AET Requirements

Educational therapists are required to keep current in their areas of expertise, in the practice of ET, ethical practices, etc.  The Association of Educational Therapists provides a rich array of continuing educational opportunities with webinars, study groups, the annual AET conference, and workshops.  There are also many continuing education possibilities outside of the AET offerings.  ETs are expected to keep track of their continuing education hours and maintain documentation of completion.  All ETs must accumulate and report ten clock hours of continuing education (CE hours) during the 12 months preceding their member renewal date and attest to completion of CE requirements when they submit their renewal dues.  It is up to you to keep an accurate log of your continuing education hours and the documentation to show that you completed it.

What Continuing Education Should I Pursue This Year?

As education minded professionals, there are numerous opportunities for continuing education, and it is easy to overdo it.  We all want to learn and get better, but CE takes time and money.  It is important to target your education to areas you need to develop to serve your clients best.  Also, if you want to expand into a new area of service, continuing education can be a great way to develop your expertise and qualifications. 

Cost and Time Considerations

Some types of learning are best done through research and reading.  Some are better with direct instruction.  Since there is a time commitment and cost to all education, it makes sense to be strategic about what you pay for and how much time you dedicate to a given topic.  If you are taking on a new area such as literacy, you will find many possibilities.  Find out how the programs differ and what options are available within the time frame you have in mind.  What is the actual cost of training, and what additional costs will you incur to implement what you learn?  Will you take just the initial course offerings, or will you continue on to pursue certification?  As you plan your training, remember to budget for travel and/or transportation costs and materials required as well as the loss of income for any client sessions you need to cancel.

Benefits of Continuing Education

In addition to meeting the AET requirements, there are many benefits to participating in ongoing education.  First, you learn new skills, deepen existing skills, and find new ways of thinking about your clients and their needs.  Second, you meet other people with interests in the area of study.  You may meet teachers, parents, and other allied professionals that can become peers or mentors, friends, and sources of referrals.  Another benefit to continuing education that is less obvious is that it aligns us with our clients as individuals seeking to learn new things.  When we share our own learning experiences as we try to master new content, we model the process of persevering to learn and improve.