Teacher Spotlight is where we will feature a local teacher who deserves recognition. Teachers give a lot to their students, schools and studies and we'd like to recognize them and say a simple, thank you, for all that they do.
This Indian Lane Elementary School fifth-grade teacher likes to challenge his students as well as be challenged by them. If he could change anything about education, in general, he would have students learning at their own pace.
Teacher: David Woods
School: Indian Lane Elementary School
Grade/Subject: 5th Grade
Years in the industry: 37 years, all in the Rose Tree Media School District
Teaching History:
After earning an undergraduate and graduate from University of Pennsylvania, Woods earned a second master's degree in environmental education from Beaver College, which is now called Arcadia University.
Woods began his career at Roosevelt School and then Springton Lake Middle School before coming to Indian Lane Elementary.
Why did you become a teacher:
I wanted to teach Russian and my college professor said, "we don't need Russian teachers we need male, elementary school teachers," and he convinced me that I had something to share, something to give. So I signed up for an extra year and got a master's in elementary education.
What do you like most about your job:
I like challenging kids and being challenged by them and fifth grade is a good grade to be challenged. I have a pretty diversified background so I like exposing the kids to things that they aren't going to get anywhere else.
What do you hope your students get out of your classes:
I hope they get a greater curiosity about the way things work in the world and a desire to get answers that will help them and other people.
If you could change anything about education, what would it be:
I would change the calendar and make school year around, four days a week. I would also get rid of mandatory state testing. But I would love to get rid of grades, not letter grades, but grade one, grade two, and incorporate mastery learning. So you'd move on at your own speed. I would change the whole culture and get rid of this agrarian calendar that we're using and introduce a more practical way of learning. But that's for another generation.
What do you like best about your current school:
The people, absolutely. It was my choice to come here. When they opened the building, I knew the people who were going to come here and I wanted to work with them. I also knew this Middletown community and I knew that I had a supportive parent group here. I knew I had people who I would enjoy spending time with here.
