Association of Educational Therapists
7044 S. 13th St.
Oak Creek, WI
53154
phone 414-908-4949
fax 414-768-8001
AET ET Professional Membership
Requirements for Professional ET Membership:
Associate ET Membership
Direct Service Hours
Supervision/Mentorship
There is one path that leads to AET ET Professional membership.
Associate ET members, including special education teachers and other
professionals who have met the coursework requirements, may pursue
the steps leading to this level of membership.
What is required for ET Professional membership?
- Complete requirements and gain approval as an Associate ET member.
- Pay $100 dues for the first year.
- Complete supervision/mentorship agreement.
- Document direct service hours.
Professional membership benefits include:
- Use of copyrighted symbol ET/P on one’s listing
- Access to the member area of the web site and to the archives there
- Access to AET Study Groups
- A subscription to The Educational Therapists Journal
- A copy of The AET Member Directory
- Listing in the AET Member Directory
- Listing in the AET Referral Directory
- Option of a hyperlink from The Referral Directory and Member Directory to a personal web page
- Professional level discounts to AET events, including workshops and conferences
Online Application Form
Click here to access the Associate ET application form.
Direct Service Hours
To make the transition from Associate ET to Professional ET, AET requires a minimum of 1500 direct service hours with clients within the past ten years. Associate ETs are not expected to have completed their full quota of service hours when beginning the process of upgrading to Professional ET membership, but they should substantiate those hours accrued to date to give the committee a complete picture of their background and experience. These may include fieldwork or practicum hours required in a higher education program, in the practice of educational therapy, or in a closely related discipline (e.g special education).
Direct service is the time spent with an individual student or client.
Direct service hours include:
- Individual sessions of remediation or teaching. (Note: this does NOT include time spent on review of records.)
- Individual sessions of assessment. (Note: this does NOT include time spent on report preparation.)
- Classroom observations on behalf of a client or student when you are the special education provider or are the private provider.
- Parent conferences and/or attendance at IEP meetings on behalf of a client or student when you are the special education provider or are the private provider.
- Consultations with allied professionals on behalf of a client or student when you are the special education provider or are the private provider.
- Fieldwork or practicum hours from higher education and/or credential programs which meet the above criteria
- Direct service completed as part of supervision/mentorship.
How do I document direct service hours?
Submit signed contracts and letters of verification from work site administrators, supervisors and professional colleagues. (Direct Service Hours Template.)
Who reviews my application?
The membership committee will review your Associate ET application to assess the number of direct service hours that will be waived and the number of additional direct service hours needed.
What happens if I need additional direct service hours?
If additional hours of clinical teaching from an educational therapy perspective are required based on your background experience, you will be advised as to the specific types of activities you are engaged in that will fulfill this requirement.
BCET Supervision/Mentorship
All Associate ET members pursuing Professional ET status are assigned supervised/mentored hours. Upon approval of Associate ET membership, the direct service hours accrued to date will be used in conjunction with information in the résumé to determine the number of BCET supervised/mentored hours to be assigned. Depending upon the level of individual experience, up to 50 hours will be required. These mentored hours must be associated with concurrent direct service with clients and/or related tasks assigned by the BCET supervisor/mentor. The hours are calculated on a 1:10 ratio, meaning one hour of supervision/mentorship for every 10 hours of concurrent direct service with clients and/or related tasks assigned by the BCET supervisor/mentor (also called practicum hours).
What is the difference between a supervisor and a mentor?
The supervisor or mentor will be a Board Certified Educational Therapist who has met the highest level of membership within AET. Whether you are assigned to work with a supervisor or a mentor reflects your level of background experience. A supervisor is assigned to those who are new to the profession of educational therapy. A mentor is assigned to those who have extensive special education experience.
Can I teach or tutor while I am assigned to work with a supervisor/mentor?
Yes. You must have at least one client in a private caseload in order to gain rom the supervisor/mentor experience. You may work full time in a salaried position, yet work with individual students after school.
How often do I meet with the supervisor/mentor?
The frequency of consultations and duration of the supervision/mentorship process will be agreed upon by the parties involved. Sufficient time between consultations must be allowed to complete required concurrent direct service and related assignments.
What is the goal of supervision/mentorship?
The goal is for you to have an experienced and trusted advisor to provide guidance and feedback on the treatment alliance within the educational therapy clinical model. Once successfully completed, you may enter or continue to pursue the profession of educational therapy with a solid foundation of the theoretical implications and practical applications from AET’s educational therapy perspective, while following the AET Code of Ethics.
May I choose the Board Certified Educational Therapist who will provide supervision/mentorship?
You may arrangements with a BCET of your choice to provide supervision or mentorship based upon your personal knowledge or suggestions provided by the membership committee. Should you live in an area where BCETs are not available, the membership committee will assist in making contact with a potential long-distance supervisor/mentor, but it will your responsibility to follow through with the arrangements.
Am I responsible for the consultation fee for my supervisor/mentor?
Yes. The consultation fee is mutually decided upon as part of the supervision/mentorship agreement. The number of consultation sessions will depend on the 1:10 ratio of hours assigned.
Does direct service associated with mentored hours count toward the direct service hour requirement?
Yes. Direct service completed during supervision/mentorship may be applied to the overall 1500 direct service hour requirement as needed.