Mount Baldy, CA – Most of us have wonderful memories of our favorite teachers, the ones who believed in our dreams, deeply challenged every fiber of our beings, and throughout our academic journey changed our lives for the better. These teachers made us happy, encouraged us to be critical thinkers, and pushed us to reach our full potential. Their lessons will always leave an imprint in our hearts and souls even though our childhood days are long gone, their wisdom stays with us long after the class ends.

Robin Reed Riggle, a beloved middle school art teacher, is one of those unique exceptional educators. Now in her 19th year of teaching, not only has she made learning fun for her students, but she also helps them unlock their creative sides, release their artistic expression, and cultivate their innate abilities so they truly flourish and thrive. Each year, she leads students in Earth Day art projects, so they learn the importance of environmental stewardship, prioritizing the health of the planet, and safeguarding our earth's precious ecosystem.

Robin holds a Master of Education and a single subject in art teaching credential from the University of La Verne, as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration degree from California State University, Fullerton. Additionally, she completed coursework and earned an A.A. degree in Fashion Design at Brooks College, where she was granted a full-tuition scholarship. She also holds a 200 Hour Yoga Teacher SEL Certification through Breathe4Change.

Robin is the author of, "Conquer the Classroom: How to Manage Your Students, Your Administration, and Yourself", a telling book and a wonderful resource she refers to as a "survival toolkit." Here she provides strategies on how to thrive even in the toughest school settings while finding balance and harmony in our personal lives. Chocked full of highlights and written in a friendly conversational tone, she encourages readers to find greater self-worth, master resiliency, and learn relevant coping skills.

Much to Robin's delight in 2025 her book was recognized with an International Impact Book Award and was also featured at the American Library Association 2025 Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia with rave reviews.

The book came from her own personal struggles in 2017 when she suffered a terrible unexpected fallout with her school district. During that time period she was teaching high school and an innocent remark she made online to another educator was taken out of context and the school district chose to put her on administrative leave, along with the other five teachers who were part of the social media post. Having always been a nurturing and kind soul, Robin was devastated not only by the weight of these allegations along with not being able to do one of the things she loved most–teaching; she was crushed so terribly she almost floundered during those dark days. Robin however, a true warrior, forged ahead and fortunately, nearly a year later she prevailed in her case and went on to teach art, this time with middle schoolers. At the time her district did not provide art classes in middle school, so they had to create a position for her with younger students. In publishing the book, she was empowered to share her voice with the world and remind us that life lessons are hard won but we can learn to rise above challenging situations.

Teaching goes beyond academics, Robin says. She is steadfastly passionate about helping as many students transform their lives whenever possible, by helping them to reach their highest potential. Robin delights in every second she teaches her youngsters but one of her brightest moments holds a special place in her heart. This was when a student she had nominated for creating a community project– folding origami cranes to support relief efforts in Japan–received a $1,000 scholarship from ABC7 News, and he invited her as his guest to a special banquet at the Los Angeles news studio. Achievements like these have inspired her even more to never stop achieving and living with intention, purpose and clarity.

On her upcoming podcasts, Robin is going to talk about her challenging personal journey in more detail. She will discuss more about her book, teaching strategies, and her passionate approach to life. Robin will continue inspiring the next generation and create a brighter and better future for us all.



For more information about our guest, please visit https://robinreedriggle.com/