As the 2014 Michigan Teacher of the Year, it has been an awesome opportunity thus far to serve the state of Michigan, my school and district, and all the educators and students around the state. I have had the opportunity to travel around the state to visit schools, learn together with other educators, and meet with policymakers to support student […]

Educators provide insight on teacher evaluation to members of the Michigan House Education Committee Gary Abud, Jr. is the 2013-14 Michigan Teacher of the Year Teacher evaluation is a topic that has received a lot of attention in 2013. Earlier this year, the Michigan Council for Educator Effectiveness (MCEE) offered their recommendations and findings in a commissioned project on teacher […]

Major issues facing public education range from the policy level to classroom practice. Achievement disparities, graduation rates, poverty, standardized education reform, changes in public school funding, online education, teacher evaluations, equal access to quality schools, teacher quality and retention all impact the profession. Of these issues, teacher retention most impacts public education, because teachers are the greatest in-school influence on […]

There has been a growing demand over the past decade for accountability in public education. Policy makers, students, families, and taxpayers all want teachers to be “held accountable.” Conventional accountability in teaching is based on student achievement on standardized tests and graduation rates. A current bill, HB 4625, is being considered in the Michigan House of Representatives and proposes that […]

Michigan Republicans are starting look desperate and obsessed and controlled by the Mackinac Center It’s no secret that Michigan Republicans are hellbent on destroying unions. Teachers unions seem to be their prime targets, likely because teachers are particularly vulnerable because they are focused on educating our kids, not on political action and activism. When Republicans rammed right to work (for […]

Michigan teachers are among the finest in the nation, but the media attention given to public education recently has been far from flattering. The public does not view our teachers in a positive light. From Proposal 2 last fall to failing school districts and emergency managers, it is easy for people to believe that teachers are not living up to […]

Who better to discuss education issues than the Teacher of the Year?! I am honored and exceedingly pleased to announce Eclectablog’s newest contributor, Michigan 2013-2014 Teacher of the Year Gary Abud, Jr. I normally introduce new contributors with an interview but Gary and I have already done an extensive interview (which you can read HERE.) Gary and I first connected […]

The Republicans’ goal is to “try to find a way to educate students on the cheap” Photo credit: Anne C. Savage, special to Eclectablog Michigan Republicans have made their education “reform” plan quite clear: slash funding to traditional public schools, privatize schools to for-profit corporations, and knee-cap teachers to prevent them from collectively bargain for decent wages and benefits. This […]

They keep our country going strong. But many don’t earn nearly enough. The least we can do is show our appreciation. While many of us are enjoying a last blast of summer at barbecues, parades or festivals, others will be working on Labor Day. Firefighters, police officers and nurses will be on duty. Teachers will be preparing lesson plans for […]

They’re being attacked from ALL sides This story is truly outrageous. Pontiac teachers have filed a lawsuit against the Pontiac school district for collecting money from their paychecks for health insurance coverage and then using the money to make their bottom line look better to the state of Michigan rather than paying premiums. As a result, the teachers’ health coverage […]

Caring teachers shouldn’t be treated this way

The following is a guest post from Carina Hilbert who blogs at the blog The Grumpy Language Teacher blog.

In this piece, Carina describes the closing of her school where she was doing what she was called to do: educating our students. As you read it, it is very clear that this is an educator who puts her students above all else. More importantly, you see a school system where progress was truly being made. Despite this, her high school in Albion is being closed due to budget constraints.

It’s a sad testament to our lack of investing in our public schools that dedicated teachers like Carina Hilbert are seen as “unaffordable”. I look forward to the day when Michigan teachers are seen as the valuable assets they are, not as “expenses” to be trimmed because our state government isn’t willing to make the necessary investments in public education.

Read her essay after the jump.