Daphne Kalmar on teaching elementary school, which is a little like being a short order cook

By Erica Heilman

Published August 31, 2025 at 9:43 AM EDT

Woman wearing glasses, shot from side, standing in grassy mid summer sunny meadow with barn in background — Daphne Kalmar, Hardwick, Vermont.

Daphne Kalmar taught elementary school for over 20 years, and she was one of those teachers — one of the exciting and inspiring ones you never forget.

It's the first week back to school, so I figured we should listen to a story with one of my favorite teachers, which I recorded back in 2018. Daphne Kalmar taught elementary school for over 20 years, and she was one of those teachers — one of the exciting and inspiring ones you never forget. She was one of the teachers who sees every kid.

We sat in her kitchen by an open window. It had that late summer sound to it, the sound I associate with the beginning of school in Vermont. We talked about her children's book, A Stitch in Time, but mostly we talked about what it’s like to fall in love with a new batch of kids every September, and then let them go.

A woman in glasses sitting in a chair looking into the camera with greenery and a cabin in the background — Daphne Kalmar by her writing cabin, Hardwick, Vermont

Links:

Daphne Kalmar's website
Music by Esmerine
Additional music by Brian Clark and Mike Donofrio

Rumble Strip is a podcast produced by Erica Heilman and distributed on the radio by Vermont Public. Learn more about the show here.