NAME:
Mrs. Retha Wood
SCHOOL:
Lexington Middle School
CLASS:
Skills for Independent Living
SCHOOL PHONE:
(731) 968 - 8457 (ext. 422)
I am Retha Wood. I have been teaching Special Education for 23 years.
During these 23 years, I have taught 15 years in middle school and 8 years in
high school.
My first teaching experience was at Dixie Elementary School in Obion
County. I taught instructional resource reading, English and math to 7th and
8th graders. Dixie Elementary was a rural school and very small. It was a
wonderful place to begin my career. However, I taught there only one year.
I moved to Memphis, Tn where I taught the next 13 years in the Memphis City
Schools system. I taught in four different schools (Chicksaw Jr. High,
Messick High School, Humes Jr. High, and East High School). The transition
from a rural school to an inner city school was difficult. However, when the
transition was made, it was the one of the most fulfilling times in my
career. Once again I moved, this time I moved home to rural West Tennessee.
I taught at Riverside High School in my home Decatur county before finally
moving to Henderson county. I have been blessed to be at Caywood in the
Lexington City Schools for the last 6 years. Of course, we are now Lexington
Middle School.
Here at LMS I teach a special education class designed to tranistion
students from middle school to high school and ultimately adulthood. All
subjects in the academics are functional. A two hour block of the school day
is life skills instruction. This has been my dream as a special educator to
teach the skills the students need to become successful, productive members
of their community.
Special Olympics has also been a wonderful asset to my career. Through
Special Olympics I have been able to provide wonderful experiences in sports,
skill, joy and sharing with others.
Here's the truth about me as best I know it. I love kids! They have
taught me invaluable lessons! I love to teach Special Education! I wouldn't
teach anything else! I really believe for me it has been my calling. My
goal would be to see each of my students to grow up to as independent as
possible and live a healthy, happy life. Teaching these students has it
possible for me to have that happy life. Thanks, kids.
The mission of the SIL class is to exhibit in our daily lives honesty,
responsibility, respect and concern, courage, citizenship and good health as
we become independent, productive members of our community.
