Not every child shines in the same way.
Some find their confidence through reading and writing. Others discover it on a sporting field, standing on a stage or holding a paintbrush.
After more than 15 years at Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School, Longreach, Lisa Neuendorf has made it something of a personal mission to help children find their thing.
Whatever that thing happens to be.
As a teacher working across Arts, Physical Education, intervention and extension programs, Lisa has spent her career creating opportunities for students to discover strengths they may never have recognised in themselves.
A career that was never really in doubt
For some teachers, education is a calling discovered later in life. For Lisa, there was never much suspense.
“When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always the same: a teacher.”
Teaching ran in the family. Her aunties were teachers. Her grandmother worked in a school library. Some of her earliest memories involve recreating the classroom at home.
“I would come home, sing the songs my teachers had taught us and pretend to be the teacher while my younger brother reluctantly played the role of the student,” she said.
What inspired her was not only a love of learning, but the impact her teachers had on her life.
She wanted to do the same for others.
Confidence looks different for everyone
Ask Lisa about the moments that remind her why she became a teacher and many of them happen nowhere near a classroom.
Each year she teaches swimming, and every year she sees a familiar transformation.
Students arrive feeling nervous.
Some are hesitant to get into the water.
Others are convinced they will never succeed.
Then, gradually, something changes.
Confidence grows.
Skills develop.
Fear gives way to achievement.
“Seeing the look of pride on a student’s face when they realise they are capable of more than they imagined is a powerful reminder of why I became a teacher,” she said.
For Lisa, it is never just about swimming.
It is about helping children discover what they can do.
The question she never forgot
One memory from early in Lisa’s teaching career continues to make her smile.
A student in her Prep class approached her with a serious question.
“Mrs Neuendorf, why do you keep swearing in class?”
Caught completely off guard, Lisa asked what the student meant.
“You keep saying Jesus lots in class and my Mum tells me not to say that.”
The conversation that followed became an opportunity to explore faith, curiosity and understanding through the eyes of a child.
What stayed with Lisa was not the humour of the moment, but the student’s honesty and willingness to ask a genuine question.
It served as a reminder that children are naturally curious and eager to learn when they feel safe enough to ask questions.
That same curiosity, she believes, sits at the heart of all meaningful learning.
Creating places to shine
Throughout her career, Lisa has learned that many children need opportunities beyond traditional classroom learning to discover their strengths.
Some of those opportunities have taken the form of visual arts showcases where students proudly display their work.
Others have involved school musicals, cricket carnivals and rugby league competitions.
Again and again, she has watched students surprise themselves.
The quiet child who commands a stage.
The reluctant learner who produces an extraordinary piece of artwork.
The student who struggles academically but discovers confidence through sport.
“I love seeing students discover passions, develop confidence and find a place where they belong within the school community,” she said.
For Lisa, these moments reinforce a simple truth.
Every child has gifts worth discovering.
The challenge is creating enough opportunities for them to find them.
More than academic success
One of the things Lisa values most about Catholic education is its commitment to recognising the many ways young people can flourish.
Academic achievement matters, but it is only one part of a much bigger picture.
She believes schools have a responsibility to help children develop confidence, character, compassion and a sense of purpose alongside their learning.
In a world that can sometimes encourage young people to compare themselves with others, Lisa wants students to understand that success is not about fitting a particular mould.
It is about discovering their strengths and learning how to use them well.
After all, the students who leave the strongest impression are not always the highest achievers.
They are often the ones who discover something new about themselves.
A talent they did not know they possessed.
A passion they never expected to find.
Or the confidence to ask the question nobody else was brave enough to ask.
And helping children find those moments is what keeps Lisa inspired after all these years.