2002 Montana Teacher of the Year
Ms. Woodhouse teaches the grades nine through twelve students of Polson High School. She has twenty-six years of teaching experience and currently teaches English Speech/Media, Beginning Journalism, Newspaper Production, Senior Digital Portfolio, Public Relations (Advanced Journalism), Photo Journalism and Classical Literature.

What are your beliefs about teaching?
"Teaching with the "head" and the "heart" guides the practice of my profession, my actions in the classroom and all of my dealings with students. Simply put, I like my students. I truly care about them as human beings and will do all in my power to help them achieve to the utmost of their potential, and they know it."

How are your beliefs incorporated in your teaching style?
"I keep abreast of the changing times and the future facing my charges and do everything in my capabilities to see that my students have all the tools needed to meet their future. I make a conscious effort to demonstrate care, and I make sure that I make a personal connection with each student in all of my classes. I exude positive, eager enthusiasm for whatever matter, lesson, project or assignment that is before me."

What is your greatest teaching accomplishment?
"The newspaper program in our school – its profound effects on a majority of students who have participated, its tradition of excellence, and my joy of being a part of these monthly productions or growth sessions with my students are just a few reasons why it is one of my greatest accomplishments in education."

What's the most critical issue facing educators today and what do you think can be done to resolve this issue?
"The most critical issues facing educators today are unfounded federal mandates, abysmal teacher salaries and the looming retirement of the baby-boomer teachers. To resolve these issues, competitive salaries, benefits, being appreciated as a valued professional and other creative incentives would create an abundant corps of teachers from which students could select the best. We need to recruit and elect pro-education officials. We need to continue to lobby elected officials and hold them accountable. We must form coalitions with mainstreet businesses, community leaders and industry from across the nation to support education, to lobby on a broad basis and to effect change. We need to seek spokespersons from business and industry to whom the elected officials will listen. We must ask and persuade those who have not yet joined the fray to do so. We need a campaign to support education with a loud, clear, unified voice. We must be creative and we must listen to all possible solutions. Educators and education's supporters must politicize aggressively. They must speak out at every chance and create opportunities to be heard."

Inspirational thought:
"The lessons you teach, the encouragement you give and the excellence you demand touches each child today and for the rest of their lives."