I have always wanted to be a teacher. My favorite subject is science and I love to teach “hands-on”. And the sight of a student’s face light up when they have an “Ah-Ha” moment gives me a thrill. Curriculum development has always been my forte. So I like my students to learn science as they experience world geography and cultures. They also learn Latin and Greek roots, suffixes, and prefixes.

A number of years ago, the United States was going to experience a solar eclipse. Every school around had ordered the solar goggles for their students. Then came the news that some companies had made goggles using inferior materials. Instead of sending our goggles back for a refund, the principal let me design a lab procedure to test them. With help from teachers in my 8th grade team and our students, we proved that the goggles were good. Our students observed the eclipse with awe.

I teach in a rural county that serves many low-income families. West Virginia teacher pay is low. On top of that, the district I teach for has little to no money to purchase lab supplies. So I pay for it out of my pocket. I don’t mind because the kids learn more by doing. To be candid, I believe the money would be best spent on the kids. It would also be nice to share with fellow teachers buying supplies for activities. The funds could also help my students go on field trips.