“Thinking about the teacher who inspired you… it will be your responsibility to be that teacher for a student you work with. You get to inspire future generations. You get to be the reason why Michigan students love learning.” That was Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s message to more than 400 aspiring educators attending the first-annual Educators […]
Deborah Robertson had a tough go in her first year as president of the Harper Woods Education Association in 2021. She had only been a building rep for several months before becoming vice president, and only served in that role a few months before stepping into the top post. “My first year of being a […]
MEA member Kecia Waddell began her career in the analog world, moved into digital, and will finish in the artificial intelligence age. A 30-year special education teacher in Utica, she couldn’t be more excited. “I’ve always integrated technology for transformative teaching and learning experiences for my students, but I’m so, so, so excited to have […]
By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor Artificial Intelligence (AI) is unlike any technological tool that has come along in the history of higher education, and educators and institutions must immediately begin the ongoing work of adopting it and adapting to the rapid change it will bring. That was the striking thesis laid out in the […]
Phillip Hanson had “a bit of an existential crisis” when a new AI image generator emerged 18 months ago. An accomplished painter and digital artist, he realized artificial intelligence could achieve visual effects like his – only much faster. Having undertaken an art project using the system, called Midjourney, Hanson then made another discovery: leveraging […]
Gabrielle Likavec keeps up with research to guide her instruction as a teaching and learning consultant working with aspiring educators at Central Michigan University. The MEA member notes a few key points from early data emerging on AI. > Within five months of ChatGPT’s release, 79% of surveyed C-suite executives reported at least occasional use […]
Fourth-year teacher Allison O’Connell challenges herself every day to engage a wide variety of fifth graders in her Kent City classroom and help them grow – whether they are performing at, below or above grade level, English Language learners (ELL), or students with special needs. It’s not always easy. “It’s natural for teachers to want […]
MEA staff and members are advancing racial and social justice in education as part of the MEA Strategic Plan. For future events, watch your email inbox for the Center for Leadership & Learning’s new monthly newsletter: AT THE CENTER. GOAL: HELP RECRUIT, ENGAGE, AND RETAIN A DIVERSE POPULATION OF EDUCATORS THAT ARE REFLECTIVE OF THE […]
By Heather Palo MEA ARP Organizer Last year MEA member Marissa Rodriguez took ninth graders on a tour of World War I trenches, and she transported sixth graders to countries where certain products began the manufacturing process – then brought them across the globe to watch those consumer items journey to store shelves. A social […]
This fall MEA member Arshen Baldwin was honored by the NAACP Saginaw Branch with its 2023 Young Professionals Award for playing multiple roles to improve her community – nearly 20 years after she took one of the hardest routes toward becoming a teacher. Baldwin started out as an untrained substitute in a classroom where her […]
