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Inside the Grow Your Own teacher program at Phoenixville Area High School
The national 'Grow Your Own' teacher program is inspiring the next generation of teachers as its goal is to increase diversity and address teacher shortages. FOX 29’s Jennifer Lee shows us what this program is all about at Phoenixville Area High School.
PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. - "Educators Rising" is a new class at Phoenixville Area High School this year. The 17 students enrolled in the class all share a common interest: potentially pursuing a career in teaching and education.
"In the future I want to be a kindergarten teacher," said student Chloe Myers. "So far we’ve learned about a bunch of different topics like bias, equity and like what being a teacher means."
"I like grew up helping in the classroom, grading papers, so it’s always been part of my life," said student Courtney Clineff, whose family members are teachers. "It’s worth it, like what you’re doing has such an impact on the kids that you work with, so that’s why I’m doing it."
According to the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), Educators Rising is a "Grow Your Own" program designed to inspire and prepare the next generation of educators in PA.
"By reaching high school students in diverse communities, we also believe this program will help increase diversity in Pennsylvania’s educator workforce," said PSEA spokesperson Chris Lilienthal. "The important thing with Educators Rising is to find those students who are interested in becoming teachers and connect them to current teachers who can mentor them. That mentorship continues even after the student graduates high school and heads off to college to pursue their degrees."
Brittney Ehrenzeller is the Educators Rising Chapter Teachers Leader at Phoenixville Area High School. She started the program as a club last school year with grew from just four members to now 40 members.
She said in addition to classroom learning, students will also have the chance to observe lessons at all different levels, from early learning to college, tutor middle school students and pair up with a teacher mentor in the final marking period to get hands-on experience through student teaching.
"I think there’s a couple kids in the class too that have mentioned Miss E. what if I come back and I’m your colleague – I was like that would be so cool we could be teacher besties," said Brittney Ehrenzeller. "I’m very passionate. I love my job and I want that for the next generation of teachers too."
There has been a steep decline in the number of people pursuing teaching as a career. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, between 2012-13 and 2022-23 there was a 66 percent decline in the number of Instructional I certificates issued to new teachers graduating from PA colleges and universities (the numbers went from 16,614 to 5,517).
This school year, PSEA is partnering with 35 schools where they are working with teacher leaders to launch the Educators Rising program.
The National Education Association is providing a $750-thousand grant to further expand the program in PA over the next three years.
Ehrenzeller said community members who are interested in showing their support to Phoenixville students pursuing a career in education can consider making a financial contribution here.