Shirley Brezzell didn’t plan to become a teacher. But after a stint as a banker and home-schooling her children, she dived into the profession. 

Now, Brezzell is being honored by a state organization for her work teaching science at Detroit’s Mackenzie Elementary-Middle School. One of her most interesting accomplishments is getting students to engage in a garden to learn healthy eating habits. 

She is retiring in the fall, at a moment when thousands of Michigan teachers are leaving the profession, and the state is struggling to replace them. So, we wanted to speak with the science and social studies teacher about what she’s learned as a teacher, and the advice she has for new educators and parents.

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Most everyone wants students to have good teachers. But how do we adequately prepare educators, and keep them in the profession?

That’s a pressing question as teacher retention drops in Michigan. And it’s the most pressing in school districts with more poverty. 

Ten years ago, only a handful of Michigan school districts reported permanent teaching vacancies. Today, that number has exploded: more than 150 districts now have jobs they can’t fill.

Some in the state are trying to fix this. 

Jack Elsey leads the Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative. His nonprofit is launching a collaboration with some public universities in the state to change the way teachers are trained, and to keep them in the field. He spoke with Robyn Vincent.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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