What if joy isn't something you earn after a hard week but the actual point? Madeline Loring, Pennsylvania's 2026 Teacher of the Year, joins the officer team to talk about building a career around authenticity, engaging students with uniquely themed classroom setups, and why she believes every educator is their school's best recruitment tool.
What if joy isn't something you earn after a hard week but the actual point? Madeline Loring, Pennsylvania's 2026 Teacher of the Year, joins the officer team to talk about building a career around authenticity, engaging students with uniquely themed classroom setups, and why she believes every educator is their school's best recruitment tool.
Do you have some feedback for us? Send an email to podcast@psea.org.
Learn more and watch for upcoming episodes at psea.org/podcast.
Voiceover:
Welcome to Duty Free Lunch, the official podcast of the Pennsylvania State Education Association. Join us as we unpack the issues that matter most to you. From cutting-edge classroom strategies to thought-provoking policy discussions, if it impacts PSEA members, it's on the menu.
Aaron Chapin:
Hello, and welcome to Duty Free Lunch. I'm PSEA President Aaron Chapin. I'm here once again with PSEA Vice President Jeff Ney and PSEA Treasurer Rachael West. Hello to you both.
Jeff Ney:
Hey, Aaron. How are we doing today?
Aaron Chapin:
I'm okay. How are you?
Jeff Ney:
Very good.
Aaron Chapin:
Rachael?
Rachael West:
It's always a great day in Harrisburg, right?
Aaron Chapin:
Yes. My throat's a little dry today though.
Jeff Ney:
Well, it's that time of year.
Aaron Chapin:
We spent too much time in hotels.
Jeff Ney:
There was a lot of time in hotels, a lot of time talking to legislators.
Aaron Chapin:
Yeah.
Rachael West:
Lots of talking last week.
Aaron Chapin:
Lots of talking.
Rachael West:
I'm going to give my voice a little break in between questions here.
Aaron Chapin:
I know. Lots of talking. But you ready to do this podcast?
Jeff Ney:
Oh, I am super excited to do this podcast.
Aaron Chapin:
Well, it's always great. This is now the third time we've done this. It's this time of year where Teachers of the Year have been announced.
Jeff Ney:
Yeah.
Aaron Chapin:
And we get them to come on the podcast.
Rachael West:
I always love hearing their stories about how they got here.
Aaron Chapin:
Me, too. Which is a good thing because that's who the guest is today.
Rachael West:
Excellent.
Aaron Chapin:
All right. Today we are joined by the recently crowned ... Did you get a crown?
Madeline Loring:
My colleague did give me a crown.
Aaron Chapin:
All right. Well, good.
Madeline Loring:
And a sash. Yes.
Aaron Chapin:
Good, good, good. The recently crowned-
Madeline Loring:
My JM team went all out here.
Aaron Chapin:
All right. She's the 2026, got to put my glasses on, Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, Madeline Loring. Maddie's an elementary school teacher in the Jefferson-Morgan School District. That's in the southwest region, for all you geographic nerds out there. She's made it her mission to put joy at the center of her work.
In an article she wrote for PSEA's Voice Magazine, which by the way, you can read in the March edition, Maddie explains how she's built a career around being unapologetically herself. That's fantastic.
Jeff Ney:
That's a wonderful thing.
Aaron Chapin:
That's my philosophy.
Jeff Ney:
Oh, really?
Aaron Chapin:
Yeah. She believes strongly that her authenticity doesn't just impact students, but it changes really the school culture, strengthens retention and helps recruit the next generation of educators. Which everybody whose listening knows that is a huge mission of PSEA.
Jeff Ney:
Yeah.
Aaron Chapin:
Can't wait to hear about it. Can you guys?
Rachael West:
I already said I'm excited.
Aaron Chapin:
All right. Jeff?
Jeff Ney:
I'm always excited to talk about this.
Aaron Chapin:
Well, then let's bring her in. Maddie, welcome back to the podcast. How you doing?
Madeline Loring:
Hello. I'm great. Thank you so much for having on the podcast today.
Aaron Chapin:
Well, it is great. We've heard your story, but we haven't actually met yet so it's great to finally meet you. I know we'll see you down the road very soon. And I can't wait to read your article in The Voice. So let's just jump into these questions.
Again, congrats on being our Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year. I guess a lot of your selection probably has to do with the philosophy, which I talked about in the intro. So you said you've walked into public education not just to teach, but to light sparks and build dreams.
Jeff Ney:
Oh.
Aaron Chapin:
I know.
Jeff Ney:
That's fantastic.
Aaron Chapin:
Yeah, yeah. What does that look like to you on a day-to-day basis, Maddie?
Madeline Loring:
So for me, when I entered my teaching career, my goal was to bring my passions and joys into the classroom because I'm a firm believer that if we bring that excitement and enthusiasm into our classrooms, that's how you really foster that student connection. Which is so meaningful and so important.
So I was known as the girl in high school, when there was a spirit week, I would go all in.
Jeff Ney:
Oh, I love those people.
Aaron Chapin:
Yeah.
Jeff Ney:
Yeah.
Madeline Loring:
Yeah. Disney Day, your girl was wearing her big blue prom dress going as Cinderella.
Aaron Chapin:
I see.
Madeline Loring:
Actually, today is Flamingo Day. We've done an underground spirit week for the teachers. So I am rocking my flaming earrings today.
Aaron Chapin:
Fantastic.
Madeline Loring:
I'm a sucker for a spirit day and for a spirit week. But I wanted to bring that same enthusiasm into the classroom. So when I started in my career, I started as a learning support teacher and I transitioned into a kindergarten classroom. And in my kindergarten class ... I see you shaking your heads.
Rachael West:
God bless you. I just all hail kindergarten teachers.
Jeff Ney:
All hail. They should be the highest paid people in the district.
Rachael West:
Absolutely.
Madeline Loring:
I could not agree with you more. I could not agree with you more. Yeah, I taught kindergarten for nine years. And a part of that, what I liked to do is I had what was called Mad Science Friday and we would do science experiments, and I would wear a lab coat.
Aaron Chapin:
Nice.
Madeline Loring:
And the big white mad scientist wig and my goggles. So I would always tell the kids that I would perform my science experiments at home in my kitchen and then I would bring them into class for us to test them out. So it was funny because that started to stick and I would have students that, through the years would come back and say, "Mrs. Loring, this is what we remember from kindergarten. We remember you wearing the wig, we loved Mad Science Fridays." So that became my thing, to dress up and to do a theme to connect the learning.
So I worked to bring that joy into my classroom. Through now, as a fourth-grade teacher what's been really fun is I had to take kindergarten centers and activities and I've had to tailor them to a fourth-grade level and what fourth-graders would enjoy.
Aaron Chapin:
Yeah, yeah.
Madeline Loring:
So we're actually getting ready to, on this Thursday, we're going to have our Doctor Day. So I will transform our classroom to look like a hospital. So we'll have the white table cloths hanging everywhere, we have fake blood bags that hang, and I wear my lab coat and my stethoscope, and they have their rubber gloves and we do learning centers that are focused on place value.
So that, for me, is the way that I connect with kids, is just finding that joy and just showing them that you can make learning a fun, engaging and meaningful process. And just to really bridge that for students.
Jeff Ney:
So obviously what Aaron said is right, you fully embrace yourself. Rachael, Aaron and I have a combined 250 years in the classroom, or that's what it actually feels like. When did you find out that putting that into the classroom? Because we've met all kinds of educators out there. When did you actually realize that putting that kind of authenticity actually is going to be one of your greatest strengths as an educator to make your students achieve?
Madeline Loring:
Truly, I feel that that took a good five years, if I'm being fair. Because especially with changing placements a little bit in the beginning, you have to really get into that routine and to just find what works for you. So once I started to do that, to do the mad science experiments, that was in my fourth year teaching. So then once I started to get the hang of it and what experiments I wanted to do, and then I was able to start making it more of a consistent where it wasn't just every other Friday or once every nine weeks. We were doing this every Friday that we possibly could.
So that, I would say a good five years just because too, I was teaching in my early to mid-twenties at the beginning of my career. And you're just still finding yourself as an individual. So to work to find your style as a teacher too, there's a lot of learning curves that are taking place there. So it took some time for me to really get comfortable with being me because you want to also respect that you're working and collaborating with other teachers. So my level of extra, as I call it, could be too much for the teacher down the hallway, but I want to collaborate with that teacher and make it work. So it's just about finding that common ground too, that we all have unique talents that we bring to the table and what works for me can work for that teacher down the hallway, but it just might look different and that's okay just because we all have different passions and interests.
Rachael West:
Absolutely. So you've mentioned a lot about your authenticity, and your joy and your excitement about being in your classroom. So you've also said that joy isn't a byproduct of teaching, it is the work. And so I'm wondering, did you have an aha moment where you were just like, "This joy is part of the work?" Or is that something that you decided going in that that was going to be your goal? Or how did that come about that that's something that you focus on?
Madeline Loring:
So I have to be honest, I really feel like my aha moment for my life's work came during student teaching, which is why I'm really passionate about working with student teachers. I try to take a student teacher every year that I can. And I remember being at a little crossroads in my college career where I wasn't quite sure where I wanted to land as far as teaching went because you really start to think about, before you graduate, "What grade do I want to teach in? What would be the right fit for me?" And I just couldn't quite find my niche yet.
So my first student teaching assignment was at Trinity South Elementary School in Washington County and I was in a kindergarten classroom. And I thought, "Okay, this is going to be a challenge," like we just discussed. God bless kindergarten teachers and all of the work they do. And I just thought, "I'm going to go in, I'm going to try and we'll see what happens." And there were just so many moments where ... And my host teacher was really incredible and allowed me to take leadership of the classroom and to really authentically connect with the kids. But there were just so many different discussions and so many fun moments where I thought, "Wow, I'm going to get paid to do this every day."
Jeff Ney:
That's incredible. That's incredible.
Madeline Loring:
"Someone's going to pay me to have fun with kids and to make this connect." And when I left that placement, I remember I got into my Jeep and I just bawled like a baby because I knew that our time together was done.
Aaron Chapin:
Yeah.
Madeline Loring:
So it was, for me in that moment, I thought, "Okay, Maddie, one day you're going to teach kindergarten. It may not be right away, but it's going to happen." And I'm so grateful that I was granted that opportunity because I really do feel too, that working with younger kiddos has helped prepare me for anything along my teaching journey because you do learn to be flexible and to adapt because anything can happen at any given moment. With little ones, you never know what's going to happen or when the next shoe will drop.
Aaron Chapin:
That's true.
Jeff Ney:
You always have to have that plan B.
Madeline Loring:
That was really a memorable experience for me.
Jeff Ney:
You said before that you very much enjoy having the themed experience. We've heard about your restaurants and labs, haunted houses. You and I offline are going to circle back to your Disney days because I'm a huge Disney fan. So tell us a little bit about how those immersive days unlock something in your students that traditional instruction sometimes just doesn't hit.
Madeline Loring:
So I think for kiddos to come into your classroom and to just see, right off the bat, that it looks different and the appearance is different just gives that buy in. That, "Okay, we're doing something new today. This isn't going to be the same." Because I think we're all, in a way, we can all be creatures of habit, but a nice switch up makes it fun and makes it exciting, and kids really look forward to that. So usually with my theme days, I'll have signs hung up on or around my door that allude to what's going on. So then that way, as they start to walk in they already know, "Okay, something's up."
Then once they see that the room is decorated, especially with the Haunted House Day because it's dark and there's black tablecloths hanging and there's Halloween decorations everywhere. They're like, "Wow. What are we getting into today? What is this? What's happening?" So I think it's just that overall atmosphere.
And I think truly for kids too, when they see that teachers are into it, they're all in.
Jeff Ney:
Yeah.
Madeline Loring:
I think as long as they see that there is that excitement, that enthusiasm. That, "Okay, I'm showing up and my teacher is excited for today, so I'm excited for today."
Jeff Ney:
And I'm guessing that it comes as a surprise to them when they show up, you don't tell them about the day ahead of time?
Madeline Loring:
I don't.
Jeff Ney:
Okay.
Madeline Loring:
I don't. Not usually. If there's a reason I need to, if it's coinciding with a project, then I will. If it's something that is coming up that ... For example, next week we're doing a recipe project focusing on fractions. So a part of that incentive after they submit their project is doing a restaurant-themed day. So we'll have a restaurant-themed day next week to celebrate their recipe project. So they know that's coming down the pike. But as far as Doctor Day and Haunted House Day, I just leave all of that go so then that way, the moment they hit the door they're excited and they're seeing something new.
Jeff Ney:
That's great.
Rachael West:
That's awesome. So you've talked about celebrating effort just as much as achievement. And I'd just like to hear what practical ways you build that into your daily routines? Because obviously, we live in a world of testing and grades, and things like that. So how do you get that weave into what you're doing practically in your classroom?
Madeline Loring:
Well, that's the thing, too. I try and strive to create a classroom culture that is positive, that's built on trust. And starting off at the beginning of the school year, I always tell my students, "We're a family. We're in this for a school year, we're in this together. There are going to be days that aren't our best. There are going to be days where we don't get along. But we always have to respect and care for one another." And I feel that that sense of trust and that sense of support really helps to lay that foundation because I feel like, and even thinking back to my time as a student, if I knew that a teacher was invested in me and had that connection with me, I would run into a wall if that meant pleasing that teacher. I wanted to make sure that I was putting forth my absolute best effort.
So I do feel that our students do put forth a fantastic effort most days because we have that sense of trust and that understanding. But I also tell them too, "Not every day is going to be great. There's going to be some days where maybe you didn't sleep well, maybe there's something going on at home that you don't want to necessarily talk about." But it's okay to just say, "Hey, Mrs. Loring, I'm having an off day, this probably isn't going to be my best," and we'll work through that. So I try to really give grace and understanding, and I like to feel that that does help tie into achievement because it allows them to, going back to my theme, be unapologetically you. And I really feel that I try to make kids feel that they can be vulnerable in here, they can make mistakes, and that we're going to still applaud and support one another.
Aaron Chapin:
Maddie, you also believe that educators are the living, breathing recruitment plan for this great profession we're in. Can you talk a little bit what you mean by that?
Madeline Loring:
Absolutely. I really feel that as teachers, it's up to us to really share that joy and enthusiasm with our future teachers. So even circling back to me taking on a student teacher every year. I want every student teacher to feel the way that I felt when I was at Trinity South in that kindergarten classroom. They deserve to have those aha moments, and to feel good about the work that they're doing and to feel inspired. So I really do feel that it's our mission as educators to really help set up the next generation. It is on us to share that teaching is a rewarding career, that you have that opportunity to help students and guide them on their future career paths, and hopefully inspire our students to want to pursue education one day.
Aaron Chapin:
Perfect.
Madeline Loring:
Because I know even with my daughter that you met here, at the end of the day as we're getting ready for bed, she'll say, "Mommy, do you know what I want to be when I grow up?" And of course, she's said before, "I want to be a doctor," or a vet, a police officer. But this past school year I said, "Well, what do you want to be?" And she said, "I just want to be a fourth-grade math teacher like you." And that's, I feel, what it's all about.
Aaron Chapin:
Yeah.
Madeline Loring:
It's just about us igniting that passion into our future educators, into our students to continue that circle, that we want to provide those positive experiences.
Jeff Ney:
Boy, Maddie, your energy is absolutely infectious and you encourage all kinds of educators to model sustainability instead of burnout. So now, we're in a very difficult time in education. Could you tell us what that could look like in real life?
Madeline Loring:
So I think right now in education, and you're right, it's hard. And it's difficult to turn on the television without hearing something that kind of knocks the wind out of your sails as a teacher. And I know I've struggled with that before, where you see things in the media, on social media and it's easy to let that negativity in. To say, "Okay, well, what are we doing?" And I've just tried hard to remind myself that everything that's going on in the outside world, regardless of what's happening, I still have 17 kids showing up and sitting in these seats every single day and I have to be here for them.
Aaron Chapin:
Yeah.
Madeline Loring:
And that it's our job to, unfortunately, we have to try to let that go as much as we can. But we can advocate to support our profession when we're off the clock and when we have that time to do it. I'm a huge advocate for public ed and I want to do that as much as I possibly can. But when we're here, I want to ensure that we are still here to do what we're here to do.
Aaron Chapin:
That's right.
Madeline Loring:
We have a job to accomplish. And if we bring that negative or that feel into our classroom, then that reflects on our teaching and in our interactions with kids. And I really try to keep that separate as much as possible. That no matter what, our kids are coming here and they need us. They need us to give them that positivity and that encouragement because that's just how we continue to build as well, to have this generation become the next supportive group of teachers, doctors, lawyers, electricians, whatever that may be.
Jeff Ney:
That's incredible. Yeah.
Rachael West:
So that's something that you do and that's a belief that you have, and I think it's spectacular. And so there's also the support system that goes with that. So if a district wants to strengthen retention and recruitment, which goes along with making sure it's sustainable and teachers aren't burning out, where do you think those leaders could start? What's a place to start to make sure that they're offering something supportive for our educators?
Madeline Loring:
So if I can, I want to give a shout-out to our administration at Jefferson-Morgan because I do feel that our administrative team really models a positive culture in our district. And it was a large selling point for me when I came to Jefferson-Morgan because I could see, as just a community member at that time and as a parent in the district, how positive our school district is and what they do for kids.
So some of the things that our staff does, just to name a few different items. Our district is really good at providing after school opportunities or outside of school activities for kids. So for example, this weekend we'll be hosting a Book Prom at our elementary school. So our little ones, they bring a book and they get to dress up in a fancy dress or in something that matches their book. And then they're announced and they come out on stage, and they hold their book.
Rachael West:
That's so cute.
Madeline Loring:
And the parents get to come. We complete reading activities and it's a blast.
And then here in a couple of weeks, I will be doing Math Madness with my colleagues. So it is a math night that I implemented when I started here at Jefferson-Morgan and it's a community math night. We hand out math manipulatives that students can use at home. We actually received a grant this year, so each student that comes in receives a bag-
Aaron Chapin:
Nice.
Madeline Loring:
With different manipulatives that they can use at home. But they're going to learn how they can use those manipulatives at the math night. So even with a deck of cards-
Aaron Chapin:
Nice.
Madeline Loring:
... that you can flip two cards, add them together, get the sum. You can flip them and multiply them. So just different things that they can do to practice and enhance their math skills at home.
Aaron Chapin:
Sweet.
Jeff Ney:
That's great.
Madeline Loring:
So I do applaud our staff because it's constant. There's almost something every week or every other week that is inviting the community in to partake with their children. And I do accredit our administration for that because when we have an idea, and my superintendent would be the first to tell you that I've come to him with so many crazy ideas and he'll say, "Okay. If you want to go for it, I fully support you, tell me what you need." And my elementary principal is the same way.
Aaron Chapin:
Great.
Madeline Loring:
He's like, "If you need time to plan, tell me, I can help you. What resources can we provide to you?" And they really just try to make it work so that we have that support, which I feel allows us to add in the extra creativity and the extra fun because they allow us to feel that we can do that. And even our school board too is the same way. They just are all in. So you'll see our school board members at many of our community events that we have. There's just that sense of teamwork.
Aaron Chapin:
Sweet.
Madeline Loring:
That everyone is all in, they support each other. And that's what I'm excited to share about across the Commonwealth this year, is that we are a small rural school district.
Aaron Chapin:
Yes.
Madeline Loring:
And we may not have every single resource at our fingertips, but we more than make up for it in our heart and what we have in our community because we are really fortunate to have a community too, that is so involved.
Jeff Ney:
That's great.
Aaron Chapin:
That is excellent. And Rachael, you know what time it is?
Rachael West:
Is it bonus question time?
Aaron Chapin:
It's time for a bonus question. But, Maddie, you got to keep it to 15, 20 seconds because we are out of time. Hit it, Rachael.
Rachael West:
Okay. So what is one of the most memorable classroom transformations or joyful moments that remind you exactly why you chose this career in the first place?
Madeline Loring:
Ooh. So I would say, last year when we did Doctor Day because it was a part two of my video submission for my second round of the Teacher of the Year [inaudible 00:25:21], which led me here to all of you.
Jeff Ney:
Aw, that's great.
Madeline Loring:
So that was memorable because my students were so excited because we had to record the lesson. And they were just so incredibly supportive and they were excited just for the opportunity to get to do that. And I just remember the nerves and the excitement because we knew that this was all going to hopefully lead to something greater. And it was just the way that they celebrated when our time was over and we were done recording, and the kids that were answering questions. And afterwards they said, "Now, I answered that question really well because I knew that they were recording." They're like, "We were ready." They were so excited and enthusiastic, and it again just reminds me of those relationships that we build and why that's so important because they were my first cheerleaders throughout this entire journey-
Aaron Chapin:
That's great.
Madeline Loring:
... top becoming Teacher of the Year. That, for me, is a forever core memory because we got lots of nice pictures and video.
Aaron Chapin:
Nice, nice, nice.
Madeline Loring:
So it's just something great to look back on too, to share with my kids and with future students. So that was definitely the most touching and memorable moment.
Jeff Ney:
I thought she was going to say being part of the podcast, but I guess, ah, well.
Aaron Chapin:
Ah, well. Well, we're out of time, everybody. Thanks to our guest, the 2026 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year. Maddie Loring, congratulations.
Jeff Ney:
Yay!
Aaron Chapin:
We really appreciate you being here with us on this podcast and we can't wait to meet you in-person down the road soon.
Madeline Loring:
Thank you so much for having me.
Aaron Chapin:
You got it.
Madeline Loring:
I'm looking forward to meeting all of you in-person as well. I can't wait.
Aaron Chapin:
Well, we'll see. We might let you down, but that's okay. No, thank you again for everything and we really appreciate you spending some time with us for this podcast. And thanks to all of our listeners for tuning in again. You got some feedback for us? Maybe you got a question for Maddie because she's way more energetic than we are right now.
Jeff Ney:
Yeah, 100%.
Aaron Chapin:
You got to send us an email to podcast@psea.org. I'm Aaron Chapin.
Jeff Ney:
And I'm Jeff Ney.
Rachael West:
And I'm Rachael West.
Aaron Chapin:
And you have been listening to Duty Free Lunch. Bye for now.
Voiceover:
You've been listening to Duty Free Lunch with the Pennsylvania State Education Association. Visit psea.org/podcast to learn more. And don't forget to subscribe and share.