'You're not their friend': How to lead a classroom according to a teacher on the cusp of retirement

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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