STEAM Teacher in Winder, GA
Austin Road Elementary
Andrea Rowe is a native Georgian and proud Double Dawg. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in early childhood education from the University of Georgia. Andrea currently teaches first grade in Jackson County. Her passion is relationship building and creating a love of learning.
She has spent over 13 years in first grade since fulfilling the near life-long dream of becoming a teacher. She strives to provide hands-on learning opportunities with a focus on integrating agriculture into the curriculum. Each of Mrs. Rowe’s classes learns to care for farm animals that live on school grounds and maintain a year-long garden. Students enjoy inviting community and family to Harvest Festivals, performances, and a feast throughout the year.
Her children, Lanier (9), Henry (5), and Ru (21) are the centerpieces of her personal life. She enjoys gardening, taking walks, reading, and the beach. Her family supports all her fun new ideas and loves it when a new class pet comes home for the weekend.
A favorite Food Education memory:
My favorite food education lesson was “Super Taster”. It happened organically when some students that kale that had gone to seed tasted good and I was gagging. We then tried different items to define the word bitter, learned about how inherited traits help animals in nature, and used PTC test strips.
Favorite Food Education Standard:
FES 1 – Food Connects us is my favorite food education standard. It enhances the sense of community in my classroom while encouraging safe risk taking, communication, and relationship building.
How Pilot Light changed my teaching:
I am at a new school and worked last year to begin our gardens. I recently won a small scale farming grant for $9,000. My aeroponics tower is used for students to grow food for the cafeteria.