All teachers, experienced or inexperienced, bear the responsibility for staying abreast of current developments in education and in their academic area. One way of promoting personal professional growth is to participate in professional organizations. Being an active professional gives teachers opportunities to share hopes, concerns, practices, and materials with colleagues and at the same time to support their profession. The professional journals published by many of these organizations serve as a medium for keeping posted on changes being discussed and implemented and for sharing one's own ideas and classroom practices. Following is a description of the major organizations and journals.