4-5th Grade Teacher
Lisa Hendricks has taught for 16 years in a variety of schools and grades. She received her BA from Portland State, and a Master of Education from the University of Montana as a K-12 Reading Specialist. Recently Lisa got to try her hand at teaching adults as an adjuct instructor at the University of Montana Education Department. In her "other life" Lisa loves to swim, hike, bird watch, or read on the couch with her dog Stuart.
What is your teaching philosophy? I believe that teaching is about helping each child find fulfillment in learning. In order to do this we need to differentiate instruction to the needs of individuals. I believe learning is a reciprocal endeavor with students working toward goals with the guidance of a teacher. Learning best takes place in a supportive, energetic community where the contributions of all members are valued and respected.
Is there anyone in particular who has inspired you as a teacher? I am still inspired by my professor in children’s’ literature, Erik Kimmel, who gave me many delightful hours of listening to him read stories aloud. I am passionate about passing on that same gift to my students. Also my sister, who just recently retired from teaching high school English. She was a tireless, dedicated teacher, who not only used her expert teaching skills with her high school students, but also her fellow educators.
What was your most rewarding experience as a teacher? There are so many rewarding experiences in teaching that it is hard to pick just one. Last year I had a student that was alliterate, he could read, but just wasn’t. He had little confidence in his reading skills. He did not have a favorite book, author, or genre. Toward the end of the year, he had become a full-fledged member of our reading community in class. He had several authors that he enjoyed, and he had a growing list of novels that he had read. On an end of the year reading survey, he wrote that he liked to read books about survival and the outdoors and that his favorite author was Gary Paulsen!
What do you love most about teaching? I love working with children and the pursuit of learning. I love the creativity of teaching and that everyday is different.
What do you like to do when you are not teaching? I enjoy hiking with my husband Paul and our dog Stuart, camping, gardening, swimming, reading, and dabbling in watercolors.
Who is the person you admire most in the world? “Most” is a tough one, but I admire Terry Tempest Williams because of her beautiful command of language, being a voice for the protection of this Earth, and her bravery to plead passionately and emotionally.