Calling the question.

A CEI has a long and proud history as an association of members dedicated to the cause of childhood education. The word "association" originates from the word "associate," for which there exists several definitions, with the common distinction of joining together or uniting in partnership. A thesaurus search for the word "associate" will present similar words, such as "link," "connect," and "relate." Although the complexity and role of associations has evolved over time, today's associations still share the universal purpose of coming together to produce positive results.

The history of associations began during medieval times. These very early associations were called "guilds," which were groups of people with a particular profession in common, such as blacksmiths, masons, and cloth makers, who joined together to improve their skills and refine their craft. In fact, this form of association still exists today. They are either grouped as trade or professional associations and they deliver targeted training and certifications focused on serving the needs of specific professions.

ACEI began in the late 1800s when mission-driven associations were gaining in popularity. At that time, industrialization was creating serious social ills in some parts of the world. The development of factories and international migration in pursuit of work resulted in crowded urban neighborhoods, lack of housing, increased poverty, and the spread of disease. During this period, groups of concerned people came together to form associations that worked for specific causes, such as health, education, and social welfare issues. These associations were dedicated to solving problems and ensuring that society's institutions considered the needs of the masses. Social justice and equity were important to these associations. ACEI's roots are as both a professional association and a mission-driven association--caring for the professional needs of teachers and having a deep concern to improve education opportunities for children.

When ACEI was first conceived, associations working for causes were a relatively new form of organization. Today, thousands of associations worldwide of varied shapes and sizes offer individuals unique opportunities to join together in like-minded communities of professionals working to benefit the world.

While ACEI is a professional association, with the majority of its members being teachers or teacher educators, the association and its members have made a special commitment to fulfilling a specific humanitarian mission of supporting the education and well-being of children in the global community. This element of ACEI's mission is placed in first position in the mission statement. Thus, ACEI at its core is service-oriented, focused on creating a community of education professionals to address issues that will change the lives of children. Consequently, everything ACEI does as an association of members ultimately should be measured by how well the service or program offered to members positively affects the lives of children. Whether it is a conference, a publication, a program, or an activity, all that ACEI does must be able to correlate, either in whole or in large part, to children. This mission focus provides a way for ACEI, as an association, to define its strategy, develop its programs, and evaluate its effectiveness.

Associations are not stagnant. They ebb and flow and change as new members join and as demands for programs shift with changing times, needs, and concerns. Associations must be flexible enough to bend when needed and rigid enough not to bend too far away from their core mission. All associations must keep moving toward their goals with enthusiasm in order to attract new members and retain critical momentum. In the end, our trust in one another, our trust that we share the same goal, will help us achieve our desired result.

To understand if an association is effective, certain questions should be asked and answered. Questions we should ask ourselves as individual members include: Do we as members engage in lively efforts that galvanize meaningful action on behalf of children? Do we as members exhibit the spirit of humanitarian action that is central to the ACEI identity?

As the larger association, we must ask broader questions, such as:

* Do our conferences provide exciting content and research on cutting-edge education practices?

* Do our publications provide thought-provoking, innovative methods and present dynamic, effective approaches to education?

* Do our chapters use the power of community to advocate for children?

* Can we point to concrete successes over recent years of wide-scale programs and innovative partnerships that have had a measurable and unique impact on childhood education worldwide?

Are we indeed meeting our mission and supporting in the global community the optimal education and development of children? This is the question we are now called to answer.

--Diane Whitehead, Executive Director