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Storytelling as an organizing tool. Plus, Sandy Smith Fischer for STRS.

/ 30:31/S4:E17
Our brains crave powerful narratives. Stories help us interpret new information and shape our understanding of the world. They can also motivate us into action. That's what makes storytelling such a powerful tool for organizing within a union. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Cordi and Katie Fuller continue to share their insights and their own stories to explain. Plus, we hear from the OEA endorsed STRS candidate Sandy Smith Fischer, who shares her story about what led her to run to represent active teachers on the State Teachers Retirment System board and how those experiences will shape her work, if elected.

STRS VOTING DEADLINE: May 6, 2024, by 4:30 p.m. | If you are an active teacher who did not receive a ballot in the mail, or if you've lost your ballot, contact the Election Services help desk at STRSOHHelp@electionservicescorp.com or 866-276-1506.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE OEA ENDORSED STRS CANDIDATE | Click here for more information on why Sandy Smith Fischer is running to represent active teachers on the State Teachers Retirment Board and her priorities to best serve the state's teachers in that position. 


Featured Public Education Matters guests: 
  • Katie Fuller, Huber Heights Education Association member
    • Ms. Katie Fuller is a 5th Social Studies Teacher at Rushmore Elementary School in the Huber Heights City Schools District. Prior to this position, she had 7 years as a Positive Behavior Expert (PSC) Coach and Educational Consultant for grades K - 12 in the Dayton Public Schools District. In PBIS, her professional focus was education reform, the scaling up of evidence-based practices, cultural proficiency and organizational systems change.
    • Ms. Fuller is from Dayton, Ohio and has four children and a dog named Hafe’.  She is in-tune with the community, performing organizing work as one of Ohio's New Educator Member Ambassadors (ONE).  She has a profound love and passion for teaching, reaching, and inspiring people to action.
    • Ms. Fuller is a professional motivational speaker and workshop presenter and uses her powerful voice and international speaking platform to tell her life story and her “Why”.  She strives to share with people what drives education and social activism.  She encouraged her audience to find YOUR voice and tell YOUR story!!! 
  • Dr. Kevin Cordi, Associate Professor, Ohio University Lancaster
    • Dr. Kevin Cordi is an Associate Professor of Education, Literacy, and Storytelling at Ohio University Lancaster where he has the honor of serving as the Middle Childhood Coordinator and the Advisor for the Aspiring Educators OEA Chapter.  According to the National Storytelling Network, he was “the first full time ;high school storytelling teacher in the country.”    He holds a Doctorate in Storytelling and Education from The Ohio State University.  He is an internationally known professional storytelling and presenter.  He has presented and performed in over 44 states, England, Japan,  Singapore, Scotland, and Qatar.  He has written book on storytelling, most recently, You don’t know Jack: A Storyteller Goes to School by the University of Mississippi Press.  Although he has studied storytelling as a discipline, he learned the art from listening to his mother tell West Virginia stories  to him and his five brothers and sisters.   He believes that story is the way we think and we can significantly change the way students learn in a positive way by including stories and storytelling in the curriculum.   You can find out more about him and his work at www.kevincordi.com 
  • Sandy Smith Fischer, Streetsboro Education Association member and OEA-endorsed STRS candidate.
    • A highly experienced Intervention Specialist with over 23 years of dedicated service in the field of education, Sandy Smith Fischer is committed to supporting students with diverse learning needs, ensuring their academic, social, and emotional growth. In the early years, Sandy Smith Fischer worked as a Direct Care Worker at Rose Mary Center in Euclid, a home for children with disabilities. Sandy loved learning, and became very interested in helping the children more. She began working on the wing with non-ambulatory children and worked closely with the occupational therapist, physical therapist, speech therapist, and the psychologist in charge of behavior. The love of learning and helping others continued to grow, and Sandy dreamed of earning her degree one day.
    • Life happened, and Sandy found herself as a single mother of three, and returned to Kent State University in 1996 part time. While attending KSU part time, Sandy taught Head Start and went through the process of obtaining her Child Development Associates Degree for Portage County. During the years of obtaining her Bachelors Degree, Sandy would bring her children to her afternoon and evening classes. Throughout these times, she was also a Brownie Leader for her daughters Girl Scout troop, and would often take her children camping. Sandy graduated with her Bachelors degree in December 1999.
    • As the educational journey continued, Sandy’s Professors asked her to be part of a Master’s program grant for one year and she would graduate with her Master’s Degree. Sandy Smith Fischer continuously demonstrated a passion for fostering inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive. In 2000, Sandy Smith Fischer graduated with a Master's degree in Special Education, equipping her with the knowledge and expertise necessary to address the unique challenges faced by students with various learning differences.
    • Over the years, Sandy Smith Fischer has worked in a variety of educational settings, including public schools, extended school year programs, and specialized programs such as the Help Foundation in Cleveland. She has served students across all grade levels, from early childhood to high school, and has developed a deep understanding of the diverse needs of learners at each stage of their educational journey.
    • As Sandy began teaching in 2001, her passion for learning continued as she was now teaching an inclusion science class in 7th and 8th grade. Sandy went to countless workshops, and even took more college credits to gain a better understanding of the subject she was teaching. The lust for knowledge did not stop, Sandy took more classes to learn about Autism and other disabilities. She even began taking counseling classes to gain a better understanding of how to help more people. In 2005, Sandy graduated again with her Educational Specialist Degree.
    • As an Intervention Specialist, Sandy Smith Fischer has been instrumental in designing and implementing individualized education plans (IEPs) tailored to meet the specific needs of students with disabilities. She is skilled in utilizing a variety of instructional strategies, assistive technologies, and specialized interventions to support students in reaching their full potential.
    • Sandy Smith Fischer is known for her collaborative approach, working closely with teachers, parents, and other educational professionals to create a supportive network around each student. She firmly believes in the power of teamwork and open communication to ensure the success of every student.
    • Throughout her career, Sandy Smith Fischer has remained dedicated to ongoing professional development, staying abreast of the latest research and best practices in the field of special education. She has participated in numerous workshops, conferences, and training programs to enhance her skills and expand her knowledge base.

Connect with OEA:
About us:
  • The Ohio Education Association represents about 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
  • Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. Katie often jokes that her children are walking petri dishes because they are always bringing one kind of 'bug' or another home from preschool and daycare. As you can hear in this episode, Katie was battling yet another one of those illnesses while recording the interviews for this episode. Katie believes she has a good chance of developing an unstoppable immune system by the time her kids are both in elementary school. 
This episode was recorded on April 10 and April 11, 2024.
Storytelling as an organizing tool. Plus, Sandy Smith Fischer for STRS.

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