Mid Michigan : Features

A simple question holds big answers in education these days: why are teachers working to incorporate technology into lesson plans?

It takes an army. Intermediate school district administrators, educators and parents all play a role in order to provide students with disabilities the education they deserve and a chance to lead self-determined, independent lives.

Every parent wants their child to feel a sense of belonging and achievement within his or her community. Dr. Scott Koenigsknecht, superintendent of Ingham Intermediate School District, is no different. When one of his five children was diagnosed with autism, he did not want this dream to be hindered. Dr. Koenigsknecht and his wife, Jennifer, established the Central Michigan chapter of No More Sidelines.

In Mid-Michigan, teachers are learning how -- and why -- to infuse the arts into students’ everyday experiences, thanks to a partnership between Ingham Intermediate School District and the MSU Federal Credit Union Institute for Arts & Creativity at Wharton Center for the Performing Arts.

The first few weeks of school are here and gone. Many students have used the time as an adjustment period -- meeting teachers, memorizing schedules and recapping material to prepare for an entire new year of learning. That wasn’t the case for Keep Learning Week student participants.

Cadillac High School teacher, Janet Neyer, has a poster in her classroom that reads, “It’s exciting when you’ve written something you know is good.” Since participating in the Chippewa River Writing Project, she has felt that excitement every day in her classroom. The CRWP is an affiliate of the National Writing Project, an organization with a network of sites anchored at colleges and universities, serving teachers across disciplines and at all levels.

School is out for summer -- pool parties, beach days and some much needed rest and relaxation are on the agenda for students, teachers and staff alike. Just as teachers shut the door on their classrooms, students often shut the door on learning. Once the initial summer excitement settles, the dangerous summer slide begins to set in.    

Chopping, prepping, baking and cooking are the tasks on the lesson plan at the Capital Area Career Center (CACC) in Lansing. The culinary arts and hospitality program breaks away from the traditional high school curriculum. You may be hungry after reading this one -- InspirED chatted with instructor Chef Corbett Day and student Kelsey Parsons of the culinary arts program for this delicious dual interview.   

If you enjoy watching the hit CNBC hit show Shark Tank, you would have enjoyed the 5 Minutes Tops event at Lansing Community College on Wednesday, March 4.

Michigan has amazing industrial and business resources. Public schools have a real opportunity to bridge the gap between the skill demands of our businesses and labor force and the students who are graduating from our high schools. For Michigan to be strong, we need qualified, independent, skilled and prepared young people entering our workforce. It is the community's responsibility to work together to make this transition seamless and strong. 

As a young high school student, deciding on a career or preparing for college may seem far off. But for some students, it makes for the perfect opportunity to explore various fields, industries and post-graduation opportunities -- all before tossing their graduation caps.

These days, biking and walking to school may seem to be a tradition of past generations. InspirED recently chatted with Katie Johnson, the Safe Routes to School program coordinator at the Michigan Fitness Foundation, to find out what's being done to encourage healthy -- and green -- ways to get to school.

Education can take place anywhere. Students in Genesee County are learning their core content while also learning more about their own communities through an innovative, place-based sustainability education initiative.

Rachel Larimore brings InspirED Michigan readers her first-hand account of starting a nature-based preschool, and beyond.

For several years, the term “STEM” -- an acronym for “science, technology, engineering and math” -- has echoed through business and education alike. The Great Lakes Bay Region is positioning itself to compete in this arena, with business and education partnering to build the workforce for these jobs of the future.