By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Over a 45-year career as a paraeducator in Ann Arbor Public Schools and a union leader in Michigan, MEA member Percy Brown has traveled the country teaching others in his role how to build strength and respect for school support staff and the important work they do. An early […]
MEA member Gabby Marderosian set a goal for 2025 to collect rejection slips as a means of pushing herself to complete personal art projects amid the demands of working as a traveling elementary art teacher in Farmington Public Schools. “It’s a fun way of making yourself put yourself out there and not being afraid of [...]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor When MEA member Corey Rosser first sought a teaching job after college 20 years ago, the landscape was competitive and his only offer came from a school that didn’t fit the dream he’d once imagined. “I was going to teach AP (Advanced Placement) classes and coach varsity basketball and […]
By Dr Charles Hulme, CEO & Founder of OxEd & Assessment, Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Education, University of Oxford Oral language is the heart of literacy and learning. It’s fundamental to a child’s educational journey, serving as the foundation for reading, comprehension, communication, and social interaction. Students need to understand and be understood to [...]
A paraeducator wants to grow in the role. A veteran high school teacher seeks targeted professional development. A school counselor aspires to strengthen supports for a diverse student population. Where can educators turn to fulfill their desire to learn, lead and be valued? The MEA LearnCenter is a new online learning platform launched this year […]
A new statewide Bill of Rights campaign aimed at improving the wages, benefits and working conditions of school support staff was rolled out recently at the annual MEA conference for Education Support Professionals (ESP). Modeled after similar campaigns launched in other states, including Maryland, Illinois and Massachusetts, the Michigan ESP Bill of Rights calls for [...]
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 Lakeview High School in St. Clair Shores, part of the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) offerings. “It was […]
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 pathway to no-cost credentialing with individual supports […]
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 together. “I believe that if you can build a relationship with the parents, then the relationship you have with […]
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 with problem-solving and leadership. Back then Harper was working as a 15-year […]
