For this week's 'A Conversation With...', we caught up with the maths department's, Mrs Caroline Hendriks. In this feature, we find out what inspired her to go into education, and we also discuss her love of dragons and science fiction!
What is your role and how long have you been at Shiplake?
I am a maths teacher to Years 7 to 10 (and see each of my students almost every day which is really nice) and I have been at Shiplake since September 2022. I also help with the Lower School football teams, spend Thursday afternoons doing racket sports and I am a tutor in Everett House.
What were you doing before Shiplake?
I have previously taught English in China and Spain, and I have worked in different schools in England with a focus on working with students who are learning English as an additional language. Additionally, I have worked with students with special educational needs.
What inspired you to pursue a career in education/teaching?
When I was at university, I got involved with my Student Union's volunteering service, and soon found myself organising events for local children and their families. Even though I was studying Engineering Geology at the time, I enjoyed planning these activities so much that I decided to train as a TEFL teacher in China after graduating.
Since then, I have been working in education, teaching mostly English, but also maths and science, and even some history and geography. As I have a background in science and engineering, I'm having a lot of fun teaching maths and sharing my enthusiasm for STEM subjects with pupils here at Shiplake.
What do you do away from work?
I really enjoy cooking and baking, and I am always trying out new recipes from all around the world. I've always got a few crafty projects on the go as well, from scrapbooks to embroidery to journals.
And I absolutely love to read - I never leave the house without my e-reader so if anyone has any good book recommendations - especially epic fantasy, science fiction or other stories with a touch of magic - please send them my way! The more dragons, the better!
What does the future hold for Mrs Hendriks?
Hopefully, there will be a few more years at Shiplake! I would love to get even more involved with all the different sports and activities around the College, and continue to grow as a teacher.
