CECI partnership developing next class of PK-12 teachers

A partnership among Grand Valley’s College of Education and Community Innovation and West Michigan school districts is shaping the next class of PK-12 teachers.

The first cohort of more than 50 residents in the West Michigan Teacher Collaborative (WMTC) — an alliance between Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa intermediate school districts — began an eight-day summer institute of workshops on July 22 at the Eberhard Center.

“Over the next eight days, we're hoping that this group of teachers bond and see each other as a support network as they enter the field,” said Laura Castle, executive director of the WMTC and director of teacher development for Kent Intermediate School District. 

“The second goal is to expose them to really high-quality teacher preparation, which is a mix of introducing content, modeling and creating simulations for them, so that they get an opportunity to be immersed in good teaching and practice good teaching.” 

This week’s cohort includes school professionals and support staff who have attained at least a bachelor’s degree and are looking to obtain a teaching certificate at either the elementary or secondary level. 

Residents began their coursework and training in May and will continue the journey over the next nine months. 

The WMTC also offers a pathway for adult learners pursuing bachelor’s degrees through GVSU’s LEADS program on their way to becoming a teacher, or current educators seeking additional credentials through advanced degrees via GVSU coursework.

“It’s been such a great collaboration with WMTC,” said Amy Schelling, associate dean at CECI. “It’s been great that regional district partners put their trust in us to build this with them and be the provider of the initial teacher certification. That speaks to our relationship with regional district partners and to our faculty and staff and their relationships with PK-12 partners.”

Funding for the collaborative was provided through the Michigan Department of Education’s Grow Your Own (GYO) Programs , encouraging school districts to develop their school support staff as teachers or encourage current teachers to earn additional certifications. Tuition, fees and stipends for residents in the program are covered by the WMTC with many eligible participants receiving stipends up to $20,000. 

“The overwhelming response, not just from the candidates, but from the districts has been one of gratitude,” said Adrianna Lynn, director of the GYO Graduate Teacher Certification program at GVSU. 

“Universities need to be doing this work and our region has really needed something that works for us in this way. It's been this overwhelming sense of gratitude and also innovation. We get to be part of something that's never been done.”

Castle said response to the WMTC has been enormous with more than 600 applicants across the three programs. 

“This myth that nobody wants to teach anymore is not entirely true,” Castle said. “There are a lot of people who want to be teachers, but they want to be able to afford to do it, and they want the support and training to make them successful.”