T Mattie’s Manners

Written by Rita Collins

Rita Collins was born in Montgomery, Alabama on an Air Force base. She grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. As the daughter of an Educator and an Airman, her young life was shaped by colorful experiences. Living for short times in several states and attending school in France for two years, she saw life from many perspectives, gained a love for people and cultures and an appreciation for various artistic expressions. She studied music and ballet and fell in love with reading and writing. Rita Collins graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in education. She became Certified as a Reading Recovery Teacher at the University of Montevallo and earned her Master’s in Education from University of Alabama in Birmingham. She taught in the Birmingham City Schools, a local community college and served as principal of a K-12 private day school. Her love for teaching, performing and the literary arts, led her to form a nonprofit where she worked with students to develop their gifts and talents in writing and stage performance.

She has published several children’s books. She is a certified Life Coach and has a blog and YouTube Channel called The Apples Core where she shares wisdom with parents on best practices in parenting.

Rita has three adult children, Carlee, Chloe and Mark and a granddaughter Joie Abigail.