Maria DeRosia was born in the Philippines and moved to Michigan when she was five. She grew up in Howell with her father, mother, two older brothers, and two younger sisters. After graduating from Howell High School, she attended the University of Michigan, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and then received her Elementary Education Teacher Certification. Later, she pursued and received her master’s degree in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College.
DeRosia worked as a substitute teacher, long-term substitute teacher, and a technical assistant in AAPS before being hired at Haisley Elementary School as a fifth-grade teacher. She stayed in that position for 12 years, teaching both fourth and fifth graders, and teaching summer school math for eight years to 3rd-6th graders.
She then moved to Eberwhite Elementary, again teaching fourth and fifth graders. She is now finishing her 30th year with AAPS.
Eberwhite Principal Michelle Hubbard says DeRosia is an exceptional teacher dedicated to fostering student learning and success.
“She has built strong, meaningful relationships with both students and parents, becoming a respected leader within the school community,” she says. “Known for her expertise in mathematics, Maria has played a pivotal role in guiding the math curriculum at Eberwhite. Her commitment to excellence recently earned her a spot as one of 16 National Math Content Consultants, where she collaborated with top educators on an alignment study. With her deep knowledge and passion for teaching, Mrs. DeRosia is truly a shining star at Eberwhite.”
DeRosia lives in Grass Lake. She has five sons: T.J., 31; Lucas, 24; Carter, 21; Jace, 20; and Sam, 13, a daughter-in-law, Showlin; and two granddaughters, Asmara, 2, and Aveena, nine months. She loves to play board games, bake, garden, and play pickleball.
What inspired you to become a teacher?
When I think back to when I was a kid and what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always wanted to be a teacher. I would play school with my siblings (and my stuffed animals and dolls, too), taking home the extra worksheets my teachers would just throw away at the end of the school year.
In college, I thought I wanted to be a pediatrician. In my freshman year, I took a child psychology class, with one of the requirements being a “big sister” to a struggling elementary school student in AAPS. I realized then that I liked working with and teaching kids more than just helping them feel better. Helping my “little sister” with her homework, tutoring her in math, and just listening to her talk about school convinced me that I needed to pursue a teaching career. Thank you, Shakeena, for showing me the way!
How do you like teaching at AAPS, and at Eberwhite in particular?
I tell people I love my job and I really mean it. The students I have taught in AAPS have given me an unforgettable experience, and I am thankful for how I have grown as a teacher throughout my career because of them.
Another reason I love my job is because of my colleagues. At both Haisley and Eberwhite, I have had the privilege of working with some of the most fantastic, dedicated, fun-loving, and supportive teachers, administrators, and staff. It is so important to have colleagues who work together, encourage each other, have each other’s backs, and become some of your best friends.
Finally, I have had the pleasure of working with two of the best school communities around. The wealth of knowledge that parents have and are willing to share in the classroom, the selfless volunteerism for field trips and school activities, the generous support for needs I have in the classroom, and the wide range of opportunities that the city of Ann Arbor and the campus of the University of Michigan have to offer schools in the area is a true blessing.
What classroom management techniques have you found most effective with fifth graders?
That’s an easy question with a simple answer: hold high expectations, be consistent, and follow through. I have always believed that as a parent, and I apply it in my classroom. If you say it, mean it, and hold them to it, and do it!
What is the biggest challenge you face as a teacher in 2025?
Every year since coming back to in-person teaching since schools were shut down in 2020 due to COVID-19, I think about what grade my current fifth graders were in when we went to online learning. I have seen so many ways that this difficult and unexpected period of teaching and learning affected kids at different age and grade levels.
Currently, the students who are in my fifth-grade classroom now, in 2025, were in kindergarten when the pandemic started and didn’t return to full-time in-person learning until second grade. Many “basic” academic and social skills are learned in K-2nd grade, which is crucial to success in subsequent grades, and these kids missed out on these. For example, how to hold a pencil or how to interact positively with peers are just a couple of the skills that were nearly impossible to teach and learn virtually and continue to be a struggle for students who are now in fifth grade.
So as a teacher in 2025, students lack some basic skills that prevent them from succeeding in the fifth-grade curriculum and interactions with their peers. Imagine having to teach converting fractions when students still count on their fingers to add and subtract, or expecting a well-written five-paragraph essay from students who struggle with legible letter formation. Don’t get me wrong: These are challenges every year, but so much more with these kids who missed out on a typical learning experience in K-2.
What’s most rewarding about your work?
One of the most rewarding things about my work is when students come back to visit me with a huge hug. I love hearing about what they’re doing and where they are in life. Even if I run into a parent of a former student, I always ask and love hearing updates about their lives. If I run into a former student themself, I love the look on their face when they say, “Ms. DeRosia, do you remember me?” and I reply, “Of course I do!” and then I try to pull their name out of my back pocket, which is overflowing with 800+ names. To be honest, I don’t remember their names all of the time, but to know that they remembered me fills my heart with joy.
What do you find most rewarding about teaching fifth grade specifically?
What I find most rewarding about teaching fifth grade specifically is the conversations I have with them. Whether it’s the unique way they explain a solution to a math problem, the discovery they make about a character when they are reading, their amazement during a science experiment, or sharing what they look forward to doing over the weekend, I learn something new from them all of the time. Making sure they know that I listen and truly hear them is one of my main goals when building relationships with every student. Relationships that last long after they leave my classroom may be a result of the safe and caring environment that I strive to provide each year.
How do you prepare your students for the transition to middle school?
I think I prepare my students in many ways for the transition to middle school. Teaching organizational skills like writing daily in their planners or giving them self-confidence in math, I hope to teach them life lessons that will help them through those challenging pre-teen years. I model and reinforce empathy, loyalty, perseverance, learning from your mistakes, and owning up to when you’re wrong. One of the main life lessons I make sure to cover with my students before they leave me for middle school is the importance of thinking about what “reputation” (character trait) you want to be known for. This last life lesson is a very important yet difficult concept for fifth graders to realize and actively practice. I want them to understand that their actions, choices, and words influence how they are perceived by others.
What projects or activities have your students been most excited about this year?
My students enjoy listening to our chapter book read alouds. Even fifth graders enjoy hearing a story read out loud to them and forming a picture in their minds about what is happening. They ask some very thought-provoking questions, and we have some of the best discussions of the year around both fiction and non-fiction books.
How do you spend your summers?
This summer I plan on spending a lot of time with my two granddaughters.
Additionally, I usually spend my summers going to local farmers markets, planting my flower and vegetable gardens, playing pickleball, and going on long weekend trips around the great state of Michigan, visiting breweries and lakeshores with my family and friends.
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