Educator of the Week: Angela Wood

HENDERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — It’s time to recognize this week’s Educator of the Week, brought to you by the Tennessee Education Lottery.

Angela Wood found her love of both teaching and the special needs community on her first day as a substitute teacher, and she has been in the field for over 20 years now.

“Seeing them glow, seeing them learn things they don’t think they can learn or understand, they just light up when they realize, ‘I can do this,'” Wood said.

Wood has been a special needs teacher at Scotts Hill High School going on 10 years now, and she says her favorite thing about teaching is seeing them learn.

“Whenever they learn something new and they jump up and down and they’re like, ‘I did this!’ They tell their parents, and I usually get a phone call from a parent about it. I love that. I love seeing them learn,” Wood said.

And one way Wood keeps her students learning is by using plenty of humor.

“I use a lot of humor in my teaching, especially with my students. When they mess up, or they think they can’t do it, just get them engaged again by getting them laughing,” Wood said.

And besides the laughter, one thing that makes Wood’s classroom stand out for is their teamwork.

“We’re a team. That’s why we stand out. We work together. As my door says, we create, we respect each other, we try our best, and we learn from our mistakes,” Wood said.

But teaching isn’t a one man show. Wood says she wouldn’t be where she is today without her support system.

“My administration, my aids, the teachers I work with, and my parents have all been wonderful. They’re all supportive. We’re all a team. Without them I wouldn’t be where I am,” Wood said.

Wood is now eligible for the Tennessee Education Lottery Educator of the Month award.

To vote for her or any other nominees, go to the Tennessee Education Lottery website.

To nominate an educator for our weekly award, just email us at educator@wbbjtv.com.