ALTON - Alton resident Rob Goodwin has received the Teacher of the Year honor two years in a row at Bermuda Elementary School in the Ferguson-Florissant School District of St. Louis County.
Goodwin has been teaching since 1996 and will retire in June 2026. He teaches music at Bermuda Elementary School, which ranges from preschool to second grade.
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“I swear, I think I’ve got the best job in the world,” Goodwin said. “It really is remarkable to receive that honor two years in a row. I was so surprised and so shocked.”
Goodwin explained that his students learn age-appropriate music lessons. Every second grader receives piano lessons through the school, while first graders and kindergartners play rhythm instruments and preschoolers learn nursery rhymes. Goodwin said it is “absolutely endearing” to watch the kids grow and improve their music skills.
While he clearly succeeds as a teacher, Goodwin didn’t always want to be an educator. School meant a lot to him as a child, and he developed a love for music and education as he aged.
“Growing up, I was one of those at-risk kids, and school is what saved me,” Goodwin said. “I had some teachers who heavily influenced my decisions as I was growing up and trying to steer me in the right direction. And then music was my outlet and I was able to express myself, and then that became my passion.”
Today, he does his best to inspire kids like other teachers did for him. He noted that “you just never know who is sitting in front of you,” and he treats each child like they could one day be the President of the United States.
Bermuda Elementary promotes safety, kindness, respect and responsibility, which are traits that Goodwin tries to instill in his students as he teaches them music. He hopes to help them develop the same passion for music and learning that guided him.
Goodwin also noted that he loves living in Alton, and the drive to and from work is “absolutely breathtaking.”
“You just don’t know who you’re educating and you want to try and encourage them and teach them some positive characteristics of being,” he said, adding, “Alton is a fantastic community. We’re so thankful to be a part of the community.”
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