Despite what some far-right politicians and cable news talking heads might want you to believe, the public trusts educators more than just about anyone else — and that’s why educators should stand up and make their voices heard. According to Gallup’s annual Honesty and Ethics of Professions survey, educators rank No. 3 on the list […]
Click to view online. In this issue: Letter to Members: For MI Kids and Educators Above and Beyond: Huron Valley Teacher Wins Humanities Prize The Future is Now: Aspiring Educators Run Inspiring Statewide Project Our Strength Can Re-elect Gretchen Whitmer MEA Survey Points to Educator Concerns Educator-to-be: ‘We need minority teachers’ Educator appeals: ‘Let us […]
Every school should have a Julie Tolfree, a veteran teacher-turned-behavior-specialist who supports both students and staff at Bridgeport-Spaulding Middle School in Saginaw, her colleagues say. Tolfree extends a safe space to talk, help with physical needs – food or clothing, for example – and time to regroup from a difficult moment. She operates whole-school systems […]
MEA member Joe Ligaj has a blunt message for school administrators and state-level policymakers concerned about educator shortages: If you pay them, they will come. “This is just basic economics—Econ 101,” the president of the Lincoln Park Education Association (LPEA) said. “There’s a labor shortage, and the way to address that is through the contract: […]
School librarians, also called library media specialists in Michigan, are teachers who hold a Michigan Teaching certificate with the Library Media endorsement. They typically have a Masters in Library and Information Science and are uniquely qualified to carry out five roles: Teacher – delivers instruction on reading, accessing resources, information/media literacy, digital citizenship, and technology […]
When MEA member Kathy Lester reads the latest news headlines, she sees problems where librarians should be. From students’ low reading performance on standardized tests, to community conflicts over what books should be allowed in school, and burned-out educators talking of leaving the profession – librarians can play a vital role in helping to address […]
Amid critical educator shortages, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is focused on delivering support and resources in her proposed education budget for next fiscal year with plans to use ongoing state revenue increases to shore up public schools as they respond to ongoing effects of the pandemic. In contrast, Republican leaders in the House and Senate issued […]
By Jo Bird MEA-Retired When I was a teacher in Zeeland for 31 years, I continued learning and growing throughout my career. Now that I am retired, I keep on fighting for public education. I will never stop, and I hope everyone reading this will join me in this important election year. A lot of […]
Katie Hillyard tried not to be an educator. As a teen, the MEA member didn’t want to be just like her parents – both music teachers in the Grand Rapids area who are now retired. But when it became clear in college she was drawn to the profession, Hillyard followed her calling and today is […]
Steve Galvan wants people to understand educators are on the front-lines just as health care workers have been, “and we too are digging our claws deep into the dirt and holding our ground, because those students need us now more than ever,” he said. “Our students may not come from a two-parent home. They may […]
