A Helping Hand: Robert Rowe

With the fear that comes with transitioning into your first year of high school, walking into Robert Rowe’s classroom is like a breath of fresh air. His positive attitude and dedication to teaching freshman students about the English language. Just by scoping around the area, you notice walls filled with posters and motivational quotes to fuel students with nothing but faith and excitement. There are also various signs with all the basics and fundamentals you need for English. (add a wrap up)

With a family all from various states ranging from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, and the Bahamas, he found himself born in Miami and would later spend 31 years teaching at John A. Ferguson Senior High School—a dream he’s had since he was young. 

He often looks back on all the help he received from his coaches and teachers he had throughout the years. With all these significant figures that have been in and out of his life, the one who shaped him the most was his mother. Although she had never been a teacher, she was regarded to be a teacher in his heart by teaching him everything he needed to know about life as a whole. 

He adds, “Being the first teacher I ever had at home, my mother showed me and my sister everything I had to know.” Displaying the true meaning of the word “mother.”

With all the years he’s spent in this field, he’s taught Language Arts for grades 6th-8th along with P.E and Social Studies, and of course, he’s currently teaching freshman English classes. With all the different curriculums the education system as a whole has seen throughout the several years, he’s always aimed to adapt and constantly learn how to better educate all of his students. 

At first, when he started teaching at Ferguson, it took a toll on him because of how stressful it was to cope with all the work. However, with determination and sheer persistence, he saw past this and found the means to balance it. Methods like posting daily agendas on Schoology to informing students on what has to be done for the day. It keeps both himself, and the kids organized and strays away from chaos. 

Mr. Rowe has always made it his mission to assist and encourage all of his students to achieve their goals and aspirations. Emphasizing on the value of perseverance despite everything. “I like to strengthen their ability to not give up when there’s a challenge or a roadblock in the way of anything related to reading, writing, or even speaking.” Even when his students have their own difficulties or struggles, Rowe shows them that it’s always possible to find a solution. Always walking up and down, and around to check if anyone needs any help. Once he knows everyone is where they need to be, he sits down and immediately gets on top of putting in grades so as to not slack off. 

A huge part of his role as a teacher has always been to understand and connect with his students if they are dealing with any issues, even personal ones. As long as they are willing to open up, he’s always there with open arms and willingness to understand and provide support. His genuine care and kindness as a person is exactly what makes him an excellent model to all his students, and it means the absolute world to him when they let their appreciation be known.

“This student wrote to me a few years ago, maybe like two or three years ago. I had this student in my 9th grade English class who later got a job with NASA, and he said I inspired him. Which certainly caught me off guard, but in the best way possible,” Rowe chuckled. That had been his favorite memory by far throughout his time teaching. Knowing that he had that big of an influence on just that one student alone—to return after years, saying he admired him—might even leave his current students more thrilled for the year!

Although teaching has always been his main focus, outside of that, Rowe enjoys a variety of other hobbies. Things like going fishing and or coaching his son with basketball like his father once did for him. Throughout his whole life, his dad had always cemented his place as his hero. Rowe’s father had taken care of him and his sister, and their mother. He demonstrated how to provide for the family. Rowe’s father expressed the importance of being a gentleman, learning, and education. “He was a good example for me on how to persevere.” Rowe had two loving parents that really paved the way for him and his future. 

Not only did his parents shape his overall character but the tale of “Odysseus”, seemed to make a significant impact on Rowe as well. Odysseus was a Greek hero of Ithaca who was famed for his intellect and cunning. We all need teachers, adults, or even siblings to help aid when you get stuck or do not understand a problem. In the epic poem of Odysseus, he had a key goddess named Athena helping him get to his journey home as well as his crew he traveled with and many other characters in the story that helped.

He further contributes, “I like the challenges that Odysseus goes through because there is some realism to that. Some people think that everything they achieve, they do it on their own without any help, and that is not true. That is what we learn in this epic poem about Odysseus. He did have assistance from the divine and even people. He had help all around, and he needed to be humble and give credit to the people that helped him.” 

This builds the way you see Rowe’s mindset. Everyone gets help whether they notice it or not. Even as little as opening the door to someone that has busy hands, there is always someone out there to help guide you and Robert Rowe is exactly that person.