Post #2

• State
• The organization that I chose for my state educational organization is the Michigan Council for Exceptional Children. MCEC is an organization that specializes in informing others about the voice and vision of special and gifted children. I chose MCEC because I am a part of the e-board for the GVSU chapter and feel strongly about what we do. I am not a special education major, but I do believe that all educators, no matter their content area or level should be knowledgeable about children who require extra help or guidance to succeed in the classroom.
• The MCEC Facebook page allows members and those interested to be up to date with information through social media.
• There are 3 levels of membership available for MCEC. The first is the premier level which costs $205. This includes different articles and research available, newsletters, CECommunity access, which offers contact to all CEC communities, discounts to save on education programs, access to special interest divisions and state membership, and access to CEC career center. The second membership option available is full membership. This provides useful articles in Teaching Exceptional Children, up to date information through newsletters, access to special interest divisions and state membership, CECommunity access, discounts on education programs, and access to the CEC career center, as well as access to special professional development and topical information. This plan costs $115. The third option is the basic. The basic includes access to Teaching Exceptional Children, up to date information through newsletters, access to special interest divisions and state membership, CECommunity access, discounts on education programs, and access to the CEC career center. This costs $65. .
• Membership includes... See above
• The national CEC does put out a journal, Teaching Exceptional Children, 6 times a year. They also publish a journal titled, Exceptional Children, which includes research and topical issues.
• The annual conference for MCEC happens March 2nd-4th. This year it will be happening in Grand Rapids at the Amway. The price to attend the conference is $20 for students. If the student plans to attend the workshop on the 4th, the fee is $25. If the student plans to attend both the workshop and the conference, the fee is $45. The student is reimbursed the full amount when they attend the conference/workshop. The fee is generally to make sure numbers of attendance are accurate.
• GVSU has a CEC chapter on its campus. It is one of the largest chapters in the state of Michigan and has awesome member attendance!

• National
• The organization that I chose for the national educational organization is the NCSS, or National Council for Social Studies.
• The NCSS has a Twitter and a Facebook in order to stay connected with the social media of the group.
• There are many different membership opportunities, all tailored to an individual's needs. There is a comprehensive membership ($85/1 year, $145/2 year), regular ($72/1 year, $132/2 year), beginning teacher ($53/comprehensive, $43/regular), student ($53/comprehensive, $43/regular), retired ($40/regular), and international membership ($72/regular).
• The membership includes a subscription to one of NCSS's acclaimed journals. There are 3 different publications, one for K-6 teachers, one for middle level learners, and one that is a general journal. They receive access to the The Social Studies Professional, or the official newsletter that is published 8 times a year. There is also an online database of U.S. History ideas, activities, and articles. Members receive discounted registration rates for the annual conference, multiple internet resources, a legislative network, professional development opportunities, opportunities to give to one's profession, discounts on publications, access to information services, and the opportunity to serve on the boards of national social studies associations.
• As stated earlier, the NCSS publishes different journals based on one's grade level. The flagship journal, Social Education, is a general journal. The Middle Level Learning is for middle grades. The Social Studies and the Young Learner is for K-6 students.
• The annual conference is this November 13-15 in New Orleans, Louisiana.