Professional Development

Professional Development

Education is a lifelong endeavor and educators are committed to continually improving their practice, regardless of their role.  Learn more how MEA helps with continuous professional development for members of all types, including for teachers and education support professionals.

Professional Development News

Alternative educator is new Michigan Teacher of the Year

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor MEA member Corey Rosser was named the 2025‑25 Michigan Teacher of the Year at a ceremony in May attended by his students. 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…

Reading starts with oral language

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 thrive. Yet despite the significant…

New MEA LearnCenter launches

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 to meet those challenges. Designed…

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…

Behavior? There’s a coach for that  

MEA member Lindsey Wilson holds a position in Lowell Area Schools that rarely existed in Michigan school districts just five years ago. Wilson is a behavior coach, assigned to address needs of students exhibiting the most challenging classroom behaviors. She doesn’t work directly with children most of the time. Like an instructional coach, she brings an expert perspective to help…

Early career help: tough topics

Erinn Parker The young leaders of MEA’s Michigan New Educators—MiNE—are presenting a virtual series called “Tackling Tough Topics,” professional development they designed to help newer educators survive the cold, dark days of winter. Register now! While early-career educators may have attended other professional learning opportunities centered around these topics, this one is tailored to their needs, facilitated by peers from…

Plymouth union offers Pint-Sized PD

By Brenda Ortega MEA Voice Editor In the past two years, Christine Rushlow surveyed members of the Plymouth Canton Education Association (PCEA) with two questions: what problems are you confronting in your school role, and what expertise do you offer which could help others address issues they’re facing? As the PCEA vice president for elementary, Rushlow has led a popular…

View All