Joan Hendrix, a teacher at Mansfield Elementary in DeSoto Parish, believes hands-on learning is important. This led Hendrix to take students to places in their community to learn about the area’s history and art.
“Our students like to learn about things,” Hendrix said. “They were taught about the places they visited before they left the school by their classroom teachers who were well versed in the history of the places we visited. We also had community volunteers who went on the trips, adding knowledge by giving a hands-on history of the area or place.”
There were different things to learn at each location, and students got the most out of each experience. After returning to school, the students continued to apply the lessons learned through playwriting, art and creative writing.
Hendrix’s vision for teaching heritage extended beyond her classroom. Leveraging the funds she received from Heritage Education–Louisiana, she enabled every classroom at her school to experience the field trips she planned.