Associate members people who clearly are already practitioners in our profession, a profession that has not formally existed for much more than 20 years. Return to Top

Q. What does AET, and specifically the Membership Committee, do to reach out to members more isolated because of their geographical location?

A. AET holds periodic Virtual Study Group meetings for which members are given a code to participate in the phone conference. As in face–to-face study groups, topics relevant to the practice of Educational Therapy are discussed among members, with occasional guest speakers.

The Membership Committee periodically reaches out via email to members who are a distance from study group meetings. Through these e-mails, members are encouraged to express their ideas and to participate in the Virtual Study Group. Return to Top

Q. How often does a member need to renew his or her membership? How does the renewal process work?

A. Currently, members are required to renew their membership on a yearly basis. Membership is renewed either in March or September according to the individual member’s date of application. Membership can be renewed online, via fax or postal service by filling out the renewal form and providing payment information. Documentation of continuing education units is submitted along with the renewal form every two years. Return to Top