Wood has been teaching for 15 years and routinely challenges her students to look at both sides of an issue, an important aspect when learning about historical topics. It promotes in-depth discussions between students and allows Wood to dive further into topics.
It’s just one reason Wood was named Michigan History Teacher of the Year this month by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
“This feels really good because the Gilder Lehrman Institute is like the leading American history education organization in the U.S., and so for a history teacher, this is the highest honor that you can get that's history teacher specific,” Wood said. “I am super honored.”
Arbor Prep History Teacher Jessica Wood.
Arbor Prep Principal Travis Batt said one of the things that makes Wood so special is the amount of effort she puts in to make sure students are successful.
“Having her on staff is absolutely amazing,” Batt said. “She coaches and mentors other teachers and is a go-to when we are trying something new or making changes because she will share her opinion. I love going in her class to work, not even doing an observation, because her class is great to watch. I feel like I’m learning every time I’m in there and I was a history teacher too.”
A few years ago, Wood switched how she structures the first day of school in her classroom. Instead of going through the syllabus, rules, and procedures, she presents a challenging historical topic and encourages students to voice their opinions. The discussion ends up creating a bond of trust within the students.
“I do that for a couple of reasons,” she said. “On day one, every kid in here is on their ultimate best behavior. So, I teach them on that first day how to read multiple perspectives on a topic and then discuss what they've read. I ask them ‘why does this challenge or support anything that you thought before?’ It serves as a model that I can draw on later in the class to be respectful of others’ opinions. They remember it in their class DNA, how to act in the class.”
Arbor Prep History Teacher Jessica Wood and students on the island of Crete.Wood worked in and around education before deciding to become a classroom teacher. She decided if she wanted to make a real difference in the lives of children, she needed a classroom of her own.
“I had the very good fortune of teaching overseas a little bit,” Wood said. “I taught in private schools in Moscow, New York, and in the Hamptons. I went back to grad school the first time in 2010 and got a degree in education and then started teaching in a traditional high school.”
She came to Arbor Prep in 2012, its second year as a school, and was most excited to tell her first group of graduates about the history award.
“They were my first advisory class and they graduated in 2016. We're all still pretty attached to each other and when they're in town, they come to visit me. Two of them went on to study history and one actually became a history teacher at Wellspring Prep (another NHA school in Grand Rapids, MI).”
Wood and students at the site of the Battle of Thermopylae in Greece.
That student-turned-teacher, Joe McCarthy, said Wood’s influence was the main reason he became a teacher, and is the biggest influence on his teaching style.
“I strive to emulate Jessie in my teaching,” McCarthy said. “I work hard to be the kind of teacher she was for me, helping my students understand that history is more than just remembering facts—it is about thinking critically and understanding the world around them. While I know only a few of my students will follow in my footsteps, I am confident they will leave my classroom with the ability to think critically.”
A representative from Gilder Lehmann will be at the school on September 5 to honor Wood in front of the school board.
Congratulations Mrs. Wood!
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About Arbor Preparatory High School
Arbor Preparatory High School is a tuition-free, public charter school in Ypsilanti, Michigan, serving students in ninth through 12th grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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