Future PME EXPLORE: Identifying Course Instructors

As a continuation of Michigan’s efforts to grow and diversify the educator workforce and reduce educator shortages, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) launched the Future Proud Michigan Educator (Future PME) initiative for school districts to develop programs for students who may be interested in the teaching profession.  This initiative is a subset of the broader Proud Michigan Educator (PME) campaign that focuses on recognizing and honoring our current Michigan educators. The newest pathway, referred to as “EXPLORE,” provides an expanded opportunity for students in grades 6-12 to explore education professions.  This document serves as a resource for instructors and administrators who will be integral in preparing a course offering.

Identifying a Course Instructor

Selecting and supporting exceptional teachers to coordinate and teach this course is essential to its success. While MDE will provide many resources for staff, the first step toward a successful course will include identifying an instructor.  In order to identify the best fit, consider a teacher who is able to do the following:

1. Demonstrate and build enthusiasm and reverence for the teaching profession
2. Build inclusive and collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, and leaders
3. Communicate value for teacher preparation as well as sustained professional growth
4. Convey a passion for and commitment to being a role model for future teachers
5. Effectively demonstrate exemplary teaching practices, including culturally responsive and asset-based teaching methods aligned with efforts to eliminate the opportunity gap in education
6. Demonstrate appropriate and current knowledge about a career in education and related educational careers (e.g.: school counselor, speech therapist, school psychologist)
7. Attract students traditionally under-represented in the teaching profession
8. Identify relevant leadership opportunities aligned with educational careers that extend beyond classroom learning
9. Provide ongoing and actionable feedback and set goals collaboratively with students
10. Provide knowledge of and access to materials that would support student’s transition to a college program
11. Implement classroom strategies and wrap-around services that meet the needs of diverse students
12. Ensure a positive learning experience for students, including supporting students in successfully completing the course and the clinical placement

Recruiting Students

The identified course instructor will likely be a strong recruitment tool.  Consider ways that this teacher can interact with current students, rising students and school counselors to gain student interest.  Help this teacher to identify existing events and networks to leverage.  For example:  curriculum fairs, student leadership events, mentoring programs, community service organizations, PTA meetings, or athletic teams and performing arts clubs.  Encourage the Future Proud Michigan Educator EXPLORE implementation team to talk about the course with the staff, students, and parents that they interact with regularly.  

For more information or support, please contact MDE-PME@michigan.gov.

Future Proud Michigan Educators by MDE-OEE is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.