School Bulletin: Training the next generation of teachers

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- At Greendale High School, the next generation of teachers is already preparing lesson plans. It’s part of Educators Rising, a national organization giving students the chance to see what it’s really like on the other side of the desk. 

“This gives them both opportunities to both hear from teachers about what it’s like, why they teach, and it also gives them experiences,” Courtney Ehlert, a science teacher and faculty advisor for Educators Rising, says. “We work a lot with elementary and middle schools. Students can either observe in a classroom or teach a miniature lesson.” 

Greendale’s Educators Rising chapter started in 2018, and a unique offering guarantees alumni the chance to interview with the district once they’ve become certified to teach. It’s called a “Pledge to Prosper,” and Keira Brimmer is looking forward to her turn. 

“I am extremely excited to not only receive the Pledge of Prosper and attend the ceremony, but also to actually teach,” Keira Brimmer, a junior at Greendale and the president of the Educators Rising chapter, says. “I would love to come back, and the idea of an interview here is exciting.” 

Brimmer has been involved with Educators Rising since entering high school, and she says she already knows she wants to teach middle schoolers either French or health. 

“I’m able to try teaching without having to go to college first,” Brimmer says. “It’s a low-risk environment to try the things I imagined I wanted to do. It’s already making me more skilled.” 

Andrew Gabriel also joined Educators Rising as a freshman. Now as a junior, Gabriel says he’s considering a career as a medical professor, specializing in the ear, nose and throat. 

“I was really ill as a child, and after really bad medical care, I wanted to make a difference in that realm,” Gabriel says. 

As vice president of Educators Rising, Gabriel says the club has given him a broader outlook on teaching. He says meeting with school officials and learning more about how the district operates has been beneficial. 

“It's hopeful that we can encourage them to take on the responsibility of being an educator,” Ehlert says. “We're always going to need teachers so we want to make sure we encourage [students] who are going to do great things.” 

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