May 19, 2024 • 54 mins
In the 13th episode of the No Frills Teacher Podcast's second season, we have an inspiring conversation with esteemed educator, Maria Rose. Maria shares a deep dive into her illustrious teaching journey, highlighting her dedication, passion, and the transformational impact she's had on her students over a 30-year career. Hear firsthand how she went from winning the coveted Golden Apple Award to being named the Lee County Teacher of the Year.
Maria narrates the joy of presenting golden apple trophies to her students, and her emotional surprise nomination for the Lee County Teacher of the Year. Having devoted her life to shaping the future leaders, her tales of love, perseverance and dedication are for educators and education enthusiasts alike. This episode also sheds a spotlight on the importance of parental involvement and the teaching profession's pragmatic struggles.
In a candid discussion, Maria expounds on the joy of developing children's literacy skills, the significant role of reading fluency and comprehension, and the importance of fostering strong bonds with parents. She also underlines the necessity for teachers to adapt and learn from each other while providing useful advice for new teachers.
The episode ends with Maria sharing her belief that teaching is an act of love, and highlighting how perseverance and passion can bring about a transformational impact in a child's life. Tune in to this episode for a rich insight on the rewarding journey of a passionate teacher and how she continues to inspire future generations.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Season 2, Episode 13 of the No Frills Teacher Podcast.
I'm your host, Joe Camps, and joining me tonight, I have a very special guest, Maria Rose.
Maria, thank you for joining me this evening.
Absolutely, Joe. Thank you so much for having me. I gotta say, I'm very excited.
(00:23):
And for those that are listening to this episode, I'll explain it in a few minutes.
But more importantly, I want to talk about the title of tonight's episode,
Teaching is an Act of Love.
And it kind of ties in with why I'm so excited to have you on my show tonight.
And really, I got to be completely honest with you, Maria.
(00:44):
When I think about what an educator truly is, like the heart of an educator,
you are the first person that comes to mind.
And that's why i'm so excited to have you and i
know thank you i'm probably fanboying right
now over here but i it's just i i
(01:04):
kind of ask you like how i you know and we'll get into kind of your experiences
and all these awesome stories you have and really share it with our listeners
but i gotta say like teaching is an act of love it's it's and i i think of you
and i associate you with this, you know, thing?
And like, how do you do this? Like, what's your secret?
(01:29):
Well, I think it goes back to like fifth grade, I am blessed to know that I
wanted to be a teacher, my whole, you know, my whole life, I anytime anybody
said, What do you want to be when you grow up?
You know, every time you fill it out in school, when your teacher says,
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I always said teacher, I always said teacher.
And I never had any doubt. out. And what a blessing that is that I always knew.
(01:54):
I then went to Edison Park to intern and had no idea how magical that place
was going to be in my life when I first set foot in there. But.
I had the most amazing administrator, Charlotte Rafferty, who made me literally
made me the teacher that I am today.
(02:14):
But she saw something in me and took me under her wing.
And she used to tease and say that I was born.
And when they smacked my bottom, they said teacher. So I just I am beyond blessed
that the Lord decided that I was supposed to be a teacher.
And I just get to be that every single day. And I still, 30 years in,
(02:36):
Thursday, I actually get to go to the school board and get my 30-year pin and
certificate. I'm so excited.
30 years in, and I still can tell you, I absolutely love my job. I love what I do.
That's incredible. And I'm glad you kind of mentioned about 30 years,
(02:56):
because that was going to be my next question.
Like, you know, how long have you been teaching? Kind of share with us,
you know, the audience. But I guess I'll ask you this question.
Have you been at the same school for all 30 years? I sure have. Yes, I have.
And I've been I've been a first and second grade teacher at Edison Park for
the first 20 years of my career.
We looped with our children from first to second grade or third to fourth grade. And it was wonderful.
(03:23):
You know, you you got to really know the children and the families and know
everything about them. And that second year when they walked in your classroom,
I often say, you just say, hi, I love you. I missed you. Now sit down. Let's get busy.
You know, there was no wasted time getting to know them. So looping for me was amazing.
Was where it was at. It was really, really awesome. And if you knew,
(03:45):
you know, you didn't quite have a reader yet by the end of second grade,
boy, they were, they were on target.
So we've been, you know, our principal retired and we've been through a few
different principals and several different teachers at Edison Park,
but it's still the most magical is the only word that I ever used to describe it.
The most magical place I've, I've ever been.
(04:06):
And it's still that to me beyond new principals and new teachers coming and going.
But every year I get a new set of sweet little first graders walking in my door,
and the majority are not readers yet, and I get to teach them to read.
(04:26):
What more could you ask for to be able to give a child the gift of learning to read?
Yeah, I have to completely agree with you.
It it's something else and i think you have to be a
primary teacher have experience at parents who i think truly
understand what that feels like to have
(04:46):
these kids come in and and need help with
reading or they're non-readers then leave it reading and i gotta say you are
what we call a unicorn that and i mean that you know besides being magical because
you are trust me you know you are but what i really mean by that is that i feel
it you know tell me your thoughts or you know If you disagree,
(05:08):
I think it's uncommon today to be loyal to one school or to have that longevity,
because for those that are unaware beyond teachers outside of or listening outside
of the school district of Lee County or Lee County, Florida,
Southwest Florida in general,
(05:29):
Edison Park and Maria Rose are synonymous. us.
I really do think that. I think when you think one, you think the other. It's true.
And I guess I just, I'll admit, I'm wrapping up year 19.
I'm still in the school district of Lee County. I love the county. I'm loyal.
I'm very blessed also with my career and even meeting my wife and all these things in the county.
(05:54):
But I've been to a few different schools.
I've taught at a handful of schools over my 19 years, whatever whatever reason,
advanced, band, lateral movement, whatever it might have been.
But has there ever been a time in your 30 years that you're like,
maybe it's time for a change or like I like kind of see what's out there,
explore my options, if you will?
(06:16):
No, absolutely. Wow. I can say absolutely not.
You know, Joe, you know me a little bit better than most.
I'm a type A personality person and I like things to be in my box,
you know, and Edison Park fits beautifully in my little box.
And I have just gotten very comfortable with my little classroom and the school is small.
(06:41):
We only have three of each grade level.
So that I think is huge compared to other schools who have nine and ten first grade classrooms.
And that's foreign to me. I don't even know how I would survive that.
So the smallness of our school plus the arts. I was a dancer,
(07:02):
you know, from the time I was two till I was 18.
And so when I walked in that auditorium, we have a true, real,
beautiful auditorium that Thomas Edison literally sat in and watched plays.
And this amazing stage that our kids get to perform on and the teachers,
I, in years past, have run a teacher talent show where I get to actually be
(07:25):
up on stage and do amazing, fun things for the kids.
And I mean, I just am like, nope, I this is my this is my school.
I call it my school. It's my school.
And, you know, I love Edison Park.
So, no, I know it's hard to believe, but no, I've never I've never wanted to
ever try to go anywhere else.
(07:46):
You know, my husband is an educator
as well in the Lee County School District. And so is my son, Owen.
He just started a couple of years ago. they both have been to high school and
elementary school and made changes here and there and that's wonderful to them
they like that they love that they're searching for.
They're a perfect spot, and that's great. But Edison Park is it for me.
(08:08):
So, again, another blessing.
I tease that in Magic Kingdom, there's a statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.
And I tease that out front of Edison Park, I want a statue of Mrs.
Rose and Mickey Mouse when I retire. So that's what I've put in my order.
(08:28):
It will be well-deserved. It will be well-deserved.
Absolutely. And I know you are, if you don't know now, you will, that Maria Mrs.
Rose is a very big Disney fan, I'd say. I think that's safe to say.
In fact, and once again, I believe this is true. If not, please let me know.
(08:51):
You're a Golden Apple recipient from the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools. Was it 2017?
2018. 2018. 2018. And then I know your husband, James followed 2019.
Yeah. Right. And kind of went that way, but Disney, uh,
(09:11):
And I could be wrong, but I kind of swore that after you had received your golden
apple, you did take it with you to Walt Disney World.
I did. Okay.
Okay. I thought so. Yep. I did.
And I do have a photo of me and Mickey Mouse and my golden apple.
Yes, sir. I absolutely did.
I wanted to share it with Mickey, for sure. I love it. That is a true Disney fan.
(09:35):
And we just came back from, we went to Disney this weekend. and my wife, Alexis, and the kid.
And we had a great time. And it's really magical.
I thought that was the coolest thing because when we were there and Alexis knew
I was doing the podcast with you and I was talking about it over the weekend
while we were at Disney, of course. Then we're at the Magic Kingdom on Saturday.
(09:57):
And I'm like, I could have swore Maria had her golden apple here. I think so.
And then I kind of was like, man, I should have brought my golden apple too.
Yes. Yeah. Mickey was very impressed. Let me tell you.
He was very impressed. He was grateful. And, you know, he took a picture with me and it was awesome.
And it was it was all I wanted was that picture with Mickey.
(10:18):
And, you know, you know how when the Super Bowl people win and they say,
I'm going to Disney World.
When I called my husband, when they brought me the golden apple,
because I was in absolute shock, I called him.
And that was the first thing I said. I screamed into the phone.
We're going to Disney World.
And he was like, what? So I just thought that that was apropos to take my apple
(10:38):
with me and share that with Mickey, for sure.
I love it. I love it. And obviously, here it is. It's still stuck with me all
these years later. So it left an impression.
Yeah, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Super cool.
Now, you know, so big shock, right?
You win the golden apple. And, you know, as a fellow golden apple recipient
in the academy and teachers, I think we could attest to wonderful, wonderful program.
(11:03):
The Foundation for County Public Schools Inc. People listen to podcasts.
I've tried to get as many Golden Apple recipients on as possible. I love hearing stories.
Tell me a little bit more about your story and how do you feel besides,
you know, the excitement, the journey of the process?
Because, you know, especially with younger kids today, did your students really
(11:27):
or truly understand what was happening when you were going through the selection process?
Because that's, you know, you're young. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it was an absolute honor.
My teammate's son, who I had had in first grade, he was a, goodness,
I think he was a fifth grader that year, and fourth or fifth grader, and he nominated me.
(11:48):
And, you know, they write a little sweet note about you.
And he came over and read the card to me.
And I said, well, you know, I have to fill out the application now because he was so special.
And he became a reader in my class. And we just had a really awesome relationship.
And I thought, well, if he took the time to fill that card out about me.
(12:08):
I had been nominated many, many years, almost every year throughout my teaching
career up to that point, but I had never filled out the application.
So I thought, well, I need to do this in honor of him.
And so I did, and never thinking it was going to go anywhere past that. And then when...
When the office called and said, you need to come to the office,
(12:31):
there's something here for you. And I thought, what are we talking about?
And I knew, you know, we know as teachers kind of what time of the year and
what month and what day that they kind of pass out the you're a Golden Apple
finalist. And then what day they do the the actual recipients.
So I kind of knew that it was getting close to the time where they were going to name some finalists.
(12:52):
And I ran down to the office and there was a gold star balloon and a rose.
Nose and I started to scream and they were like, what's going on?
They didn't understand what's going on. And I said, oh my gosh,
you don't know what this means.
And so then my principal came in and, you know, we celebrated with the kids
and I sort of explained to them, I think, you know, this is a really important award.
(13:13):
They're going to come watch you because what is it? 12, 12 unannounced visits
of observations. And I said, you know, they're going to come watch you.
They're going to watch me. They're going to see how we do in our,
in our our classroom and our family and whatnot.
And I had showed them a picture of the golden apple trophy.
And I said, you know, we could win it. Our class could win a trophy.
And one of my students said, well, if you win, will we win a trophy?
(13:37):
And I immediately said, oh, absolutely. Yes. A hundred percent. You will win a trophy.
Well, again, not ever thinking that we were going to, I was going to be a recipient.
Shocked, shocked. And that actual day when they came and brought me at the golden
apple, that same child said, where's our trophy?
And I said, well, buddy, you got to give me a minute. And I actually did.
(13:59):
I ordered them all their very own gold apple trophies.
And they still, you know, now they are, they're going into eighth grade,
bless their sweet little hearts, and they all still have them.
And there's something really, really special to them.
But they really bought in, they really wanted to show.
What they were learning and what they had learned and how much we had accomplished.
So they bought in for sure. Yeah.
(14:21):
That's awesome. I love it because I had, well, my Golden Apple class,
fifth graders, you know, teach fifth grade.
So they, you know, they're older, a little bit more mature in some ways and
understood, but they were probably as giddy as a primary student.
Student i think when i had you know received
(14:43):
my golden apple we celebrated it was obviously it
was during that 2020 2021 school year
kind of that covid slash hybrid year so
it was it was a little different how we got you know received ours but it it
was it was something i but i love seeing the little kids get excited especially
what one of my favorite things and for those that are not familiar the way that
(15:07):
the foundation of Ridley County Public Schools does the Golden Apple.
We do have a banquet and they have the stage and the recipients are up there
and being celebrated along with the finalists and the teachers of distinction
and all educators who celebrate education and educators, which is fantastic.
But you have a student introduce you and say a little something before you go up and give your speech.
(15:32):
And I think it's the most adorable thing is when the younger kids are the primers for introducing.
It's like, that's what I was like, you know, versus the older kids.
And which was this the same student or you who how did you go about selecting
the student that introduced you?
Because I do remember, you know, your speech and the student was there,
(15:54):
you know, were they vying for trying to get a spot or did you have some?
No, I don't think they didn't really know.
And I didn't really say much about it. But actually, I taught for many,
many years with the student who introduced me. I taught with her mom.
She was a teammate of mine for, oh gosh, eight to 10 years, I think.
And so she was pretty much my teacher best friend.
(16:16):
And so her daughter was in my class and I picked her to be the person who,
and I knew her from the moment she was born.
I like, I went to the hospital to see her and held her in my arms from the moment she was born.
So it was really, really special that both she and her mom could be with me that night.
So that's how I picked who I was going to be oh
very nice i did not know that that's very sweet yeah and then
(16:40):
the following year so 2019 your husband james
yeah he was a golden apple recipient as well yeah amazing awesome just awesome
and i was in his room i said to him i really want to be with you regardless
of whichever way it goes he's like okay and so i was with him in his room and
it was just glorious to to be on the other side of it.
(17:03):
And as you said, the foundation celebrates education and teachers.
And it was just so amazing to watch him because he's unbelievable as a fourth
and fifth grade teacher. So it was really...
Really special for he and I to be together for that because he wasn't in my
room when I received my my award. So to be there with him was great.
(17:25):
But yeah, just we talk a lot about Golden Apple experience.
We still go to the socials and the and the gala.
And it makes you feel so, so wonderful and so special because they do celebrate
education in such a positive light.
When there's all this other negativity out in the world about education and
teachers and students and whatnot.
The foundation finds the positive
(17:47):
and they still celebrate the wonderful educators that are especially,
you know, in Lee County and the students and all of the amazing things that
are still going on, regardless of the other stuff that's going on,
you know, out in the world, the negativity,
the positive reinforcement of teachers.
It's really cool to be out in the audience and be a part of that.
(18:11):
I agree 100 percent. Senate. I always move whenever I attend the banquet,
previously before I received my Glen Apple or afterwards.
You leave inspired. I really do believe that. That's the best way I could describe it.
Usually friends or family, what's it like?
(18:32):
Is it a good time? You leave inspired. You do. You feel rejuvenated as an educator.
You could go out and conquer the world if you listen to some other speeches. speeches, you do.
Yep. Yep. And that's what I say about the whole Golden Apple experience for
me too. Because at that point, I had been teaching 25 years.
So I had had, I had been in teaching for a long time.
And it really did rejuvenate my, my love for teaching and really made me focus
(18:58):
a little bit more on what I was doing in the classroom. And so it was...
Again, another positive aspect of going through that process for me and my classroom
because I had been teaching for so long already that it just kind of jump-started
it a little bit. So it was good.
I got to say, I'll be honest with you. So I was a finalist when you were a recipient.
(19:20):
I was the finalist when James was a recipient.
So after James, you had both received your apples.
And we got to 2020 and 2021, all that stuff. I'm like, well,
the good thing is that both roses already have an apple.
So I feel better about my chances now.
But in all seriousness, though, it's what I love about it.
(19:42):
And once again, if those out there heard previous episodes, I talk about the
friendships made and connections and the networking with fellow educators who
share a passion for education and for students and for learning.
And that's really how we got to know each other on a personal level,
you and I, Chance and I, and many others, you know, that are friends and,
(20:05):
you know, and peers and colleagues. And it's wonderful.
But that's in the past. I want to fast forward now to this year because there
was also a very big, you know, huge accomplishment, an honor bestowed upon you,
well-deserved, you know.
Thank you. In addition to being a Golden Apple recipient and you are the 2024
(20:27):
or 2023-2024 school year Lee County Teacher of the Year.
And which congratulations. Another wonderful, well-deserved.
Can you tell me a little bit more about that experience? And was it similar
to the Golden Apple experience?
Different? Yeah. Tell us a little bit about that.
(20:49):
That was another amazing accomplishment, by the way. Well, yeah.
Another shock as well. So thank you very much.
But we they sent out an email and, you know, we were it was a little bit different
because teachers in all over Lee County were able to nominate each other, basically.
And so I was nominated and they sent me an email and said, you know,
(21:11):
here's the application.
And I thought, well, let's go ahead and do this.
And honestly, I looked at the questions. I was like, OK, yeah,
I feel all of these things.
They were easy for me to write. I'm not an essay writer, but I was like,
all right, yeah, I can do this.
And so I did. and once again, not ever expecting.
I've always witnessed other people winning Teacher of the Year.
(21:34):
And I thought, that's really cool.
That's really cool. You know, and at this point in my career,
I thought, that's kind of a neat thing. Let's go ahead and go for that.
And I never really thought much more about it. And then, you know,
that you get an email that says, congratulations, you moved on to the next phase.
And the next phase was, you know, I think it was a letter of recommendation
for my principal and a resume for which I have not made a resume ever, except for 30 years ago.
(22:00):
You know, so that was kind of fun. I was like, oh, I need to make a resume.
So I enlisted the help of James, you know, to help me make a resume.
So that was kind of fun to go back and look at the things that I had done and
accomplished throughout my career beyond teaching at Edison Park.
You know, that was really easy. Teaching at Edison Park, 1991 to present,
you know, so that was really easy.
And or 1993 the president 91 is when
(22:23):
I interned but and then you move on and there
was another email that said they were an
interview you had to do an interview and that's when I got nervous I
was like oh boy interview that okay I'm gonna try and to be honest with you
I don't remember what they asked or what I said but one of the things they said
after the fact was that they could hear the the passion and the love in my in
(22:47):
my voice and in my answers and so I thought okay well that's wonderful.
I bragged, bragged on my kids. I have two students who started at, you know, zero.
They were not on, they were not reading at all and, and really couldn't tell
me more than single sounds of letters.
And I, I teach a really awesome phonics program and it really has made so many
(23:10):
readers out of, turned students into readers right in front of my eyes.
It's magical again, but, But, and so I bragged about them and I think I cried
and she was like, you are, I could just feel your passion. After the fact,
she told me, you know, I could just feel your passion.
I was like, all right. And then I kept telling my, um, my principal.
They haven't observed me yet. You know, I was used to Golden Apple where they
(23:31):
came 12 times, 12 different people came and they observed me.
It was a big deal to watch you teach. And so they they weren't.
That was never one of the things that they said. So I thought,
well, OK, I just kept telling my principal, what's next? Do they come to watch
me? When do they come watch me teach?
You know, I kept preparing my kids
for it because I wasn't sure if it was going to be a surprise or what.
And so then I get an email that says, congratulations, you moved on.
(23:54):
This is after the interview. of you and she said you
know you moved on we're going to come observe you teaching on
i think it was december 19th at 8 15 in
the morning and in my mind and i know you know how this feels joe in my mind
as a teacher i thought three days before christmas break you're going to come
exactly and it was also it was also our day of field day it was our field day
(24:17):
day and i thought well okay and And I told my principal, I said, listen,
if I can teach at this day,
three days before Christmas break and the day we're supposed to be out at field
day, then I can teach. I'm good.
You know, and she I kept saying, well, we have field day. And she said, don't worry.
Don't worry, though. They'll be here at 815. You'll be done by nine. No problem.
(24:38):
Well, lo and behold, I I was ready.
But my kids were ready. I was ready. And in walked the superintendent.
And I was like, wait a minute.
He's not he's not here to observe me. And then our tech person came in with
her camera and then a whole bunch of people came in.
And I said, oh, my goodness, you're not here to observe me. This is it.
(25:00):
And my mom, who is who was the 2022 state volunteer of the year.
Wow. Bless her heart. She volunteers every day in my class, every single day,
all day long. So I again, one more blessing for Mrs. Rhodes.
She was in the room and I said, did you know about this? And she's like, nope.
And James snuck in around the corner. I didn't see him.
(25:20):
My kids were like, my kids were like, what's going on? Because then I was crying.
And so then they're like worried about me. Why is my teacher crying?
What? I thought we were somebody who's going to watch us learn what's happening.
And so then we went through the whole process and,
james out of nowhere the superintendent says i just had
he told me that that he had just
had a conversation with my husband and then turned around and there was james so
(25:42):
that right there was the best moment of the entire process when he james was
there it was just because he wasn't there for the golden apple so it was really
really awesome to share that with him and then they shake your hand and say
congratulations you're lee county teacher of the year which i I couldn't believe.
(26:02):
And then we started the process for the Florida Teacher of the Year,
which is quite a process.
So I still can't believe it, Joe, to be honest with you. But it's really cool.
That's so awesome. I'm just over here listening. I got this big smile on my
face just hearing this story.
It's so touching and moving to know what it's like to have your spouse there and celebrate with you.
(26:25):
I was fortunate to have that with Alexis celebrating with me for the Golden Apple.
One to know that but that's got to really be
kind of surreal you're expecting one thing
like an observation yeah and they
completely throw you for a loop and they come in and then you see the you know
the head honcho the big guy come in yeah and you know it's real it's happening
(26:47):
like wait a minute and it was my principal who she called the people downtown
and said listen she keeps talking about having an observation so let's let's
make her think she's going to be observed and then And we'll surprise her.
So it was all, I mean, I told her, I'm like, kudos.
That was great. It was perfect. I had no idea.
And so because we were ready to teach our, I was ready to teach our phonics
(27:08):
lesson and my kids were ready to learn.
We then, they were like, I said, I thought you were here for an observation.
They were like, well, okay. And I said, all right, boys and girls,
here we go. So I proceeded then to teach a lesson.
It was really, really cool. And the kids did awesome. And I think I only did
a few minutes and then, you know, you know how it is. Because I couldn't feel my feet.
My feet weren't touching the ground. I really don't even know what I was saying.
(27:30):
And, you know, the kids really loved the fact that they got to showcase what
they thought they were going to show to the people who were in the room.
That's so cool. They were very complimentary.
And it was very, very cool. And then outside and had an amazing field day.
And we actually won tug-of-war.
So Mrs. Rose is superior in tug-of-war. So there you go. It was a good day. It was a good day.
(27:51):
Everything was coming up roses, as they say.
That's right. Now, have you had an opportunity as far as the state level goes?
Because you do go on for state teacher of the year to meet fellow educators,
fellow district teachers of the year.
Is that something that will happen over the summer? Has already happened.
I think that'd be really amazing to network and meet a whole new group of educators beyond our district.
(28:21):
And actually, I went to a baseball game with my students to one of the Mighty Muscle games.
And while we were there, we were celebrating their reading. They each won a
free ticket to the baseball game.
And while I was there, the Collier County Teacher of the Year threw out the first pitch.
So I actually did get to meet her, which was very exciting.
(28:44):
So I do know one person. And then there is also a Facebook 2025 Teacher of the
Year Facebook group that we are all a part of, all 74 of the district teachers.
So we've met each other on there, just kind of sharing our little stories.
And then all told, we will get to meet each other face to face in July at the
(29:08):
Commissioner of Education Roundtable event and gala.
And that's at the end of July. That sounds like an awesome opportunity to be
able to meet and network with fellow educators,
especially, you know, district teachers of the year and and kind of just talk
about how things are, because overall,
(29:29):
we all know what is what it feels like to be an educator.
But I do think that each district is slightly different kind of in their needs
and what they're experiencing. So we kind of let our own little bubble of our district.
So we don't really know what's happening in Hardy County, Hendry County and so on.
(29:52):
So to have that opportunity to see, oh, this is what you're experiencing or
how do you handle this situation in your districts versus how we do it, say, in Lee County.
And, you know, it sounds like bring these ideas and these conversations back
to the local level and then disseminate and share out with district leaders.
And then with educators, which I think is pretty awesome.
(30:13):
Yeah, it is. And honestly, the little Facebook group that we're all part of,
everyone has been so positive. It's like that Golden Apple group.
You know, everybody is so positive about education and so positive about what
they do and they love what they do. So I'm looking forward to really feeling that.
Positive energy with a group of educators, like I did with Golden Apple when
(30:33):
we went down to Collegium at Sanibel, just like that.
So now I anticipate that James will be teacher of the year next year, of course, right?
Well, that's what I told him. I'm like, all right, your turn. Yeah.
That's a big shoes to fill there. Gotta get on it.
That would be awesome. Yeah, that would be so you have
not taught past second grade have
(30:56):
you had no upper elementary it's no
see i once again unicorn i i feel because sometimes i feel people dabble and
that's is there a reason why you choose to you know stay in primary or i know
you're very passionate about Yeah.
(31:47):
Well, I tease my kids and I tell them, my students, that once you're taller
than me, I cannot teach you.
So that's what stops me at second grade. So that was my tease to the kids all the time.
But yes, you know, the foundation we are finding even more so how important
the foundational skills for children are.
(32:08):
I mean, let's be honest. We're competing against a computer, iPad.
TV, you know, YouTube. So the children are not sitting on their parents laps
reading like they used to.
And so I find it that is my passion.
Like you said, I've got to get these children reading fluently before they move
(32:31):
on even to second grade. And that was a hard transition for me.
Because I knew when I looped that I had another year, like if they weren't quite ready, yet.
I had another year to get them going.
But now that I'm only a first grade teacher, I put it on myself that,
oh my gosh, they've got to be reading fluently, I say, before they walk up the
(32:52):
stairs to second grade at Edison Park.
Because as we know, the skills and the objectives and the expectations of these
children have come down to the grade level prior.
And they are, are, in some cases, overwhelming what the children need to be able to do.
So where it used to be, second grade was more reading and more independent reading.
(33:16):
And, you know, the second half of second grade was where you were an independent learner.
You read to learn. And then first grade was learning to read.
But now, by the time they leave first grade, the expectation is when they walk
in that second grade door, they are reading to learn independently.
And that is a lot for a seven-year-old. So I really,
(33:40):
really, I mean, I push my kids and we have found, as I said,
that phonics program that I use is perfect, a perfect foundational skill.
It lays the foundational layer of that ladder.
Learning to read is like a ladder. You have to have the bottom two rungs before
you can do anything else.
(34:01):
You can't skip to the third one. It just isn't going to work.
So my job, my passion, my love is to give the children the tools to learn to
read and then watch them learn to read.
Is just an added bonus to what I get to do every single day.
I think in my Golden Apple speech, I said it was like watching a child learn to walk.
(34:23):
You know, they fall down, they stand up, they fall down.
And then, you know, you don't even know what happens, but all of a sudden they
just take that one step and a couple of steps and then they're running and you
cannot catch up with them.
And that's exactly how a child learns to read. It's a few letter sounds.
Then you watch them figure out, oh, they put these sounds together And that makes a word.
(34:45):
And then they're they're sounding out every single sound in a word.
And, you know, it takes them four minutes to read one page in a book.
But then they start to memorize that. Oh, oh, this is this word. And this is and then.
Wow. When I sit in my room, because, you know, first grade silent reading is not silent.
No, not at all. No, there's no silence. And when I sit and I listen and mom
(35:09):
and I just this year, There was those same two that I was talking about earlier,
but they all of a sudden you hear them and they're reading out loud,
but they're reading like fluently reading.
And she looks at me and this year she said, Miss Rose. And I'm like,
I hear it. You know, and it's there isn't anything better.
It's it's better than any gold apple sitting on the corner of your desk.
(35:31):
Let me tell you that child learning to read. I know now that I can send him
to second grade and he's going to be OK. And he's going to eventually graduate
high school and get a job and be okay in life because he knows how to read.
Wow, I get to be part of that. It's really amazing.
And I do. I think, unfortunately, at times it is overlooked because we get fixated
(35:55):
on school grade and what our, you know, our data looks like and all these things.
And how are they doing on the FAST? And how are they doing on the FSA before that?
That and how they do it on the fcat before that that we
just if we don't have children that can
read or read fluently or comprehend
what they're reading none of that matters no and
(36:18):
i have had this year i had two i beg please send
them down please send them back i have two third graders two third
grades sweet lovely little girls and they come to my room every day
and guess what they learned what sounds letters make one of them was an ell
student you know english is her second language and she now knows what sounds
the letters make and she's putting sounds together to make words and that is
(36:41):
so much more valuable for that young lady than sitting in a classroom.
Getting a passage that she can't read at all yeah it's hard especially like
i said is it like you know even my own fifth graders over you know throughout
my career and having students that are not on grade level or that are reading
so out of first second grade level and you feel for them you support them,
(37:06):
you accommodate them and all those things you use your strategies to support
them however you see them struggle and just reach that point of frustration
that is just overwhelming because they still can't blend sounds together,
they can't segment words and all those things it breaks your heart because the
pressure and you know the third, fourth and fifth grade teachers are tasked
(37:30):
with with such high expectations for, obviously, for the student learning,
which is wonderful, and for their reading and their problem solving.
But without those bottom two rungs of the ladder, that poor child is really,
really tasked with a challenge.
And that's difficult because you have to move on. You know, you have objectives
(37:52):
and things that you, as the fifth grade teacher, you need to teach that.
You know, you have to move on and you have to teach. which Charlotte Rafferty
taught us to teach to the top.
She always used to say, teach to the top and the others will rise.
Teach to the top. And I firmly believe that.
They will rise. They will. It's going to be okay. They're going to, oh, okay, I get it now.
You know, but without those foundational skills, and I...
(38:17):
And it's just, it's my absolute goal in my life to just teach as many kids as
I can how to read because I know they can do so much with that gift.
Now, what would you say, and so now you're talking 30 years, right?
You're going to get your 30-year pen, you know, veteran, primary teacher.
(38:39):
And you've seen a lot over these 30 years. I know my 19 years,
I feel like so much has changed.
It's really the landscape of education in general.
And let's be honest, there's a lot of teacher burnout.
I feel like it's ramped up. It's amplified over these past few years more so,
(39:03):
as that seems to me that way.
And teachers are leaving the field in droves.
We're mass access whatever you want to call it
this is happening how do you what
would be your advice to an educator that
is new to the professional like how do you is there a secret to longevity is
(39:24):
it something that like keeps you going like and if you ever encountered a mentor
someone over your career who gets to that point where they're frustrated and like i think maybe
I'm not cut out to be a teacher or how do you do this?
And how do you do this at this level, you know, for the, you know,
(39:45):
this many years, what kind of advice can you give educators that are out there
that are new or, or at that point of, you know, burnout and to keep going, kind of push through.
I think the first thing I would say is I absolutely understand.
I absolutely understand.
And you're right. It's hard. It's really, really hard. I think the second thing that you have to.
(40:06):
Really work on is getting the parents to be a partner with you.
Without the partnership between you and the parents, it's a one-sided fight
and it's an uphill climb for sure.
And, you know, that, as I said, with the technology and whatnot,
you know, even parents are feeling that with their children.
I mean, I'm a parent of two children who are in their 20s, but,
(40:28):
you know, I lived through it where I was fighting a computer game or a television
show and, you know, we've got to focus on this homework and we've got to get this done.
And parents are, they're working so hard and everything is so expensive and their time is limited.
So I think opening up that communication with parents and giving them tools.
I've had so many parents who have said, you know, what can I do? What can I do?
(40:50):
And I made a YouTube channel for that reason, because we were home learning during COVID.
And so I had made all these videos while I was teaching from home.
And I thought, well, what should I do with these?
And my amazing son who knows how to make a YouTube channel made a channel for
me and I uploaded all those.
And I've since put, you know, me saying the sounds of the phonograms and things
(41:11):
on that YouTube channel.
And so that's one way it's electronic, but they're learning kind of a thing. And it's me.
So it's their teacher. And, you know, it's really kind of fun because the kindergarten
kids think that I saw you on TV, they say.
So, I mean, that's great for your self-esteem, you know, but, um, oh yeah.
You know, that partnership with with parents i think it's you know more than
(41:32):
half of our battle if we can get them to help us at home because we really only
have them six hours and then you've got a special and a lunch and a recess you
know so it really does time is very limited and i know that especially in the.
Secondary classes third fourth and fifth grade i know that you all feel that
crunch even more than than we do because there's so much content that has to
(41:55):
be delivered and taught and the children have to just stay with you and their
stamina isn't ready for that yet.
So in my experience in first.
My kids, not only do I teach them to read, but the love of reading.
So I've got kids who are literally sneaking out a book during the math lesson
or they're taking a book to recess or they're taking a book to lunch or their
(42:18):
parents email me and say, oh, my gosh, what am I going to do?
I can't get enough books for them to read.
You know, and I have to let's go to the library and get a reading card and they
can check out 15 or whatever it is at the public library.
And, you know, that was the answer to her prayers this week,
this year. And that is huge.
The communication with parents. They need help and they want to hear your ideas on what they can do.
(42:40):
I also think that within a school building, if a staff supports each other,
you know, we need the support too. Teachers need to help each other.
Teachers need to cheer on each other. Teachers need to say, attaboy, good job.
Keep it up. You know, we need to hear that just like the kids do,
you know, from administration, from your partner, from parents,
you name it. I always tell anyone who asks me, you know, what should we do for
(43:04):
teacher appreciation? And I'm like, write a note.
I don't, all I love, I love a handwritten note from a parent that tells me thank you.
That's the best thing I can ever hear. Or that their child loves to read and
they read a book before they went to bed last night or whatever.
You know, those kinds of things are really, really special to educators.
And those are the things we need to hear. year. And that's why I think most
(43:26):
of the programs that I've been able to be a part of with Golden Apple and Teacher
of the Year, they are still positive about education.
So that's been helping, that's really been helping me stay positive.
We have to stay positive and we have to support each other because it's a lot,
there's a lot of negativity about education out there.
And, you know, parents are tired and the kids are tired and coming out of COVID,
(43:49):
it's been different for all of us.
You know, that was a time when, I mean, my goodness, they were home learning
through a computer screen.
And it was so stressful for all of us. And the parents were trying to work and
the kids had to be home alone.
It was just a lot that we had to build upon.
And, you know, I think some of the students are still suffering from what they lost during COVID.
(44:13):
And so we're also, that's also an uphill climb for them and for us.
And so we just have to be Be kind and supportive and cheerleaders.
You know, we really got to cheer each other on like it's going to be OK.
And my and my personal experience at school, I have I have teachers who have
asked me, can I come and can I watch?
Absolutely. I would rather you come into my room. It's so much easier for me
(44:36):
to show you rather than explain it.
Let me just show you some of the tools I have in my teacher tool,
though, you know, and and we can share because I've learned things from brand
new teachers, too. You know, some amazing things that I incorporate into my classroom.
So I think supporting each other along with the parent communication and partnership are huge.
(44:58):
I honestly, I couldn't agree more. I think the support, it's so crucial that
we do support one another.
I love how you had mentioned about some of your colleagues wanting to come and
watch and not only learning from you, but like you had said,
you also are learning from, you know, your colleagues as well.
(45:19):
And being willing to, you know, adapt and, you know, always willing to learn.
And I think that goes a long way in longevity, being successful in the classroom,
you know, or being successful in this career as an educator.
And I kind of stuck it one way. I think you do need to adapt and evolve over
(45:41):
the course of your career and versus being resistant to change.
And it's hard. You know, you're talking to a teacher who taught on an overhead
projector and now I teach on a Promethean board.
I mean, there's two totally different things. And, you know,
thank goodness my husband is an educator who can help me with those things because
he's really good at all that technology stuff.
And I go, what? How do I do that? What do I click? What do I do?
(46:03):
And then those younger, brand new teachers, that's all they know.
You know, they're not afraid to click on things where I'm worried if I click
on this, what's going to happen?
You know, so they those kinds of things they've taught me. And just simple,
you know, teachers are really the best at walking into somebody else's classroom
and looking around and taking notes.
Like, what do you got in here that looks? Oh, yeah, I love that.
(46:23):
Let me let me write that down. Let me get that back to my classroom.
You know, we're really good at stealing from each other.
Absolutely. I know that whenever I attend some sort of PD and if I go to another
school on our campus, campus,
I'm doing like a visual assessment within the first five minutes,
like looking around and just scanning the room for, I like this. I don't know about that.
(46:44):
Yep. I want to take this back. And I take that little note. It's like,
yep, I'm going to steal that, borrow that and kind of put my own little spin on it.
Absolutely. And now that I've been in my career for so long,
when I go to different PDs,
It's the best PDs are the ones when I can actually take something literally
back to my room immediately and use it.
(47:05):
So those are the ones that I'm like, yes, I love that. Let me take that back.
You know, so we're really good at stealing, like I said, stealing from each other.
And as long as you're open to new ideas, like you said, it's hard,
you know, especially as I've been a teacher for so long, it's hard.
For some things, some things to me are non-negotiable. The phonics program that
(47:26):
I use, I'm like, it works, and I'm sticking with it. And there are some things
we've added and tweaked.
And just this week, a teacher was sick, and her class came.
I literally taught her class and my class with the substitute because the sub
didn't know all of the sounds and whatnot. So I said, just bring them in.
And her kids said one thing different than my kids, and I loved it.
And I was like, oh, I'm taking that.
Yeah, let's add that in. You know, one more clue to the sounds that these three letters made.
(47:51):
So I loved that. And I told her when she got back, I'm like,
they taught me something new.
You know it was really cool though and that has to feel
really good especially you know it's the colleague that hears this
you know saying wow you know like kind of have
you know an esteemed colleague like this or you know teacher
of the year all those things like oh that's good I think
that's a confidence booster too and I wish you had a feel
(48:12):
good about yourself we had talked about rejuvenated all those
things so so you
so you're teaching and your husband's teacher and you said
your son he's a teacher as well now are you going and so uh we're just kind
of keeping it in the family is like the inner conversation all centered around
education like what's going on here um a lot of times it is you know james teaches
(48:36):
fifth grade so the like the.
Challenges are different for the two of us. I'm at the beginning of the learning
and he's at the end of the elementary learning and getting him ready for middle school and whatnot.
But yes, there is a lot of back and forth.
And Owen, I'll say he was in high school.
He taught AP Calc and Geometry, all of the things that I'm like,
(48:58):
oh, no, thank you. No, thank you.
And he went to elementary and he tried elementary.
He went with James to elementary school to teach fifth grade math.
And he has since decided he's like, yeah, no, high school is for me.
So, see, he's one who doesn't mind going out of the box and trying new things.
And so I was proud of him for that. But he decided that, oh, that higher math.
He's he has a software engineering degree. So that higher math is all for him.
(49:22):
He loves that, you know, that stuff.
So he's going to go back into high school math.
And James and I are going to stay where we are in elementary.
But it's really cool that James and I get to share the like the Golden Apple
experience together. And I call it the teacher prom.
We get to go to the teacher every year, every year together and,
you know, get dressed up. And it's really fun.
(49:44):
And we were high school sweethearts. So we did actually go to our high school prom together.
So that's kind of fun that we, you know, get to go to what I call the teacher prom.
But it's also a blessing, I think, because we absolutely understand what educators
are going through and having to what obstacles we have to jump over these days.
(50:07):
James was not always a teacher. He was a business owner prior to becoming a teacher.
And so the first half of my career, the first 20 years, he wasn't an educator.
So he didn't really know exactly what I was talking about or the frustrations
that I was having or the concerns that I was having. And so then when he became
a teacher, it was really cool that we could sit and talk about the same things.
And he completely understood that teacher tired is a real thing.
(50:31):
You know, he understands that now. So it's cool.
And it's a blessing for us that we're both educators and we can kind of support
each other through, you know, if we're having a rough moment or,
oh, what about this? And what should I do for this? Yeah.
Are really good at sharing those ideas with each other and kind of building
each other up. And, you know, who's counting that we have nine days left?
(50:52):
Not us. No, right?
Well, it's been an absolute pleasure talking to you this evening.
And I could go on and talk to you for hours, you know, if I really do when I get a new year.
I know there are many more wonderful things in store for you.
Thank you. ...lustrous career. And, yep, I'm going to be keeping a close eye on James next year.
(51:18):
And then, oh, if the golden apple, you know, I kind of see how the rose family goes.
Right, no pressure, really. Not at all. I'm going to message him later privately,
like, listen, buddy, I got a lot to live up to now.
But it's been wonderful. And for those listening to this episode, the title says it all.
Teaching is an act of love. and you could
(51:40):
hear i understand what you were talking about now
when you had mentioned the passion that was heard
when you had your interview for teacher of
the year because i honestly could hear that passion also coming through this
conversation when you were talking about your children learning how to read
your students and just seeing them grow in those bottom runs of the ladder it's
(52:01):
just it's inspiring and it really is and thank you i i always say i I want to be, you know,
Maria and James Rose when I grow up. Thank you, Joe.
Once again, on that note, this is season two, episode 13 of the No Frills Teacher podcast.
I'm your host, Joe Camps. And joining me once again this evening is the lovely Maria Rose.
(52:25):
Maria, thank you for your time and for your contribution to this field of education,
this career, this profession of ours.
Thank you, Joe. It's absolutely my pleasure. And I really have enjoyed talking with you.
Like this conversation make sure to leave a comment or subscribe to the no frills
teacher podcast you can check us out on podbean or any other major podcast platform
(52:47):
all right that's it for this evening this is the no frills teacher podcast i'm
joe camps have a good night.
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Season 2, Episode 13 of the No Frills Teacher Podcast.
I'm your host, Joe Camps, and joining me tonight, I have a very special guest, Maria Rose.
Maria, thank you for joining me this evening.
Absolutely, Joe. Thank you so much for having me. I gotta say, I'm very excited.
(00:23):
And for those that are listening to this episode, I'll explain it in a few minutes.
But more importantly, I want to talk about the title of tonight's episode,
Teaching is an Act of Love.
And it kind of ties in with why I'm so excited to have you on my show tonight.
And really, I got to be completely honest with you, Maria.
(00:44):
When I think about what an educator truly is, like the heart of an educator,
you are the first person that comes to mind.
And that's why i'm so excited to have you and i
know thank you i'm probably fanboying right
now over here but i it's just i i
(01:04):
kind of ask you like how i you know and we'll get into kind of your experiences
and all these awesome stories you have and really share it with our listeners
but i gotta say like teaching is an act of love it's it's and i i think of you
and i associate you with this, you know, thing?
And like, how do you do this? Like, what's your secret?
(01:29):
Well, I think it goes back to like fifth grade, I am blessed to know that I
wanted to be a teacher, my whole, you know, my whole life, I anytime anybody
said, What do you want to be when you grow up?
You know, every time you fill it out in school, when your teacher says,
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I always said teacher, I always said teacher.
And I never had any doubt. out. And what a blessing that is that I always knew.
(01:54):
I then went to Edison Park to intern and had no idea how magical that place
was going to be in my life when I first set foot in there. But.
I had the most amazing administrator, Charlotte Rafferty, who made me literally
made me the teacher that I am today.
(02:14):
But she saw something in me and took me under her wing.
And she used to tease and say that I was born.
And when they smacked my bottom, they said teacher. So I just I am beyond blessed
that the Lord decided that I was supposed to be a teacher.
And I just get to be that every single day. And I still, 30 years in,
(02:36):
Thursday, I actually get to go to the school board and get my 30-year pin and
certificate. I'm so excited.
30 years in, and I still can tell you, I absolutely love my job. I love what I do.
That's incredible. And I'm glad you kind of mentioned about 30 years,
(02:56):
because that was going to be my next question.
Like, you know, how long have you been teaching? Kind of share with us,
you know, the audience. But I guess I'll ask you this question.
Have you been at the same school for all 30 years? I sure have. Yes, I have.
And I've been I've been a first and second grade teacher at Edison Park for
the first 20 years of my career.
We looped with our children from first to second grade or third to fourth grade. And it was wonderful.
(03:23):
You know, you you got to really know the children and the families and know
everything about them. And that second year when they walked in your classroom,
I often say, you just say, hi, I love you. I missed you. Now sit down. Let's get busy.
You know, there was no wasted time getting to know them. So looping for me was amazing.
Was where it was at. It was really, really awesome. And if you knew,
(03:45):
you know, you didn't quite have a reader yet by the end of second grade,
boy, they were, they were on target.
So we've been, you know, our principal retired and we've been through a few
different principals and several different teachers at Edison Park,
but it's still the most magical is the only word that I ever used to describe it.
The most magical place I've, I've ever been.
(04:06):
And it's still that to me beyond new principals and new teachers coming and going.
But every year I get a new set of sweet little first graders walking in my door,
and the majority are not readers yet, and I get to teach them to read.
(04:26):
What more could you ask for to be able to give a child the gift of learning to read?
Yeah, I have to completely agree with you.
It it's something else and i think you have to be a
primary teacher have experience at parents who i think truly
understand what that feels like to have
(04:46):
these kids come in and and need help with
reading or they're non-readers then leave it reading and i gotta say you are
what we call a unicorn that and i mean that you know besides being magical because
you are trust me you know you are but what i really mean by that is that i feel
it you know tell me your thoughts or you know If you disagree,
(05:08):
I think it's uncommon today to be loyal to one school or to have that longevity,
because for those that are unaware beyond teachers outside of or listening outside
of the school district of Lee County or Lee County, Florida,
Southwest Florida in general,
(05:29):
Edison Park and Maria Rose are synonymous. us.
I really do think that. I think when you think one, you think the other. It's true.
And I guess I just, I'll admit, I'm wrapping up year 19.
I'm still in the school district of Lee County. I love the county. I'm loyal.
I'm very blessed also with my career and even meeting my wife and all these things in the county.
(05:54):
But I've been to a few different schools.
I've taught at a handful of schools over my 19 years, whatever whatever reason,
advanced, band, lateral movement, whatever it might have been.
But has there ever been a time in your 30 years that you're like,
maybe it's time for a change or like I like kind of see what's out there,
explore my options, if you will?
(06:16):
No, absolutely. Wow. I can say absolutely not.
You know, Joe, you know me a little bit better than most.
I'm a type A personality person and I like things to be in my box,
you know, and Edison Park fits beautifully in my little box.
And I have just gotten very comfortable with my little classroom and the school is small.
(06:41):
We only have three of each grade level.
So that I think is huge compared to other schools who have nine and ten first grade classrooms.
And that's foreign to me. I don't even know how I would survive that.
So the smallness of our school plus the arts. I was a dancer,
(07:02):
you know, from the time I was two till I was 18.
And so when I walked in that auditorium, we have a true, real,
beautiful auditorium that Thomas Edison literally sat in and watched plays.
And this amazing stage that our kids get to perform on and the teachers,
I, in years past, have run a teacher talent show where I get to actually be
(07:25):
up on stage and do amazing, fun things for the kids.
And I mean, I just am like, nope, I this is my this is my school.
I call it my school. It's my school.
And, you know, I love Edison Park.
So, no, I know it's hard to believe, but no, I've never I've never wanted to
ever try to go anywhere else.
(07:46):
You know, my husband is an educator
as well in the Lee County School District. And so is my son, Owen.
He just started a couple of years ago. they both have been to high school and
elementary school and made changes here and there and that's wonderful to them
they like that they love that they're searching for.
They're a perfect spot, and that's great. But Edison Park is it for me.
(08:08):
So, again, another blessing.
I tease that in Magic Kingdom, there's a statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse.
And I tease that out front of Edison Park, I want a statue of Mrs.
Rose and Mickey Mouse when I retire. So that's what I've put in my order.
(08:28):
It will be well-deserved. It will be well-deserved.
Absolutely. And I know you are, if you don't know now, you will, that Maria Mrs.
Rose is a very big Disney fan, I'd say. I think that's safe to say.
In fact, and once again, I believe this is true. If not, please let me know.
(08:51):
You're a Golden Apple recipient from the Foundation for Lee County Public Schools. Was it 2017?
2018. 2018. 2018. And then I know your husband, James followed 2019.
Yeah. Right. And kind of went that way, but Disney, uh,
(09:11):
And I could be wrong, but I kind of swore that after you had received your golden
apple, you did take it with you to Walt Disney World.
I did. Okay.
Okay. I thought so. Yep. I did.
And I do have a photo of me and Mickey Mouse and my golden apple.
Yes, sir. I absolutely did.
I wanted to share it with Mickey, for sure. I love it. That is a true Disney fan.
(09:35):
And we just came back from, we went to Disney this weekend. and my wife, Alexis, and the kid.
And we had a great time. And it's really magical.
I thought that was the coolest thing because when we were there and Alexis knew
I was doing the podcast with you and I was talking about it over the weekend
while we were at Disney, of course. Then we're at the Magic Kingdom on Saturday.
(09:57):
And I'm like, I could have swore Maria had her golden apple here. I think so.
And then I kind of was like, man, I should have brought my golden apple too.
Yes. Yeah. Mickey was very impressed. Let me tell you.
He was very impressed. He was grateful. And, you know, he took a picture with me and it was awesome.
And it was it was all I wanted was that picture with Mickey.
(10:18):
And, you know, you know how when the Super Bowl people win and they say,
I'm going to Disney World.
When I called my husband, when they brought me the golden apple,
because I was in absolute shock, I called him.
And that was the first thing I said. I screamed into the phone.
We're going to Disney World.
And he was like, what? So I just thought that that was apropos to take my apple
(10:38):
with me and share that with Mickey, for sure.
I love it. I love it. And obviously, here it is. It's still stuck with me all
these years later. So it left an impression.
Yeah, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Super cool.
Now, you know, so big shock, right?
You win the golden apple. And, you know, as a fellow golden apple recipient
in the academy and teachers, I think we could attest to wonderful, wonderful program.
(11:03):
The Foundation for County Public Schools Inc. People listen to podcasts.
I've tried to get as many Golden Apple recipients on as possible. I love hearing stories.
Tell me a little bit more about your story and how do you feel besides,
you know, the excitement, the journey of the process?
Because, you know, especially with younger kids today, did your students really
(11:27):
or truly understand what was happening when you were going through the selection process?
Because that's, you know, you're young. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it was an absolute honor.
My teammate's son, who I had had in first grade, he was a, goodness,
I think he was a fifth grader that year, and fourth or fifth grader, and he nominated me.
(11:48):
And, you know, they write a little sweet note about you.
And he came over and read the card to me.
And I said, well, you know, I have to fill out the application now because he was so special.
And he became a reader in my class. And we just had a really awesome relationship.
And I thought, well, if he took the time to fill that card out about me.
(12:08):
I had been nominated many, many years, almost every year throughout my teaching
career up to that point, but I had never filled out the application.
So I thought, well, I need to do this in honor of him.
And so I did, and never thinking it was going to go anywhere past that. And then when...
When the office called and said, you need to come to the office,
(12:31):
there's something here for you. And I thought, what are we talking about?
And I knew, you know, we know as teachers kind of what time of the year and
what month and what day that they kind of pass out the you're a Golden Apple
finalist. And then what day they do the the actual recipients.
So I kind of knew that it was getting close to the time where they were going to name some finalists.
(12:52):
And I ran down to the office and there was a gold star balloon and a rose.
Nose and I started to scream and they were like, what's going on?
They didn't understand what's going on. And I said, oh my gosh,
you don't know what this means.
And so then my principal came in and, you know, we celebrated with the kids
and I sort of explained to them, I think, you know, this is a really important award.
(13:13):
They're going to come watch you because what is it? 12, 12 unannounced visits
of observations. And I said, you know, they're going to come watch you.
They're going to watch me. They're going to see how we do in our,
in our our classroom and our family and whatnot.
And I had showed them a picture of the golden apple trophy.
And I said, you know, we could win it. Our class could win a trophy.
And one of my students said, well, if you win, will we win a trophy?
(13:37):
And I immediately said, oh, absolutely. Yes. A hundred percent. You will win a trophy.
Well, again, not ever thinking that we were going to, I was going to be a recipient.
Shocked, shocked. And that actual day when they came and brought me at the golden
apple, that same child said, where's our trophy?
And I said, well, buddy, you got to give me a minute. And I actually did.
(13:59):
I ordered them all their very own gold apple trophies.
And they still, you know, now they are, they're going into eighth grade,
bless their sweet little hearts, and they all still have them.
And there's something really, really special to them.
But they really bought in, they really wanted to show.
What they were learning and what they had learned and how much we had accomplished.
So they bought in for sure. Yeah.
(14:21):
That's awesome. I love it because I had, well, my Golden Apple class,
fifth graders, you know, teach fifth grade.
So they, you know, they're older, a little bit more mature in some ways and
understood, but they were probably as giddy as a primary student.
Student i think when i had you know received
(14:43):
my golden apple we celebrated it was obviously it
was during that 2020 2021 school year
kind of that covid slash hybrid year so
it was it was a little different how we got you know received ours but it it
was it was something i but i love seeing the little kids get excited especially
what one of my favorite things and for those that are not familiar the way that
(15:07):
the foundation of Ridley County Public Schools does the Golden Apple.
We do have a banquet and they have the stage and the recipients are up there
and being celebrated along with the finalists and the teachers of distinction
and all educators who celebrate education and educators, which is fantastic.
But you have a student introduce you and say a little something before you go up and give your speech.
(15:32):
And I think it's the most adorable thing is when the younger kids are the primers for introducing.
It's like, that's what I was like, you know, versus the older kids.
And which was this the same student or you who how did you go about selecting
the student that introduced you?
Because I do remember, you know, your speech and the student was there,
(15:54):
you know, were they vying for trying to get a spot or did you have some?
No, I don't think they didn't really know.
And I didn't really say much about it. But actually, I taught for many,
many years with the student who introduced me. I taught with her mom.
She was a teammate of mine for, oh gosh, eight to 10 years, I think.
And so she was pretty much my teacher best friend.
(16:16):
And so her daughter was in my class and I picked her to be the person who,
and I knew her from the moment she was born.
I like, I went to the hospital to see her and held her in my arms from the moment she was born.
So it was really, really special that both she and her mom could be with me that night.
So that's how I picked who I was going to be oh
very nice i did not know that that's very sweet yeah and then
(16:40):
the following year so 2019 your husband james
yeah he was a golden apple recipient as well yeah amazing awesome just awesome
and i was in his room i said to him i really want to be with you regardless
of whichever way it goes he's like okay and so i was with him in his room and
it was just glorious to to be on the other side of it.
(17:03):
And as you said, the foundation celebrates education and teachers.
And it was just so amazing to watch him because he's unbelievable as a fourth
and fifth grade teacher. So it was really...
Really special for he and I to be together for that because he wasn't in my
room when I received my my award. So to be there with him was great.
(17:25):
But yeah, just we talk a lot about Golden Apple experience.
We still go to the socials and the and the gala.
And it makes you feel so, so wonderful and so special because they do celebrate
education in such a positive light.
When there's all this other negativity out in the world about education and
teachers and students and whatnot.
The foundation finds the positive
(17:47):
and they still celebrate the wonderful educators that are especially,
you know, in Lee County and the students and all of the amazing things that
are still going on, regardless of the other stuff that's going on,
you know, out in the world, the negativity,
the positive reinforcement of teachers.
It's really cool to be out in the audience and be a part of that.
(18:11):
I agree 100 percent. Senate. I always move whenever I attend the banquet,
previously before I received my Glen Apple or afterwards.
You leave inspired. I really do believe that. That's the best way I could describe it.
Usually friends or family, what's it like?
(18:32):
Is it a good time? You leave inspired. You do. You feel rejuvenated as an educator.
You could go out and conquer the world if you listen to some other speeches. speeches, you do.
Yep. Yep. And that's what I say about the whole Golden Apple experience for
me too. Because at that point, I had been teaching 25 years.
So I had had, I had been in teaching for a long time.
And it really did rejuvenate my, my love for teaching and really made me focus
(18:58):
a little bit more on what I was doing in the classroom. And so it was...
Again, another positive aspect of going through that process for me and my classroom
because I had been teaching for so long already that it just kind of jump-started
it a little bit. So it was good.
I got to say, I'll be honest with you. So I was a finalist when you were a recipient.
(19:20):
I was the finalist when James was a recipient.
So after James, you had both received your apples.
And we got to 2020 and 2021, all that stuff. I'm like, well,
the good thing is that both roses already have an apple.
So I feel better about my chances now.
But in all seriousness, though, it's what I love about it.
(19:42):
And once again, if those out there heard previous episodes, I talk about the
friendships made and connections and the networking with fellow educators who
share a passion for education and for students and for learning.
And that's really how we got to know each other on a personal level,
you and I, Chance and I, and many others, you know, that are friends and,
(20:05):
you know, and peers and colleagues. And it's wonderful.
But that's in the past. I want to fast forward now to this year because there
was also a very big, you know, huge accomplishment, an honor bestowed upon you,
well-deserved, you know.
Thank you. In addition to being a Golden Apple recipient and you are the 2024
(20:27):
or 2023-2024 school year Lee County Teacher of the Year.
And which congratulations. Another wonderful, well-deserved.
Can you tell me a little bit more about that experience? And was it similar
to the Golden Apple experience?
Different? Yeah. Tell us a little bit about that.
(20:49):
That was another amazing accomplishment, by the way. Well, yeah.
Another shock as well. So thank you very much.
But we they sent out an email and, you know, we were it was a little bit different
because teachers in all over Lee County were able to nominate each other, basically.
And so I was nominated and they sent me an email and said, you know,
(21:11):
here's the application.
And I thought, well, let's go ahead and do this.
And honestly, I looked at the questions. I was like, OK, yeah,
I feel all of these things.
They were easy for me to write. I'm not an essay writer, but I was like,
all right, yeah, I can do this.
And so I did. and once again, not ever expecting.
I've always witnessed other people winning Teacher of the Year.
(21:34):
And I thought, that's really cool.
That's really cool. You know, and at this point in my career,
I thought, that's kind of a neat thing. Let's go ahead and go for that.
And I never really thought much more about it. And then, you know,
that you get an email that says, congratulations, you moved on to the next phase.
And the next phase was, you know, I think it was a letter of recommendation
for my principal and a resume for which I have not made a resume ever, except for 30 years ago.
(22:00):
You know, so that was kind of fun. I was like, oh, I need to make a resume.
So I enlisted the help of James, you know, to help me make a resume.
So that was kind of fun to go back and look at the things that I had done and
accomplished throughout my career beyond teaching at Edison Park.
You know, that was really easy. Teaching at Edison Park, 1991 to present,
you know, so that was really easy.
And or 1993 the president 91 is when
(22:23):
I interned but and then you move on and there
was another email that said they were an
interview you had to do an interview and that's when I got nervous I
was like oh boy interview that okay I'm gonna try and to be honest with you
I don't remember what they asked or what I said but one of the things they said
after the fact was that they could hear the the passion and the love in my in
(22:47):
my voice and in my answers and so I thought okay well that's wonderful.
I bragged, bragged on my kids. I have two students who started at, you know, zero.
They were not on, they were not reading at all and, and really couldn't tell
me more than single sounds of letters.
And I, I teach a really awesome phonics program and it really has made so many
(23:10):
readers out of, turned students into readers right in front of my eyes.
It's magical again, but, But, and so I bragged about them and I think I cried
and she was like, you are, I could just feel your passion. After the fact,
she told me, you know, I could just feel your passion.
I was like, all right. And then I kept telling my, um, my principal.
They haven't observed me yet. You know, I was used to Golden Apple where they
(23:31):
came 12 times, 12 different people came and they observed me.
It was a big deal to watch you teach. And so they they weren't.
That was never one of the things that they said. So I thought,
well, OK, I just kept telling my principal, what's next? Do they come to watch
me? When do they come watch me teach?
You know, I kept preparing my kids
for it because I wasn't sure if it was going to be a surprise or what.
And so then I get an email that says, congratulations, you moved on.
(23:54):
This is after the interview. of you and she said you
know you moved on we're going to come observe you teaching on
i think it was december 19th at 8 15 in
the morning and in my mind and i know you know how this feels joe in my mind
as a teacher i thought three days before christmas break you're going to come
exactly and it was also it was also our day of field day it was our field day
(24:17):
day and i thought well okay and And I told my principal, I said, listen,
if I can teach at this day,
three days before Christmas break and the day we're supposed to be out at field
day, then I can teach. I'm good.
You know, and she I kept saying, well, we have field day. And she said, don't worry.
Don't worry, though. They'll be here at 815. You'll be done by nine. No problem.
(24:38):
Well, lo and behold, I I was ready.
But my kids were ready. I was ready. And in walked the superintendent.
And I was like, wait a minute.
He's not he's not here to observe me. And then our tech person came in with
her camera and then a whole bunch of people came in.
And I said, oh, my goodness, you're not here to observe me. This is it.
(25:00):
And my mom, who is who was the 2022 state volunteer of the year.
Wow. Bless her heart. She volunteers every day in my class, every single day,
all day long. So I again, one more blessing for Mrs. Rhodes.
She was in the room and I said, did you know about this? And she's like, nope.
And James snuck in around the corner. I didn't see him.
(25:20):
My kids were like, my kids were like, what's going on? Because then I was crying.
And so then they're like worried about me. Why is my teacher crying?
What? I thought we were somebody who's going to watch us learn what's happening.
And so then we went through the whole process and,
james out of nowhere the superintendent says i just had
he told me that that he had just
had a conversation with my husband and then turned around and there was james so
(25:42):
that right there was the best moment of the entire process when he james was
there it was just because he wasn't there for the golden apple so it was really
really awesome to share that with him and then they shake your hand and say
congratulations you're lee county teacher of the year which i I couldn't believe.
(26:02):
And then we started the process for the Florida Teacher of the Year,
which is quite a process.
So I still can't believe it, Joe, to be honest with you. But it's really cool.
That's so awesome. I'm just over here listening. I got this big smile on my
face just hearing this story.
It's so touching and moving to know what it's like to have your spouse there and celebrate with you.
(26:25):
I was fortunate to have that with Alexis celebrating with me for the Golden Apple.
One to know that but that's got to really be
kind of surreal you're expecting one thing
like an observation yeah and they
completely throw you for a loop and they come in and then you see the you know
the head honcho the big guy come in yeah and you know it's real it's happening
(26:47):
like wait a minute and it was my principal who she called the people downtown
and said listen she keeps talking about having an observation so let's let's
make her think she's going to be observed and then And we'll surprise her.
So it was all, I mean, I told her, I'm like, kudos.
That was great. It was perfect. I had no idea.
And so because we were ready to teach our, I was ready to teach our phonics
(27:08):
lesson and my kids were ready to learn.
We then, they were like, I said, I thought you were here for an observation.
They were like, well, okay. And I said, all right, boys and girls,
here we go. So I proceeded then to teach a lesson.
It was really, really cool. And the kids did awesome. And I think I only did
a few minutes and then, you know, you know how it is. Because I couldn't feel my feet.
My feet weren't touching the ground. I really don't even know what I was saying.
(27:30):
And, you know, the kids really loved the fact that they got to showcase what
they thought they were going to show to the people who were in the room.
That's so cool. They were very complimentary.
And it was very, very cool. And then outside and had an amazing field day.
And we actually won tug-of-war.
So Mrs. Rose is superior in tug-of-war. So there you go. It was a good day. It was a good day.
(27:51):
Everything was coming up roses, as they say.
That's right. Now, have you had an opportunity as far as the state level goes?
Because you do go on for state teacher of the year to meet fellow educators,
fellow district teachers of the year.
Is that something that will happen over the summer? Has already happened.
I think that'd be really amazing to network and meet a whole new group of educators beyond our district.
(28:21):
And actually, I went to a baseball game with my students to one of the Mighty Muscle games.
And while we were there, we were celebrating their reading. They each won a
free ticket to the baseball game.
And while I was there, the Collier County Teacher of the Year threw out the first pitch.
So I actually did get to meet her, which was very exciting.
(28:44):
So I do know one person. And then there is also a Facebook 2025 Teacher of the
Year Facebook group that we are all a part of, all 74 of the district teachers.
So we've met each other on there, just kind of sharing our little stories.
And then all told, we will get to meet each other face to face in July at the
(29:08):
Commissioner of Education Roundtable event and gala.
And that's at the end of July. That sounds like an awesome opportunity to be
able to meet and network with fellow educators,
especially, you know, district teachers of the year and and kind of just talk
about how things are, because overall,
(29:29):
we all know what is what it feels like to be an educator.
But I do think that each district is slightly different kind of in their needs
and what they're experiencing. So we kind of let our own little bubble of our district.
So we don't really know what's happening in Hardy County, Hendry County and so on.
(29:52):
So to have that opportunity to see, oh, this is what you're experiencing or
how do you handle this situation in your districts versus how we do it, say, in Lee County.
And, you know, it sounds like bring these ideas and these conversations back
to the local level and then disseminate and share out with district leaders.
And then with educators, which I think is pretty awesome.
(30:13):
Yeah, it is. And honestly, the little Facebook group that we're all part of,
everyone has been so positive. It's like that Golden Apple group.
You know, everybody is so positive about education and so positive about what
they do and they love what they do. So I'm looking forward to really feeling that.
Positive energy with a group of educators, like I did with Golden Apple when
(30:33):
we went down to Collegium at Sanibel, just like that.
So now I anticipate that James will be teacher of the year next year, of course, right?
Well, that's what I told him. I'm like, all right, your turn. Yeah.
That's a big shoes to fill there. Gotta get on it.
That would be awesome. Yeah, that would be so you have
not taught past second grade have
(30:56):
you had no upper elementary it's no
see i once again unicorn i i feel because sometimes i feel people dabble and
that's is there a reason why you choose to you know stay in primary or i know
you're very passionate about Yeah.
(31:47):
Well, I tease my kids and I tell them, my students, that once you're taller
than me, I cannot teach you.
So that's what stops me at second grade. So that was my tease to the kids all the time.
But yes, you know, the foundation we are finding even more so how important
the foundational skills for children are.
(32:08):
I mean, let's be honest. We're competing against a computer, iPad.
TV, you know, YouTube. So the children are not sitting on their parents laps
reading like they used to.
And so I find it that is my passion.
Like you said, I've got to get these children reading fluently before they move
(32:31):
on even to second grade. And that was a hard transition for me.
Because I knew when I looped that I had another year, like if they weren't quite ready, yet.
I had another year to get them going.
But now that I'm only a first grade teacher, I put it on myself that,
oh my gosh, they've got to be reading fluently, I say, before they walk up the
(32:52):
stairs to second grade at Edison Park.
Because as we know, the skills and the objectives and the expectations of these
children have come down to the grade level prior.
And they are, are, in some cases, overwhelming what the children need to be able to do.
So where it used to be, second grade was more reading and more independent reading.
(33:16):
And, you know, the second half of second grade was where you were an independent learner.
You read to learn. And then first grade was learning to read.
But now, by the time they leave first grade, the expectation is when they walk
in that second grade door, they are reading to learn independently.
And that is a lot for a seven-year-old. So I really,
(33:40):
really, I mean, I push my kids and we have found, as I said,
that phonics program that I use is perfect, a perfect foundational skill.
It lays the foundational layer of that ladder.
Learning to read is like a ladder. You have to have the bottom two rungs before
you can do anything else.
(34:01):
You can't skip to the third one. It just isn't going to work.
So my job, my passion, my love is to give the children the tools to learn to
read and then watch them learn to read.
Is just an added bonus to what I get to do every single day.
I think in my Golden Apple speech, I said it was like watching a child learn to walk.
(34:23):
You know, they fall down, they stand up, they fall down.
And then, you know, you don't even know what happens, but all of a sudden they
just take that one step and a couple of steps and then they're running and you
cannot catch up with them.
And that's exactly how a child learns to read. It's a few letter sounds.
Then you watch them figure out, oh, they put these sounds together And that makes a word.
(34:45):
And then they're they're sounding out every single sound in a word.
And, you know, it takes them four minutes to read one page in a book.
But then they start to memorize that. Oh, oh, this is this word. And this is and then.
Wow. When I sit in my room, because, you know, first grade silent reading is not silent.
No, not at all. No, there's no silence. And when I sit and I listen and mom
(35:09):
and I just this year, There was those same two that I was talking about earlier,
but they all of a sudden you hear them and they're reading out loud,
but they're reading like fluently reading.
And she looks at me and this year she said, Miss Rose. And I'm like,
I hear it. You know, and it's there isn't anything better.
It's it's better than any gold apple sitting on the corner of your desk.
(35:31):
Let me tell you that child learning to read. I know now that I can send him
to second grade and he's going to be OK. And he's going to eventually graduate
high school and get a job and be okay in life because he knows how to read.
Wow, I get to be part of that. It's really amazing.
And I do. I think, unfortunately, at times it is overlooked because we get fixated
(35:55):
on school grade and what our, you know, our data looks like and all these things.
And how are they doing on the FAST? And how are they doing on the FSA before that?
That and how they do it on the fcat before that that we
just if we don't have children that can
read or read fluently or comprehend
what they're reading none of that matters no and
(36:18):
i have had this year i had two i beg please send
them down please send them back i have two third graders two third
grades sweet lovely little girls and they come to my room every day
and guess what they learned what sounds letters make one of them was an ell
student you know english is her second language and she now knows what sounds
the letters make and she's putting sounds together to make words and that is
(36:41):
so much more valuable for that young lady than sitting in a classroom.
Getting a passage that she can't read at all yeah it's hard especially like
i said is it like you know even my own fifth graders over you know throughout
my career and having students that are not on grade level or that are reading
so out of first second grade level and you feel for them you support them,
(37:06):
you accommodate them and all those things you use your strategies to support
them however you see them struggle and just reach that point of frustration
that is just overwhelming because they still can't blend sounds together,
they can't segment words and all those things it breaks your heart because the
pressure and you know the third, fourth and fifth grade teachers are tasked
(37:30):
with with such high expectations for, obviously, for the student learning,
which is wonderful, and for their reading and their problem solving.
But without those bottom two rungs of the ladder, that poor child is really,
really tasked with a challenge.
And that's difficult because you have to move on. You know, you have objectives
(37:52):
and things that you, as the fifth grade teacher, you need to teach that.
You know, you have to move on and you have to teach. which Charlotte Rafferty
taught us to teach to the top.
She always used to say, teach to the top and the others will rise.
Teach to the top. And I firmly believe that.
They will rise. They will. It's going to be okay. They're going to, oh, okay, I get it now.
You know, but without those foundational skills, and I...
(38:17):
And it's just, it's my absolute goal in my life to just teach as many kids as
I can how to read because I know they can do so much with that gift.
Now, what would you say, and so now you're talking 30 years, right?
You're going to get your 30-year pen, you know, veteran, primary teacher.
(38:39):
And you've seen a lot over these 30 years. I know my 19 years,
I feel like so much has changed.
It's really the landscape of education in general.
And let's be honest, there's a lot of teacher burnout.
I feel like it's ramped up. It's amplified over these past few years more so,
(39:03):
as that seems to me that way.
And teachers are leaving the field in droves.
We're mass access whatever you want to call it
this is happening how do you what
would be your advice to an educator that
is new to the professional like how do you is there a secret to longevity is
(39:24):
it something that like keeps you going like and if you ever encountered a mentor
someone over your career who gets to that point where they're frustrated and like i think maybe
I'm not cut out to be a teacher or how do you do this?
And how do you do this at this level, you know, for the, you know,
(39:45):
this many years, what kind of advice can you give educators that are out there
that are new or, or at that point of, you know, burnout and to keep going, kind of push through.
I think the first thing I would say is I absolutely understand.
I absolutely understand.
And you're right. It's hard. It's really, really hard. I think the second thing that you have to.
(40:06):
Really work on is getting the parents to be a partner with you.
Without the partnership between you and the parents, it's a one-sided fight
and it's an uphill climb for sure.
And, you know, that, as I said, with the technology and whatnot,
you know, even parents are feeling that with their children.
I mean, I'm a parent of two children who are in their 20s, but,
(40:28):
you know, I lived through it where I was fighting a computer game or a television
show and, you know, we've got to focus on this homework and we've got to get this done.
And parents are, they're working so hard and everything is so expensive and their time is limited.
So I think opening up that communication with parents and giving them tools.
I've had so many parents who have said, you know, what can I do? What can I do?
(40:50):
And I made a YouTube channel for that reason, because we were home learning during COVID.
And so I had made all these videos while I was teaching from home.
And I thought, well, what should I do with these?
And my amazing son who knows how to make a YouTube channel made a channel for
me and I uploaded all those.
And I've since put, you know, me saying the sounds of the phonograms and things
(41:11):
on that YouTube channel.
And so that's one way it's electronic, but they're learning kind of a thing. And it's me.
So it's their teacher. And, you know, it's really kind of fun because the kindergarten
kids think that I saw you on TV, they say.
So, I mean, that's great for your self-esteem, you know, but, um, oh yeah.
You know, that partnership with with parents i think it's you know more than
(41:32):
half of our battle if we can get them to help us at home because we really only
have them six hours and then you've got a special and a lunch and a recess you
know so it really does time is very limited and i know that especially in the.
Secondary classes third fourth and fifth grade i know that you all feel that
crunch even more than than we do because there's so much content that has to
(41:55):
be delivered and taught and the children have to just stay with you and their
stamina isn't ready for that yet.
So in my experience in first.
My kids, not only do I teach them to read, but the love of reading.
So I've got kids who are literally sneaking out a book during the math lesson
or they're taking a book to recess or they're taking a book to lunch or their
(42:18):
parents email me and say, oh, my gosh, what am I going to do?
I can't get enough books for them to read.
You know, and I have to let's go to the library and get a reading card and they
can check out 15 or whatever it is at the public library.
And, you know, that was the answer to her prayers this week,
this year. And that is huge.
The communication with parents. They need help and they want to hear your ideas on what they can do.
(42:40):
I also think that within a school building, if a staff supports each other,
you know, we need the support too. Teachers need to help each other.
Teachers need to cheer on each other. Teachers need to say, attaboy, good job.
Keep it up. You know, we need to hear that just like the kids do,
you know, from administration, from your partner, from parents,
you name it. I always tell anyone who asks me, you know, what should we do for
(43:04):
teacher appreciation? And I'm like, write a note.
I don't, all I love, I love a handwritten note from a parent that tells me thank you.
That's the best thing I can ever hear. Or that their child loves to read and
they read a book before they went to bed last night or whatever.
You know, those kinds of things are really, really special to educators.
And those are the things we need to hear. year. And that's why I think most
(43:26):
of the programs that I've been able to be a part of with Golden Apple and Teacher
of the Year, they are still positive about education.
So that's been helping, that's really been helping me stay positive.
We have to stay positive and we have to support each other because it's a lot,
there's a lot of negativity about education out there.
And, you know, parents are tired and the kids are tired and coming out of COVID,
(43:49):
it's been different for all of us.
You know, that was a time when, I mean, my goodness, they were home learning
through a computer screen.
And it was so stressful for all of us. And the parents were trying to work and
the kids had to be home alone.
It was just a lot that we had to build upon.
And, you know, I think some of the students are still suffering from what they lost during COVID.
(44:13):
And so we're also, that's also an uphill climb for them and for us.
And so we just have to be Be kind and supportive and cheerleaders.
You know, we really got to cheer each other on like it's going to be OK.
And my and my personal experience at school, I have I have teachers who have
asked me, can I come and can I watch?
Absolutely. I would rather you come into my room. It's so much easier for me
(44:36):
to show you rather than explain it.
Let me just show you some of the tools I have in my teacher tool,
though, you know, and and we can share because I've learned things from brand
new teachers, too. You know, some amazing things that I incorporate into my classroom.
So I think supporting each other along with the parent communication and partnership are huge.
(44:58):
I honestly, I couldn't agree more. I think the support, it's so crucial that
we do support one another.
I love how you had mentioned about some of your colleagues wanting to come and
watch and not only learning from you, but like you had said,
you also are learning from, you know, your colleagues as well.
(45:19):
And being willing to, you know, adapt and, you know, always willing to learn.
And I think that goes a long way in longevity, being successful in the classroom,
you know, or being successful in this career as an educator.
And I kind of stuck it one way. I think you do need to adapt and evolve over
(45:41):
the course of your career and versus being resistant to change.
And it's hard. You know, you're talking to a teacher who taught on an overhead
projector and now I teach on a Promethean board.
I mean, there's two totally different things. And, you know,
thank goodness my husband is an educator who can help me with those things because
he's really good at all that technology stuff.
And I go, what? How do I do that? What do I click? What do I do?
(46:03):
And then those younger, brand new teachers, that's all they know.
You know, they're not afraid to click on things where I'm worried if I click
on this, what's going to happen?
You know, so they those kinds of things they've taught me. And just simple,
you know, teachers are really the best at walking into somebody else's classroom
and looking around and taking notes.
Like, what do you got in here that looks? Oh, yeah, I love that.
(46:23):
Let me let me write that down. Let me get that back to my classroom.
You know, we're really good at stealing from each other.
Absolutely. I know that whenever I attend some sort of PD and if I go to another
school on our campus, campus,
I'm doing like a visual assessment within the first five minutes,
like looking around and just scanning the room for, I like this. I don't know about that.
(46:44):
Yep. I want to take this back. And I take that little note. It's like,
yep, I'm going to steal that, borrow that and kind of put my own little spin on it.
Absolutely. And now that I've been in my career for so long,
when I go to different PDs,
It's the best PDs are the ones when I can actually take something literally
back to my room immediately and use it.
(47:05):
So those are the ones that I'm like, yes, I love that. Let me take that back.
You know, so we're really good at stealing, like I said, stealing from each other.
And as long as you're open to new ideas, like you said, it's hard,
you know, especially as I've been a teacher for so long, it's hard.
For some things, some things to me are non-negotiable. The phonics program that
(47:26):
I use, I'm like, it works, and I'm sticking with it. And there are some things
we've added and tweaked.
And just this week, a teacher was sick, and her class came.
I literally taught her class and my class with the substitute because the sub
didn't know all of the sounds and whatnot. So I said, just bring them in.
And her kids said one thing different than my kids, and I loved it.
And I was like, oh, I'm taking that.
Yeah, let's add that in. You know, one more clue to the sounds that these three letters made.
(47:51):
So I loved that. And I told her when she got back, I'm like,
they taught me something new.
You know it was really cool though and that has to feel
really good especially you know it's the colleague that hears this
you know saying wow you know like kind of have
you know an esteemed colleague like this or you know teacher
of the year all those things like oh that's good I think
that's a confidence booster too and I wish you had a feel
(48:12):
good about yourself we had talked about rejuvenated all those
things so so you
so you're teaching and your husband's teacher and you said
your son he's a teacher as well now are you going and so uh we're just kind
of keeping it in the family is like the inner conversation all centered around
education like what's going on here um a lot of times it is you know james teaches
(48:36):
fifth grade so the like the.
Challenges are different for the two of us. I'm at the beginning of the learning
and he's at the end of the elementary learning and getting him ready for middle school and whatnot.
But yes, there is a lot of back and forth.
And Owen, I'll say he was in high school.
He taught AP Calc and Geometry, all of the things that I'm like,
(48:58):
oh, no, thank you. No, thank you.
And he went to elementary and he tried elementary.
He went with James to elementary school to teach fifth grade math.
And he has since decided he's like, yeah, no, high school is for me.
So, see, he's one who doesn't mind going out of the box and trying new things.
And so I was proud of him for that. But he decided that, oh, that higher math.
He's he has a software engineering degree. So that higher math is all for him.
(49:22):
He loves that, you know, that stuff.
So he's going to go back into high school math.
And James and I are going to stay where we are in elementary.
But it's really cool that James and I get to share the like the Golden Apple
experience together. And I call it the teacher prom.
We get to go to the teacher every year, every year together and,
you know, get dressed up. And it's really fun.
(49:44):
And we were high school sweethearts. So we did actually go to our high school prom together.
So that's kind of fun that we, you know, get to go to what I call the teacher prom.
But it's also a blessing, I think, because we absolutely understand what educators
are going through and having to what obstacles we have to jump over these days.
(50:07):
James was not always a teacher. He was a business owner prior to becoming a teacher.
And so the first half of my career, the first 20 years, he wasn't an educator.
So he didn't really know exactly what I was talking about or the frustrations
that I was having or the concerns that I was having. And so then when he became
a teacher, it was really cool that we could sit and talk about the same things.
And he completely understood that teacher tired is a real thing.
(50:31):
You know, he understands that now. So it's cool.
And it's a blessing for us that we're both educators and we can kind of support
each other through, you know, if we're having a rough moment or,
oh, what about this? And what should I do for this? Yeah.
Are really good at sharing those ideas with each other and kind of building
each other up. And, you know, who's counting that we have nine days left?
(50:52):
Not us. No, right?
Well, it's been an absolute pleasure talking to you this evening.
And I could go on and talk to you for hours, you know, if I really do when I get a new year.
I know there are many more wonderful things in store for you.
Thank you. ...lustrous career. And, yep, I'm going to be keeping a close eye on James next year.
(51:18):
And then, oh, if the golden apple, you know, I kind of see how the rose family goes.
Right, no pressure, really. Not at all. I'm going to message him later privately,
like, listen, buddy, I got a lot to live up to now.
But it's been wonderful. And for those listening to this episode, the title says it all.
Teaching is an act of love. and you could
(51:40):
hear i understand what you were talking about now
when you had mentioned the passion that was heard
when you had your interview for teacher of
the year because i honestly could hear that passion also coming through this
conversation when you were talking about your children learning how to read
your students and just seeing them grow in those bottom runs of the ladder it's
(52:01):
just it's inspiring and it really is and thank you i i always say i I want to be, you know,
Maria and James Rose when I grow up. Thank you, Joe.
Once again, on that note, this is season two, episode 13 of the No Frills Teacher podcast.
I'm your host, Joe Camps. And joining me once again this evening is the lovely Maria Rose.
(52:25):
Maria, thank you for your time and for your contribution to this field of education,
this career, this profession of ours.
Thank you, Joe. It's absolutely my pleasure. And I really have enjoyed talking with you.
Like this conversation make sure to leave a comment or subscribe to the no frills
teacher podcast you can check us out on podbean or any other major podcast platform
(52:47):
all right that's it for this evening this is the no frills teacher podcast i'm
joe camps have a good night.
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