Is the Next Great Teacher Already in Your School?
Grow Your Own Initiatives in Minnesota
– by Lauren Slagter
In many cases, future teachers are already in schools–whether as high school students weighing career options, staff who want to build on existing relationships with students and professionalize their teaching role, or parent volunteers ready for a career change. Often these potential teachers simply need encouragement to see themselves as possessing the creativity, problem-solving abilities, and relationship-building skills needed to teach.
At one school, a family liaison was planning to leave her role, when the principal asked if she would be interested in teaching and invited her to spend more time in the classroom. That conversation opened her eyes to the possibilities that teaching presented–an option she had never considered before. Now, she is seeking an elementary education teaching license.
Grow Your Own initiatives recruit and train future teachers from people already connected with the school community. For example, Educators Rising is a career and technical student organization with chapters in all 50 states that helps high school students cultivate the skills they need to be successful educators. At Northwest Suburban Integration School District in Brooklyn Park, students in Educators Rising:
Tutor for Younger Students
Attend College Tours with Information on Education Programs
Plan and Facilitate a Community Involvement Project
Participate in a One-Day Job Shadow Experience
Participate in a Year-End Leadership Conference
Learn more about Grow Your Own initiatives here, and learn more about resources for students and adults interested in becoming teachers at www.elevateteaching.us. Email Yes@ElevateTeaching.US to see how you can get involved in the Elevate Teaching movement to celebrate teachers and change the narrative about the profession.
