Henrico's Top Teachers – Robin Milwit, Greenwood Elementary School, kindergarten

At a time during her childhood when her brother was struggling with addiction issues and her parents were focusing on getting him help, Robin Milwit found comfort and safety in the messages from a stranger on television. A few years later, she was working for him.

That stranger? Fred Rogers, better known simply as Mr. Rogers to the several generations of children his famed television show helped raise with lessons of kindness and caring.

“I remember the feeling Mr. Rogers gave me when I didn’t have my parents around [as much] because they were so involved with my brother,” Milwit recalled. “It was good for me to have that safe feeling.”

Milwit’s hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania isn’t far from Pittsburgh, where Rogers’ show was based, and so as a college student she thought it would be fun to help out on the show.

“I called randomly one day and said ‘I’ll do anything, I’ll work for free,’” she recalled. Her offer was accepted, and she worked whatever odd jobs were necessary, alphabetizing video tapes and handling other menial duties for the show.

The lessons she learned from Rogers and her time working for his show left a lasting impact that today helps guide her approach to teaching kindergarten students at Greenwood Elementary School, where she has spent the past 12 years.

Teachers often think that their job is to impart knowledge to students who don’t have it, but Milwit believes that children want more.

“I think students want to see teachers learn,” she said. “Showing them that we want to learn will help them learn better. It’s ok to be humble in front of kids, to humble yourself and let them see that you’re a real person. I love to teach but I love to learn in front of them.”

The social and emotional growth of her students has always been a priority for Milwit, who spent time in adult education before switching to elementary education – a second career that began with two and a half years of teaching first grade in Maryland before her move to Greenwood.

Teaching during COVID-19 made it even more evident to Milwit that students (and often parents, too) can struggle with managing and communicating their feelings. In younger students, that may manifest into tantrums. In older students, it can result in depression.

So, she makes it a point to find ways to connect with, and celebrate, every child in her classroom. Sometimes that means finding a new way to reach a student who hasn’t responded to traditional methods of instruction, and sometimes it simply means standing on a chair and announcing to the class something good that a student has done.

The parent of a student who was in Milwit’s class during the pandemic recalled considering whether virtual schooling would work for the child and sending an email indicating that she might switch her child to a homeschooling plan.

“My phone rang within half hour of sending that email,” the parent wrote. “On the other end was Mrs. Milwit, inquiring about my email, asking about what she can do to help my child stay engaged, encouraging me to give it some time.

“Then we got an email from Mrs. Milwit with a video clip with her super hero cape [on] and eye mask welcoming her little kindergators, or as as she calls them, ‘Milwit Marvels.’ When I showed her video to my five-year-old, he was so excited to meet his new teacher and get to do a clip introducing himself wearing his favorite super hero cape.”

Students in Milwit’s class begin each day by saying good morning, shaking hands with those around them and looking each other in the eyes before talking about good or bad things that happened since the previous day of school. Once each year, each student sits on the “hot seat” and classmates ask five questions, then listen to their answers. It’s a way for students to learn more about each other as people, Milwit said, and a chance for every student’s story to be heard.

Milwit’s career has helped her tell a story of her own – literally. She published her first children's book, Hedda and the Hourglass, based upon the lessons she imparts and also those she learned in her childhood. Its main character is based upon the associate producer from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, whom Milwit befriended during her time as an intern and with whom she has maintained contact over the years. The book tells the story of a girl who struggles with her feelings but learns how to thrive with the help of her teacher and classmates. Milwit’s niece illustrated the book, and the two currently are working on a second book.

It’s likely to be filled with many of the same messages Milwit conveys to her students every day.

Milwit “was graceful and always had a loving tone even when the kids interrupted,” a parent nominator wrote of her teaching style. “She would redirect them and use positive reinforcement without making them feel bad for jumping in. I highly admired her gift, perseverance, and patience throughout this year and was thankful she got to teach my son. I believe she is gem, and every one of her past students’ parents sing her praises."