For more than 20 years, Rexann Dubiel has introduced the world and its many cultures and people to her third-grade students at Sunset Beach Elementary in Hawaii’s North Shore of Oahu.

Inspiring them to use their imaginations, Dubiel’s students travel with her around the planet using a global learning curriculum she designed where her students begin their classroom adventure in Outer Space, land on Planet Earth, and journey from continent to continent during the school year.

Their worldwide adventure has her students constantly making connections, comparisons and contrasting their lifestyles with others while also having fun learning.

“I want to make them citizens of the world, respecting others’ differences and similarities, and, most importantly, inspiring humanitarianism,” she says.

In 2007, Dubiel created Rex the Surf Dog, who has since traveled the world and helped students learn…

Continue reading Rexann Dubiel’s inspirational story, and leave a comment on her profile!

Chester Upland School District in Pennsylvania has long had financial troubles. The majority of students there come from families living at or below the poverty level. More than 70 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, which is more than double the state average.

In January, things went from bad to worse. Pennsylvania’s Governor Tom Corbett cut $860 million in state funding, which meant a 14.4% drop in funds for Chester Upland. Cuts like these disproportionately hurt school districts that are already financially distressed. On top of that, state funding was cut most dramatically in the districts that needed it most.

It was then that Sara Ferguson and others learned that the school district did not have enough money to make payroll. The 204 teachers and 64 support staff in Chester Upland were told they might not receive their paychecks.

Their union brought them together, though, to do what is best for their students…

Please read Sara Ferguson’s inspirational story, and leave a comment on her profile!

Diana Cantu is an ELL specialist who has been teaching for sixteen years. She is currently teaching second grade, her favorite thus far. “They’re not quite grown up,” she says. “They still love you and hug you!”

Cantu knew that she wanted to be a teacher when she was in second grade, but she describes it as a pipe dream. She grew up in a farming community where children didn’t often pursue advanced studies. “Because of affirmative action, though, I was able to get into college,” she says. After years of study, her dream came true.

Cantu gravitates to students who are underdogs or possibly not fully understood by their teachers. She recalls working with a little boy who was considered a “problem child.” The school transferred him right when she had a breakthrough with him and said she “was sad to see him go when the other teachers were celebrating. I identified with him.”

Please read Diana Cantu’s inspirational story, and leave a comment on her profile!

As band director at Molasky Junior High School, Patrick Collins knows firsthand about the benefits that art and music have on students lives.

“I had several kids who were having behavioral problems in other classes,” says Collins, who proudly hails from a family of teachers. “But everyone in the band has to perform at a high caliber at all times or else the band fails. I hold this as the standard and there is no leeway. There’s only success. When they are held to that, they meet it.”

Unfortunately, too many art and music programs are disappearing across the country due to budget constraints. At Molasky, Collins finds himself spending several thousand dollars a year out of pocket to help students purchase everything from maintenance kits and sheet music to reeds, valve oil, and music books.

Please read Patrick Collins’ inspirational story, and leave a comment on his profile!

Nevada educators have been recognized as Classroom Superheroes, and their personal stories have garnered the attention of the community and local press.

Clark County Education Association President Ruben Murillo says 70 teachers and education support professionals have been featured on ClassroomSuperheroes.com because they go the extra mile.

He told Fox News:

“Classroom Superheroes looks to recognize teachers in the classroom who are doing an outstanding job, who are doing things beyond the norm – who are making an impact on the lives of children.”

The educators have been recognized as part of
NEA’s American Education Week.

You can view all of the Nevada superheroes here.

Take a look at featured superhero Judith Henry Huber, for example, and be sure to leave a comment of support!

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and we are honoring Classroom Superheroes who are taking a stand against bullying in their schools.

Our first featured superhero is Vincent Pompei, who shares his own experiences with bullying and why he is now a school counselor. Please read Vincent’s inspirational story, and leave a comment on his profile.

If you’re a Classroom Superhero, please be sure to add the “Takes Action to Stop Bullying” badge to your profile. And don’t forget to sign NEA’s Bully Free pledge.

Stephanie Walter was laid off from her position at Jefferson County Joint Vocational School in Amsterdam, Ohio. She had taught English for 17 years.

Walter was earning about 70 percent of her family’s income. Now she is substitute teaching and earning about one quarter of her previous salary. She is also teaching at a community college, and her husband works construction, but they worry that it’s not enough to raise their two children.

Her story is an example of what many educators and parents around the country are facing, and because of that it attracted the attention of the White House and NBC Nightly News.

Watch her segment, below, and then head over to her Classroom Superheroes profile and leave her a comment of support!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Shelly Moore of Wisconsin is a National Board Certified Teacher with thirteen years of teaching experience in the same school district, and the student-selected December teacher of the month for Ellsworth Community High School.

Moore has long been an advocate for great public schools and for her students (check out this article on Education Votes, “Wisconsin Teacher Urges Congress: Stand Up for Education Funding”). And with Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s attacks on collective bargaining, she and thousands of her colleagues have been protesting to make sure teachers have a voice in their jobs and in their schools.

As Moore says:

“This isn’t about me. It’s about crowded classrooms, missed opportunities, and young minds eager to learn who will most definitely fall behind. What costs more, paying to educate our children, or not? Education must be a priority. Our future depends on it.”

Visit Shelly Moore’s Classroom Superheroes profile, and leave a comment supporting her!

We’re thrilled that ClassroomSuperheroes.com was recently featured on Boing Boing! If you’re not familiar with the fantastic site, Boing Boing is consistently ranked one of the top five blogs in the world.

Boing Boing’s Cory Doctorow writes:

“Classroom Superheroes allows you to nominate the teachers you love for recognition; having been raised by teachers, I have a keen appreciation for how much overtime and personal money teachers pour into their classrooms, but with the current climate of cutbacks, teachers are being asked to do even more, for more kids, with less.”

Thanks so much to Cory Doctorow for informing countless people about this project. It’s wonderful to see a flood of new superhero profiles after being featured on Boing Boing. Please check them out and leave a comment of support.

We’re excited to launch ClassroomSuperheroes.com, a new site that allows parents, students, and community members to show educators the support they deserve.

If you haven’t already, please check out the introductory video on the homepage. Then nominate your classroom superheroes (or, if you are an educator, go ahead and register). Once your superheroes have created their profiles, please leave comments, post videos, and share with your friends through Facebook.

Thanks for visiting, and please check back here for the latest news about how you can support your Classroom Superheroes!