TURNERS FALLS — Third-grade teacher Sherry Wood thought that she was experiencing a routine school walk-through until she saw the cameras come into her classroom. Then, in walked the principal and the superintendent.
“One student said ‘I thought you were in trouble,’” Wood admitted.
When the school secretary walked through the door with balloons and flowers, Wood knew something positive happened. She was the recipient of the Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award, which is a program of the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation. This is the first year that the school district has participated in this award program.
Aside from teaching for a year in New Hampshire, Wood has been in the Gill-Montague Regional School District since 1987, starting at Hillcrest and teaching at Sheffield Elementary since it opened. She’s been a teaching coach and a responsive classroom trainer.
Her third-grade teacher inspired her to become a teacher. While this teacher has since retired, she still substitute teaches occasionally in the Frontier district, where Wood’s daughter goes to high school.
Third-graders have a special place in Wood’s heart.
“I love third-graders because they’re beginning to become independent … and they still like the teachers,” she said.
Some of the most important aspects of teaching to Wood are inspiring students to read and respecting the students.
It’s important for students to learn to have high self-esteem, advocate for themselves and trust others, Wood said. She also seeks to find out what type of learner each student is, since not all children learn the same.
“Teacher language is really important to me,” she said.
Even when her students grow older and leave her class, Wood still enjoys staying in contact and watching them mature and succeed.
“Once you’re mine, you’re always mine,” she said.
According to a school press release, the program annually honors “outstanding western Massachusetts educators in Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties and seeks to motivate teachers at all stages of their careers …”
Some of the gifts that Wood will receive for her recognition are a private gala reception, tickets to an award banquet, a $500 check and an award plaque.
Reach Christie Wisniewski at: cwisniewski@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 280.