Lori Hicks, who was recently named Elementary School Teacher of the Year by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, quoted St. Teresa of Kolkata in explaining her first-grade teaching position at St. Francis of Assisi School in Baltimore.
“I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God,” Hicks said.
She found her way to St. Francis of Assisi School through what she calls a “God moment.” A veteran educator with more than 22 years experience and a master’s degree from Ashford University, Hicks had stepped away from classroom teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, she provided intervention support for students across various public and Catholic schools. When St. Francis unexpectedly announced an opening for a first-grade teacher in November, Hicks stepped into the role.
“The students were in need of a teacher,” she remembered. “Being that pencil in the hand of a writing God, I thought how do you not say yes to students in need.”
Almost immediately, Hicks implemented some creative ideas in the classroom and bonded well with students.
One of the most outstanding ideas was the prayer corner, a spot in the classroom where every student is welcome to come and talk privately to the Lord about their feelings. Sometimes another student might join them to work out a problem together.
“They’ll say I go there to ask God to forgive me, or I go there when I’m mad at somebody, or I go there when I’m sad,” Hicks said. “It’s been an amazing thing.”
After Hicks told the students that she needed a detective to help her solve a math problem, the children looked at math differently, but with the addition of a sleuth hat and a magnifying glass, the students eagerly became detectives, discovering key facts during reading sessions as well.
Class participation also improved tremendously when Hicks added a theatrical theme to the lessons.
“If I wanted to have them answer important questions, I would just put up my thumb or a marker, or something similar, and tell them to speak into the microphone,” she said. “Before long, one student said, ‘I’m bringing you something.’”
He arrived at school days later and presented Hicks with a paper towel roll topped with a construction paper globe resembling a microphone.
That “microphone” not only encouraged the children to participate in discussions, but it has also helped them to show respect for when another person is speaking.
“Someone would grab the microphone and just move their mouth like they were talking to the class,” Hicks explained. “All I had to say was ‘oh, no, the microphone isn’t working’ and the class was instantly quiet.”
This past year when Hicks was asked to teach a combined class of first and second graders, she graciously accepted, but found that putting two grades together was more of a challenge than she anticipated.
“To quote Dickens, ‘it was the best of times, it was the worst of times,’” she said. “It was challenging, but I can just tell you that the best of times is what won me over.”
Her approach to teaching is what stands out to John Seibel, principal of St. Francis of Assisi.
“She teaches with a focus,” Seibel said, “understanding where kids are instructionally, and then pushing them. And she plans like nobody’s business.”
He particularly sees the value of her prayer corner, noting that it fosters an environment of God’s love and respect towards one another.
“When you watch it unfold,” he said, “you recognize that she truly is a blessed woman to pull it off the way she does because that doesn’t exist in every classroom.
Hicks admits she has found great satisfaction in seeing children grow and develop learning skills.
“God touched my heart seeing little deposits of me come back from them in their form of ownership,” she said.
Hicks holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Towson University and a master’s degree in education from Ashford University.
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