Charles Honey: Hello everyone and welcome to Study Hall from School News Network your window into the public schools of Kent County, Michigan. Special welcome to the listeners of WGVU. We're very happy to have you on board with our monthly podcast about the people and issues of K-12 education in West Michigan.
Today we're talking about the need for new teachers at a time when teachers are in short supply at many school districts nationwide. Here in West Michigan a multi-county initiative is working to reverse that trend.
The West Michigan Teacher Collaborative is a partnership between Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon ISDs and Grand Valley State University. It was launched in 2023 with a $19 million state grant that helps districts grow their own teachers. The collaborative helps aspiring teachers earn bachelor's degrees in teaching certificates and get full-time jobs in one of area schools. It also helps current teachers earn graduate degrees or advanced endorsements in areas like reading and special education.
We're here with two area educators who are in the process of becoming certified teachers thanks to the collaborative, Susie Dennis and Angie Drake. Susie and Angie, please share where you're teaching and why you've decided to participate in the collaborative, Susie.
Susie Dennis: I am currently working at Stony Creek Elementary, which is part of Comstock Park Community Schools. I am a building sub right now, teaching PK 2nd grade.And I joined this collaborative because I knew that it was something I enjoyed. I knew it was something that I loved, but there were so many barriers in place that prevented me from going back to school and obtaining this. West Michigan Teacher Collaborative took those barriers away from me. Whether it was the money barrier or not knowing how to do it barrier or even just the self-confidence barrier. They took all of that away. They built me up. They supported me 100 % and it's definitely been life-changing.
Charles Honey: Wow. Angie, where are you teaching? What are you teaching?
Angie Drake: I teach at Union High School in special education, 9th through 12th cognitive impaired students. I am part of the West Michigan Teacher Collaborative because they are here to support me and help me become the best teacher I can be. And I feel so supported. I've been at Grand Rapids Public School for 19 years. And I've seen the lack of special education teachers, especially in the last five to eight years. And I wanted to fill that gap. And I was trying to do that on my own until West Michigan Teacher Collaborative and Grand Valley met up and I became part of their program. And now I feel like much more supportive that I can be successful and get certified in cognitive impairment.
Charles Honey: You're an occupational therapist, correct?
Angie Drake: Yeah. So, I've been an occupational therapy assistant for past 19 years, working with students with cognitive impairment and autism.
Charles Honey: And Susie, you've been involved in various ways at Comstock Park.
Susie Dennis: All kinds. I've done it all. Name a job and I've probably done it.
Charles Honey: Reading specialist?
Susie Dennis: Reading intervention was my favorite. That's what I've been doing for the last few years. And that's what I think really drove me to and gave me the passion for education.
Charles Honey: Yeah. So, through the collaborative, you were able to…each go through complete bachelor's programs at Grand Valley State. Correct?
Susie Dennis: Yes.
Charles Honey: And Angie, you're still working on special ed certification, a little longer process, right?
Angie Drake: Yeah. So, the special education certification, either if it's autism, cognitive impairment or learning disability, will take two full years to complete. The elementary is one year and secondary is one year, but special education is two years.
Charles Honey: Okay. And Susie, you're hoping to be certified by the end of this school year, correct?
Susie Dennis: Yes.
Charles Honey: Now you're both student teachers technically, correct? And tell us about the financial advantage of being in this program.
Susie Dennis: I think the biggest piece is, you know, the classes and the supplies and everything you need for those classes is taken care of by West Michigan Teacher Collaborative and the grant that they received, as well as we are able to work. Get those hours of student teaching. So, you're basically doing your student teaching and getting paid to do it, which is a huge benefit because again, most of us are, you we have families, have, you know, things going on that you can't just take a year off to do this. And the other piece is the stipend that West Michigan Teacher Collaborative gives you to help offset those costs of maybe taking a pay, you know, cut or like the summer. I don't know how anybody could really work a whole lot with our schedule that we had.
Charles Honey: Tell us about your schedule this summer, Angie.
Angie Drake: So, this summer we did a two-week summer institute where we had to meet every day from 8am to 4pm and did some professional learning, some collaboration, working in groups. And then right after that we got into our three accelerated teaching classes, which were social studies, science and math. And we met in person with science and math two times a week for four hours each. And each class really like Susie has said before was 20 hours a week. So, you're putting in 100 hours a week. I was also taking a special education class on top of that. So, we were doing work the moment you woke up. It was like having two full-time jobs.
Charles Honey: No kidding. And this is all at Grand Valley you're these classes.
Susie Dennis: Yep, downtown.
Charles Honey: So, it sounds like a lot of work, but it's well worth it to you. Why would you say...what would you say are the biggest reasons that this has been helpful to you in becoming certified and full-time teachers?
Susie Dennis: I think the community that you're building is going to be one of your biggest pieces. And honestly, I think that the intensity of the program. You know, it is intense, and it is hard work, but I think that it's just better preparing us for the challenges that we're going to face in education every day. You know, knowing that you can tackle all these classes and get through all this really gives you a boost of confidence going into your classroom.
Angie Drake: I have no doubt that we will be successful. You know, sometimes you're like, you're a little like, will I be successful? Can I do it? But in this program, I have no doubt that everyone in the program is going to become great certified teachers.
Susie Dennis: I agree.
Charles Honey: It gives you the confidence to know you can handle this.
Susie Dennis: Yeah, we can see that end goal.
Charles Honey: Yeah, nice. Well, I'm glad that you're happy with your choice to join the collaborative. I know they're taking more applicants this fall, and this program is doing a lot to help get teachers into the pipeline that are so badly needed in schools in West Michigan and nationwide. Thanks for meeting with me.
Susie Dennis: Thank you for having us.
Angie Drake: Thank you so much.
Charles Honey: And thanks so much to our listeners for coming to Study Hall today. If you'd like to hear the full version of our conversation, you can find it on our website, schoolnewsnetwork.org or wherever you get your podcasts. So, see you next time and don't forget your pencils.
For more on this innovative approach to addressing the teacher shortage, go to Schoolnewsnetwork.org and click on “podcasts.”