Lisa Whitaker - Child Development Associate Instructor
Education: Bachelors in Elementary Education with a specialty in Early Childhood-MSSU--1993
Masters in Elementary Education-MSU--2005
Certification for Early Childhood Special Education-2008
Certification in Family and Consumer Science for Early Childhood Professions-MEGA--2022
Lisa Whitaker is an early childhood professional with over 30 years of classroom teaching experience. She believes in nurturing young minds by fostering a love of learning in her students. Throughout her career, Lisa has had the opportunity to impact the lives of countless students and their families in the Joplin community.
In 2007, Lisa left the private childcare sector to teach with Joplin Schools in their early childhood program. She dedicated herself to creating a supportive and engaging environment for preschoolers and their families. She also strived to guide, encourage, and support new teachers to the field of early childhood.
In 2022, Lisa joined the high school side of Franklin Technology Center as an Early Childhood Profession's Instructor, where she continues to guide and encourage students. Lisa teaches both academic and the practical application of working with young children to high school juniors and seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in education. Lisa feels the best way to improve early childhood education for children is to improve the training of the next generation of early childhood professional.
When not working with students Lisa enjoys spending time with family, reading a good mystery, and visiting National Parks with her husband.