OEA volunteer reflects on her night of going door-to-door on Halloween For those of us who routinely spend Halloween on the road campaigning for one issue or another, the canvass can seem monotonous. You knock on door after door, delivering the same message over and over again. If you’re lucky, you’re a part of a [...] Continue reading → In tough economic times, fine arts education courses are among the first on the chopping block. For some of my at-risk students, the arts sometimes are the sole reason they come to school. My students like music and they love art. The arts are integral to learning; you can infuse the arts into the curriculum [...] Continue reading → I have never wanted to be anything but a teacher. My childhood stuffed animals were regularly lined up, waiting to hear a story or learn about words or numbers. Teaching dance and music lessons in high school helped to pay for college where my dream would come true and I would become a music teacher. [...] Continue reading → For three decades, I worked in public education—dedicated to making a difference in the lives of my students. As a 30-year classroom veteran, I know what it takes to help our children achieve and succeed. I also know that if Issue 2 is approved this November, it will have a negative impact on public schools—and [...] Continue reading → Born and raised in Dayton, I became a teacher after working two years in the business world, feeling like my work didn’t make a difference. I entered the teaching professional to contribute to my community and inspire children—just as my teachers had done for me. Like most teachers, I have educators in my family. This [...] Continue reading → Everyone knows teachers don’t choose their profession for the money—I sure didn’t. I am, like so many other teachers, just passionate about teaching. So, when teachers like me sound the alarm about budget cuts, it’s because we are on the front lines, and we see the real-world effects that decisions by far-away policymakers have on [...] Continue reading → Halfway through my career as an engineer, I decided I needed to do something with a higher purpose, so I became a physics teacher. For the past decade, I have been making a difference in the lives of my students by being a good, innovative teacher. In addition to my bachelor’s degree and State of [...] Continue reading → For more than 30 years, I have been teaching students with disabilities in an urban school district. Teaching kindergarten, in a tough school—to students with disabilities—is a difficult job, but I love it. The growth I witness in my students with disabilities, including developmental delays, autism, and traumatic brain injury, are worth all my efforts [...] Continue reading → People always ask me why I chose to be a teacher. I decided on this profession because I wanted to inspire students and prove to them that they can learn, despite their difficulties—just like I did. I became a teacher to show my students that quality education is the one thing that no one will [...] Continue reading → For more than 20 years, I have been teaching chemistry and promoting science education to a generation of young minds. I did not come into the world of public education expecting to get rich. In fact, I left a lucrative scientific research job in the private sector industry to enter the teaching profession. I wanted [...] Continue reading →