Aspiring & Early Career Educators
MEA has three groups dedicated to supporting educators as they enter the profession: Educators Rising (EdRising), Aspiring Educators of Michigan (AEM) and Michigan New Educators (MiNE).
About Educators Rising
Educators Rising (EdRising) is our middle and high school-level program for aspiring educators. Whether part of a CTE program, elective course, or a school-based club, our goal is to support these students in pursuing their interest in and developing the skills necessary for a career in education. We offer teacher resources to help students network, develop leadership skills, and showcase the expertise they have gained in their education and training programs through state and national conferences and competitions. Educators Rising supports students in the development of the skills necessary to become effective practitioners, provides opportunities to earn college credit, network with other future educators and professionals, and showcase their talents in state and national competitions. Download our flyer here and learn more at https://mea.org/educators-rising-michigan/.
About AEM
The Aspiring Educators of Michigan (AEM) is a preprofessional organization for people preparing for the teaching profession in any of the higher education institutions in Michigan and who are not regularly employed as educators by an educational institution or agency. Local chapters at Michigan campuses improve networking amongst aspiring educators and expose members to professional learning opportunities and service projects that help prepare college students for fulfilling careers in education. Download our flyer here and learn more at www.mea.org/aem.
About MiNE
Early career educators need connection and support to thrive in the job—which is the basis of a new MEA initiative starting a three-year rollout. The Michigan New Educators program, known as MiNE, aims to build community around new educators across the state to reduce attrition and empower the next generation of union leaders. The group facilitates networking among early career educators, including a podcast, a series of “2 Minute Teacher Tips, and more. Download our flyer here and learn more at www.mea.org/mine.
Aspiring & Early Career Educators News
SPECIAL REPORT: MEA welcomes new educators
Stories by Brenda Ortega, MEA Voice Editor This report features MEA members combating Michigan’s educator shortage. Holland High School graduate Liebbe Martinez (left) and teacher Sarah Le Febre graced the August-September MEA Voice cover in a story on high school classes for students interested in teaching careers. Their story is one part of our Special Report on Teacher Recruitment. In…
MEA supports new educators
Landen Robinson (far right) is pictured with other aspiring educators attending the Next Gen Teachers Program, a collaboration between MEA and Wayne State University Landen Robinson is a rising sophomore in the College of Education at Wayne State University, but he first fell in love with teaching in high school. Robinson spent two years in a Teacher Cadet program at…
Rural hub at CMU offers free credentials
Dr. Kathryn Dirkin, director of Partnerships and Programming at CMU’s MiCAREER hub. By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Like its name, the MiCAREER Resource Hub offers simplicity on the surface and complexity underneath. For current and prospective educators who want to teach or change roles to fill a vacancy in rural schools, it’s simple: The resource hub promises a personalized…
Saginaw apprenticeship a first
Associate teacher Jennette Hoffman is pursuing teacher certification at Delta College and Saginaw Valley State University in a Registered Apprenticeship Program in Saginaw schools. By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor From many years of working with children, Elaine Hunt has figured out a lot. For example, she discovered early on that young people do better when parents and educators work…
In para-to-teacher project, classroom aides level up
Justin Harper earned a degree and certification through a partnership between Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw ISD. By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor In June of 2021, MEA member Justin Harper and two co-founders formally launched a free program for youth in the Ypsilanti-Ann Arbor area, focusing on sports as a tool for teaching kids about health and nutrition along…
Lenawee County teacher shares ‘great rewards’ with aspiring educators
Jody Hillard By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor When high schooler Rebecca Cox realized she wanted to be an art teacher, she wondered if she had what it takes, so she signed up for the Education Careers program at the Lenawee Intermediate School District (LISD) Tech Center. “I knew I really liked the art part — I just needed to…
Armada teacher tells aspiring educators: ‘If you love this, do it’
Teacher Aric Foster and aspiring educator Melina Accardo of Armada High School share similar career origin stories. By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor MEA member Aric Foster got bitten by the teaching bug as a teenager working as a Taekwondo instructor. Specifically he recalls showing a skinny kid named Tyler a new kick, then watching him deploy it at a…
‘Doing what’s right for the next generation’: High schoolers explore education careers
Holland High School graduate Liebbe Martinez (left) is a college student pursuing a teaching career after completing three semesters in a new HHS class for aspiring educators created and taught by MEA member Sarah Le Febre (right). By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor MEA member Sarah Le Febre realized last spring she didn’t know how many years she’d accumulated in…
Free training, networking for early-career and first-year teachers: Register now
“When we raise up our early career educators, we lift up the education profession.” - Erinn Parker, MEA MiNE representative From the federal level down to local districts, schools, and classrooms, more issues than ever are competing for educators’ attention and advocacy. The specific concerns facing early-career educators do not always make it to the top of the priorities list.…
MEA RA approves school violence task force
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Erinn Parker, Stephenson Education Association President A new MEA task force will examine ways to address increasing violence against educators in the workplace and advocate for policies, legislation and resources to ensure classroom safety for school employees and students alike in Michigan. Formation of the task force was approved on Saturday by the MEA…