Currently, there aren’t enough qualified teachers to fill the need in Michigan schools. One way to quickly get aspiring teachers into classrooms is something called “alternative certification.” These training programs don’t require any in-classroom teaching. But is this the answer?
“The main reason why teachers are leaving their schools is not the rigors of the job. It's not the pay. It’s not the evaluations…what’s really at line here is the cost to our mental health,” says Matinga Ragatz, who was Michigan's Teacher of the Year in 2011.
Ragatz was inducted into the National Teacher Hall of Fame in 2017. She joined Stateside once again today to discuss the causes of Michigan’s teacher shortage.
Listen above to hear Ragatz explain differing opinions on short track teachers, why this problem affects minority children at disproportionate rates, and how the nature of the profession is changing.
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