It’s prudent to contemplate your future profession well before completing your education at Tecumseh Public Schools. Some students are already laying the groundwork for their career aspirations by delving into education and teaching, imparting knowledge to the youngest learners at TPS.
Under the guidance of sixth-grade teacher Jennifer Gentry, the “Educators Rising” club from Tecumseh Middle School visited the ELCs and ILCs. With 15 students from the group making the trip, the club members assumed the role of “guest teachers” in the classrooms, meticulously planning and preparing their lessons for the younger students.
“Obviously, the young students and peer-to-peer work are wonderful. The youngers love to see the olders, the olders enjoy working with the younger students, and also, we’re looking at the future of education right here,” said Ms. Gentry. “So, we’re excited to get them interested in the profession and give them a glimpse into the glamorous life of a teacher and to foster their interest in education.”
Educators Rising is a nationwide organization dedicated to nurturing a fresh cohort of adept educators. It achieves this goal by furnishing students interested in pursuing educational careers with many resources, support, and opportunities.
Here at TPS, there’s an Educators Rising club at Tecumseh Middle School and Tecumseh High School. The Ed Rising students have learned about each of the components of lesson design and have created a lesson on a specific social skill following a real teaching lesson plan template. For those student leaders at TMS, it’s essential to shed light on the importance of fundamental lessons in education, especially working with elementary students.
“I feel like if they don’t know all of these lessons when teaching, then that can really mess up their future,” said sixth-grade student RaeLyn Holman. “If they don’t know all of these lessons, like how to greet a teacher and how to greet someone respectfully, when they get older, they’ll greet their bosses disrespectfully and inappropriately, maybe,” added sixth grader Carissa LaFountain.
Both RaeLyn and Carissa say they want to become teachers because they have parents who are teachers. That works out well for TPS because their parents teach in the district.
It’s always impressive when some of the district’s youngest minds show interest in a career in education. In a significant development last year, TPS secured funding to enhance opportunities for students to delve into educational professions. A grant of $15,000 from the Michigan Department of Education was awarded to the district. This funding supports the Future Proud Michigan Educator EXPLORE program, which seeks to inspire students in grades 6-12 to engage in their communities as aspiring educators actively.
As the program flourishes with support from various quarters, it’s important to highlight the collaborative efforts of key figures within the district who help make this happen.
“I’m just really proud to be a part of this organization and super appreciative of our curriculum director, Meghan Way, for supporting us and helping us with grants,” said Ms. Gentry. “My fellow club coordinator Jenny Spohn over at the high school and Mary Tommelein, our board member, has also been a champion for us.”
With each visit to the elementary classrooms, these young educators-in-training gain valuable experience and ignite a passion for teaching within themselves and the students they interact with.
