For MEA member Henry Stallings, systemic racism and bias is nothing new in the U.S. “As a Black man, I live this every day,” he says. But one thing is changing, he believes: public awareness of issues surrounding marginalized communities in America. With the May 25 one-year anniversary of the brutal police killing of George Floyd, which sparked worldwide […]
Utica second grade teacher Casey Joss will start her 18th year in the classroom this fall, but the MEA member hasn’t forgotten the struggles and uncertainties of being brand new to the profession. In fact, it’s become her passion to remember those early days with clarity—so she can develop meaningful ways to directly help today’s […]
by Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Jacob Blanton used to have trouble focusing in school. The soon-to-be Lincoln Park sixth grader remembers a few years ago when he would “get mad and stuff and keep on getting distracted,” but now he knows how to calm his anger and reset his brain so it doesn’t feel impossible […]
by Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Two years ago, in October 2019, MEA member Audrey Debri took a step toward a long-dreamed-of goal to spend more learning time outdoors with her Young Fives students. In a clearing underneath tall conifer trees on property next to the K-1 building where she works in Cedar Springs, Debri and her husband […]
Every day and especially during the most challenging times, MEA members step up in unprecedented ways to be champions for public education. You protect safety, promote learning, innovate, improvise, and adapt to a changing and challenging landscape. You remain creative and unstoppable forces for good, always true to our mission of providing students the education […]
Districts should conduct an “equity audit” with broad participation from staff, students and families to develop and implement policies and practices that create a climate of inclusivity and belonging for all, the report said. In addition, students who may not be planning to attend a four-year college need greater awareness of and access to a variety […]
Beyond the concentration on students, schools must also be adept at family engagement, noted MEA member Angela Pérez, a Muskegon elementary ELL teacher. Pérez contributed to the blueprint and took over as chairwoman of the more broadly focused Governor’s Educator Advisory Council in June. Some families are disconnected from school life because of mistrust or language […]
To advance learning, the blueprint calls for schools to build in time for teacher collaboration and for educators to cultivate high-trust classroom environments. Instruction should focus on priority standards with tiered supports for students through tutoring, small-group interventions, and enrichment activities. Students’ needs will vary widely, said MEA member Shantel VanderGalien, a national board-certified eighth- […]
The mental and emotional health of students and educators top the list of concerns that demand immediate attention at this stage of the pandemic. As the virus took its toll, as social distancing and masking became the norm, as schools shifted between remote and hybrid modes, young people experienced increasing rates of anxiety and depression. […]
Vision. Commitment. Staffing. Resources. Funding. Recovery from a months-long public health crisis that has spared no corner of society will require many things—including time, perhaps most of all. The MI Blueprint for Comprehensive Student Recovery gives school districts a head-start on responding. Developed by a 30-member advisory council—appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer—of educators, health experts, community […]
