St Ignatius College Junior School’s Liz Woods named SA’s best teacher
A passionate educator’s dedication to her students has earnt her straight As and the title of SA’s best teacher. See who made the honour roll as voted by you.
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Screams and cheers echoed down the corridors as news broke a Norwood primary school teacher had been named the best in South Australia.
St Ignatius College’s Liz Woods was in complete shock when she heard she’d topped the class.
But, in true dedication to her job, had to postpone her winner interview so she could take the class roll.
“It’s an absolute honour to teach every day,” Ms Woods said.
“Every teacher is a champ, especially at the minute. Are you sure I’m not winning SA’s grumpiest teacher?” she said.
Ms Woods said it was the “beautiful” mother of a previous student who initially nominated her as SA’s best teacher and said “it just snowballed from there”.
The Year 5 teacher said she always wanted to be an educator and said it was the relationships she formed with students that keep her in love with her job.
“Every year I say ‘they were my favourite class ever’ and every year it just gets better and better,” she said.
“I still get letters from students I taught 15 years ago – and their parents.
“That’s the beauty of this job, the relationships and friendships you develop.”
Ms Woods is the mother to four grown daughters, including triplets and after taking 12 years off to focus on her own family she returned to the classroom six years ago.
“I can control a class of 26 kids easier than I can control my four daughters, who are living their best lives at the minute,” she said.
For Ms Woods her favourite part about modern curriculum was incorporating student wellbeing into everything they do.
St Ignatius College Junior School are currently practising strategies from Hugh van Cuylenburg’s book, The Resilience Project.
“I spend most of my year developing relationships with my students,” Ms Woods said.
“Everything else just falls into place if they trust you and feel comfortable with you.
“I’m pretty firm but fair and fun – and that’s always worked me.”
WHY Ms WOODS’ STUDENTS THINK SHE’S THE BEST IN SA
“Mrs Woods is a great teacher because she is a hound dog and pushes us beyond our limits in our learning” -Olivia D.
“Mrs Woods is a teacher that makes us laugh and doesn’t worry about the small things. She makes us so happy” – Joe C
“Mrs Woods is kind and funny whenever she teaches. She is always there for you even if you’re not in her class” – Thomas H
SA’S TOP FIVE TEACHERS
1. Liz Woods: St Ignatius College Junior School, Norwood
2. Nikki Lanunzio: Fairview Park Primary School, Fairview Park
3. Sarah Vincent: All Saints Catholic Primary School, Seaford
4. Anthony Egidio: St John the Apostle Parish School, Christies Beach
5. Paul Koch: Ceduna Area School, Ceduna and Alice Kelly: Westminster School, Marion
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