Lisa Lee
A retirement reception for Lisa Lee, team teacher at the ISU Child Care Center, will be from 3:30–5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, in Turner Hall, room 125. Lee joined the Illinois State University community in 1988 and has worked at the ISU Child Care Center for over 30 years. Lee has helped countless numbers of children, families, and college students to grow and develop through her work. Lisa has always valued work and she has seen herself as a positive role model and a vital part of the lives of the children and families with whom she works. When asked why she chose to work with children, Lisa states “I find the way they think interesting. The curiosity young children have inspired me to investigate with them. Their take on life is fresh and truthful.”
Reflecting on how the Child Care Center positively affected her life, Lee recalls working there when she was 27 years old after receiving an offer from Karen Stephens in 1988. According to her, “working with Barb Gallick, Scott Brouette, Pam Morbitzer, Karen Stephens, and now Carrie Carlson and Jessica Atherton has made me grow not only as a teacher but as a person.”
Lee also commented on the future of the center and expressed her view on college students being provided a lab site that demonstrates the best care for children. Lee acknowledges that she had amazing colleagues.
“When you are surrounded by people who make you stretch your comfort zone, who challenge you to rethink the views you have concerning children, parents, and co-workers, you are forever growing as a professional. A bonus and blessing are these same people are filled with life and good senses of humor, making work enjoyable,” she said.
Below are some of Lee’s significant achievements:
- Winner of the 2011 University Distinguished Service Award.
- Presented on the Project Approach at the national conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
- Co-authored “Plays Well With Others” an article on children’s play for Child Care Information Exchange.
- Co-authored “Eliminating Transitions,” an article designed to help teachers evaluate their daily classroom schedules which were published in Exchange magazine.
- Co-authored an article about a project on the car wash investigated by the child care children in Fall, 2010. View this article: Early Childhood Research and Practice (ECRP).
- Co-authored an article about a project on pizza investigated by the child care children in Fall, 2009. View this article: Early Childhood Research and Practice (ECRP).
- Examples of children’s project work included in a traveling exhibit “The Power of Documentation: Children’s Learning Revealed.”
- Co-wrote an article on a project on bees investigated by the child care children in Summer, 2003. “Bees: A Preschool Project” was published in American Bee Journal, Vol. 144, No. 6, June 2004.
- Held local positions in the McLean Country Association for the Education of Young Children as treasurer and co-chair for Week of the Young Child.
- Presented at local and state conferences on numerous child-related topics.
