Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Valley Times-News is doing a Q&A with all of the teachers of the year in the Springwood School. Today, we are writing about Pam Wood, a U.S. History Teacher. We asked her several questions and included some of our favorite responses below.

For the past seven years, Pam Wood has served alongside her husband on the faculty at Springwood School. Like her husband, Murphy, Wood teaches history on the secondary level.

Though she is from Georgia, Wood’s family has deep roots in Springwood.

Both her husband and her son share the school as their alma mater.

It might not seem like it, but teaching wasn’t the first field that Springwood’s Secondary Teacher of the Year has worked in. However, it has been her calling for the last seven years.

Prior to teaching, Wood worked for the Department of Family and Children Services as a social worker. After her son headed off to college, she decided to continue her education at LaGrange College where she earned her Master’s in Education.

If you weren’t a teacher what career field would you be in?

“I love to garden, and I feel like I missed my calling when I was just starting out, and that would have been gardening, being a farmer.”

What fictional character or song represents your teaching style?

“I knew I loved you before I met you by Savage Garden.”

In relation to meeting the new group of students rising from the 6th grade to the 7th and the new students that arrive at Springwood for every grade.

What’s the most creative or interesting project one your classes has worked on?

“[The World History Honors class] has to participate in Alabama National History Day. In the last two years, we’ve had two groups come in third place in Alabama National History.”

The students also have to record an interview with the oldest member of their family to help them learn about history through a family member.

“That’s always so rewarding.”

If you could invite any historical figure to speak at one of your classes, who and why?

“I would say that George Washington would have to be the person that I would want to come and speak to our class … He wanted to go home and farm after the Revolutionary War, but instead, he came forward when the men voted him as the president, and he was just so well respected, and even after eight years, they wanted him to continue but he went home.”

As your students transition to the next grade what is one key takeaway you hope they carry forward from their time in your class?

“Just that they’re kind to each other, because we try to make them aware of that.”

Wood encourages students to consider that other teachers or students might be dealing with things outside of class that they don’t know about.

What is the most rewarding part of your job? 

“Watching the ‘light bulbs’ come on when a student gets a concept. Seeing their smiles every day when they come through the door.”

What did it mean to be named teacher of the year?

“It was a complete surprise!  It was an honor that the students chose me this year.”