What can schools do now to support rising educators as they prepare for their careers? We asked our Educators Rising student leaders for their thoughts.
Keiren Minter
Listen to students
One thing I can say about my school is that when they see a student doing great things, they let them know that they are immensely proud. The past month has not been great for my school. Our superintendent was forced to resign by the school board, and this superintendent is one of the reasons I kept participating in Educators Rising. He approved my school’s starting its own Educators Rising chapter, and he was very invested in the class. He’s the first superintendent who gave our district hope. As a student, I can say that he has done more for the students of my district than some teachers were willing to do. Teachers and students made sure to voice their opinions to the school board, but we were ignored. As I prepare for my education career, I would like my school district to actually listen to students’ voices. Listen to not just me, but all the other students who have expressed their opinions to a school board that didn’t listen.
Keiren Minter
12th grade, Watson Chapel High School
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Opportunities and options
Torrey McClain
I have felt very supported by my community, especially when it comes to me wanting to pursue a job in education. The one suggestion I have to help aspiring educators is to create a teaching exchange program or allow certain opportunities and scholarships to be used out of state. That way, rising educators won’t feel so tied down to their home state and are more likely to have a positive early teaching experience.
Torrey McClain
12th grade, Palmer High School
Palmer, Alaska
Regular check-ins
Mary Kathryn Gebhart
Do monthly check-ins with students. Make sure that students are on top of what they need to do. It could be like academic advisers in college, but available in high school. It would help students stay on top and create a path for them in the future.
Mary Kathryn Gebhart
Freshman, Capital University
Columbus, Ohio
Just be there
Katelen BreAnn Bennett
Starting a career in education can be quite difficult. However, with help from your school, it doesn’t have to be. I would like for my school to help support me by giving me the opportunities and the materials to help me gain the knowledge I need before I step foot in my classroom. It also would help to just know that my school is there for me and that it will help guide me in the right direction.
Katelen BreAnn Bennett
11th grade, Converse High School
Converse, Louisiana
This article appears in the September 2022 issue of Kappan, Vol. 104, No. 1, p. 68.
