Retiring teacher leaves a 27-year legacy at PIE
Ending a 35-year career as a primary school teacher, Theresa Roach bid a fond farewell to the students at Pine Island Elementary School last month. As a teacher, Roach spent the last 27 years at Pine Island Elementary teaching kindergarten students for which she holds many fond memories.
“The best part of being a kindergarten teacher is that these children come to you as individuals. Once you come to learn who they are and what they need, there is nothing better than seeing them develop wings and helping them to fly where they can,” Roach said. “I feel the best way this can be accomplished is to allow them to be who they are and to help them feel comfortable in their school environment.”
Retiring with Roach is a character that all of her students are very familiar with.
“Froggy (a plush frog) is what I call my alter-ego. I begin by introducing him to the children on the first day of school,” Roach said. “Many of the children are a little frightened on the first day of school, so when they come into the classroom, I will have Froggy hidden behind my back and as he overcomes his first-day fears he slowly shows himself to the children. I think this puts them at ease because it gives them something to relate to, in fact, I have found many kids who will talk to Froggy first.”
Throughout the year, Roach calls on her assistant Froggy to also help with a variety of lessons as well.
“I believe that children always learn better when they are having fun. So when it comes to boring things like drills, Froggy will help them to have fun with it,” Roach said. “When I tell the kids it’s time to do letter or number drills, Froggy will get very excited. This gets the kids excited and it turns out to be a fun exercise for everyone. I think if legislatures understood the importance of what real teaching is all about and that by introducing a supportive, creative and fun atmosphere, the children would do far better. If I were to give one piece of advice to a new teacher, it would be to find that part of yourself that is still a child and let it lead the way.”
Since beginning her career, Roach in recent years has found herself instructing the children of her former students.
“It is very interesting to see how these former students turned out. It is very gratifying to find that many of them took my advice when I said to them when you grow up you will have to make choices and it would make me so glad if you grow up to make good choices and many of them truly have,” Roach said. “I also learned early on that I never needed to raise my voice to discipline. As long as the rules are clearly spelled out and the consequences understood, there is no need to yell.”
Roach also felt that a good teacher uses imagination to enhance the learning experience and for her it meant composing songs.
“Through story telling and songs, I have found that if you get the children emotionally involved, they pick up things so much quicker,” Roach said. “For example, I made up a song about subtraction. The subject in the song was a tree in autumn that was dropping its leaves. As each leaf fell one number was subtracted. When the children can visualize something that they understand, it’s not long before they understand the concept of something like subtraction. The songs are not only fun for the kids, but they are learning at the same time. I think it was best put by one little girl who said to me that I loved your song, it made my brain feel happy and brand new. I think that is how learning should be.”
Prior to becoming a teacher, Roach was the owner of the former Island Hardware Store in St. James City for several years and for one year was part-owner of Happy Tap which is now Froggy’s, also in St. James City. When not working Roach enjoys painting watercolor works that primarily depict island life.
“Painting is a family trait and my father was an avid artist. I took it up later in life thanks to the encouragement of my sister,” Roach said. “At one time I had works on display at Bonnie’s Art Gallery in Matlacha and one year my design was selected for the Matlacha Hooker’s annual fishing tournament T-shirt and I hope to do more now that I am retired.”
For many years Roach was known for her very long hair, but last year decided to donate it to one of her favorite causes. Sacrificing her tresses, Roach donated a 25-inch ponytail to Locks of Love. She also served as Mango Queen for the Pine Island Chamber of Commerce in 2006, but these days it is her husband who is in the spotlight.
“My husband Jim Roach is making his second run for Congress and I am having a great deal of fun being at his side,” Roach said. “We will be attending events like Red, White and Boom in Cape Coral on July 4, and later at MangoMania where I hope to see a lot of my students again.”