The AATSP has played an important part in my entire life! My mother, a high school Spanish teacher, was president of the Northern Ohio chapter of the AATSP in the 1930’s and I remember seeing copies of Hispania stored next to our tiny TV while I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. It’s a long story about how I wound up getting an PhD in Spanish but I knew when I started teaching my first Spanish course as a graduate student almost 50 years ago, that I should join the AATSP. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made!
Then when I got my first full-time job, I joined the local Chapter (Massachusetts) and immediately made life-long friends with the wonderful teachers who freely shared their interests and talents during our many meetings at restaurants, colleges and universities, museums, country clubs, and even at the Ritz Hotel, where our guest speaker was Rosa Montero (who just happened to be in Boston that year).
Later I started attending the annual meetings, which always take place in interesting cities around the U. S. and the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking world. There I made even more friends, went to fascinating lectures about a wide variety of topics, socialized at numerous events, and took pictures, many of which found their way into Enlace, and its spin-off, the Conference Wrap-up. I was also active in all twelve of the Northeast Regional AATSP meetings which offered even more opportunities to share information and learn from colleagues. My own house is now filled with Hispanias, which I love to read to learn about what people are discovering through their research and classroom experience, the new books and media being produced, and topics of interest to teachers of Spanish and Portuguese at all levels. And then there is the AATSP website, which provides even more information, from job searches to syllabi for courses and much, much more. Not to mention the various honor societies for students, the National Spanish Exam, travel opportunities, scholarships, awards...
I am grateful to the AATSP for the many leadership experiences I have been able to have, holding a whole variety of offices in my own chapter, and having been a member of the national AATSP Board in the 1990's and its President in 2003. It has provided me with countless opportunities to grow personally and become a better person and teacher of a subject that continues to fascinate me even in retirement. Most of all, of course, I am grateful for the friendships I have made over the years with the wonderful members of this organization. --Mary-Anne Vetterling
I am proud to be a member of this superb organization that has been in existence for over 100 years. I have been a member of the AATSP for over 40 years and it has been one of the greatest professional investments in my career. The membership fees are modest and therefore accessible to many teachers. In return, the AATSP provides a wide array of services and opportunities to students and teachers from kindergarten through the doctoral levels. The national annual conference is an event that should not be missed! It is an opportunity to share teaching resources and advanced research and, at the personal level, to meet colleagues that will become friends for a lifetime. The many chapters of the organization provide local support, and events to its members year-round. I urge those teaching Spanish and Portuguese and related fields who are not already members to visit the AATSP’s website ( aatsp.org ) to learn about the latest developments in the field, what prizes and recognitions are available to members, and to consider joining this outstanding organization that represents the interest and provides support to teachers of Spanish and Portuguese in the United States, and many other countries where these cultures, languages and literatures are taught.
Ada Ortuzar-Young
I am a proud member of the AATSP. Several before me have enumerated all the benefits of membership, and I concur with each and every one of them! I grew up professionally as part of this terrific organization filled with dedicated professionals and outstanding human beings! I would never have had the broad and interesting experiences I have had as a result of my membership in the AATSP. I would never have had the breadth and depth of professional development that I have had through the AATSP. I would never have had the opportunity to share the benefits of this tremendous organization with my faculty and colleagues. Thank you, AATSP!
I have been an AATSP member for over 50 years, and first joined as a young graduate student. It has been one of my best professional investments because while costs to members (membership and conference registration) are modest, the returns are manifold. AATSP provides resources for teachers from kindergarten through Ph.D. programs. It is a home for middle school, high school, and college honor societies and for scholarly publications that support research as well as practical ideas. Annual membership gives members access to: local chapter activities, free webinars, job postings, two professional journals (now online) the chance to compete for scholarships to attend the conference, and travel awards given by conference exhibitors. As AATSP works to serve its members, the teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, throughout the nation, it also serves the students they teach from K-12 through undergraduate and graduate education, so the outreach is extensive. Being a member of AATSP allows me to present professionally at the chapter level and at the national conferences; it gives me a prestigious and peer-reviewed publication option with Hispania.; and it recognizes excellence in teaching, service, and leadership with national awards. I am a member of many professional organizations, but none is a better value than AATSP.
The AATSP is a wonderful professional organization that has been instrumental in my development as a teacher. I've been teaching Spanish for thirty years, and I owe so many of the opportunities that my students and I have enjoyed to this organization. Through the AATSP I have met so many incredible teachers from whom I have learned so much. Attending the AATSP conferences in places like Acapulco, Panama, Salamanca, San Diego and Miami, I have learned valuable techniques which inform my classroom lessons. My students have earned prizes, scholarships, travel awards and have enjoyed leadership and service opportunities through our participation in the National Spanish Exam and the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica. Our local chapter of the AATSP hosts events like a Poster and Poetry Contest and an Awards Ceremony for students excelling on the NSE. I hope that the younger generation of teachers understands how important it is to make use of resources like the AATSP, which exists to support teachers and to elevate our profession.
I have taught Spanish in high school or middle school for almost 20 years and have made a point to renew my membership in AATSP every year. It has been worth it to have my students participate in both the National Spanish Exam and the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica. Through these programs, my students are recognized for their high achievement in Spanish through state level NSE awards and national scholarships from both NSE and SHH. I have had several students travel with the SHH and NSE Junior Travel Awards and the NSE Global Citizen Scholarship. These opportunities have been priceless for them (and have brought recognition to our Spanish program, too).
The past few years I have also attended the AATSP Annual Conference, which provides excellent professional development for me that I can then use in my own classroom. I also have participated in Webinars offered from the organization.
Membership in AATSP is definitely worth the annual fees!