Rhoades Elementary School teacher receives Ball State’s PDS Mentor Award (04/30/11)

Mary Hendricks, first-grade teacher at Rhoades Elementary School in Indianapolis, is the recipient of the 2011 BSU Professional Development School (PDS) Mentor Award. She was recognized at the End-of-the-Year Celebration held at the Student Center on the BSU campus April 30, 2011.

Hendricks is not only a superb teacher; she has been a dedicated and committed PDS adjunct for a number of years. In her case, that means not only doing the administrative tasks like collaborating with the BSU liaison to ensure the best placements of student teachers each semester and attending a few extra meetings, but it means being a full-time extension of the BSU faculty supervisor. She provides professional development for the Rhoades staff on coaching student teachers. She sets high expectations for her students and BSU students alike.

For each cohort of BSU students placed at Rhoades, Hendricks organizes their Tuesday Talks, which are seminars on significant and relevant topics; schedules practice interviews to better prepare the students for the reality of job hunting; and communicates with them before they even arrive at Rhoades to get them ready to start off with their best foot forward.

Hendricks has been a leader in the BSU PDS partnership. She has participated in several conference presentations focusing on school/university partnerships and the positive effects they have on student learning. She has used the opportunity to attend the conferences to bring back information to her colleagues at Rhoades and has found ways to implement ideas learned from others that have in turn had a positive impact on the students at Rhoades.

In addition, she is a building representative for the teachers association, language arts representative, teacher mentor, grade-level chair, Social Committee chair, and a member of the Steering Team, Autism Team, NCI Crisis Intervention Team, Policy Advisory Committee, and Professional Development Committee.

Hendricks is a master teacher who gives back to the profession. As her principal and colleague said, “she is an exemplary teacher who has a passion for students and their learning.”

Her current student teacher summed it all up when she described Mary’s expertise and commitment as follows: “I learned several best practice strategies from working with Mrs. Hendricks. I knew the theory of scaffolding my instruction, but I had not seen it in action before. I can say that I now better understand the theory behind the practice after working with such an exceptional teacher . . . She makes an effort to reach out to colleagues and student teachers and connect theory and practice.”