Written by Journalism student, Jasmine T.
Mrs. Theresa Wold applies her knowledge of the human brain and learning to equip her first-grade students with the knowledge they need for the rest of their educational careers.
Mrs. Wold began teaching at New Life in 2022, but taught kindergarten in Minneapolis public schools for 30 years before coming to New Life.
Mrs. Wold taught alongside Ms. Blossey for many years in Minneapolis public schools. Ms. Blossey began teaching at New Life in 2021 and Mrs. Wold switched to New Life the following year.’
Ms. Blossey said, “I encouraged Mrs. Wold to come to New Life because I loved my first year here, and I knew she would be a great addition to our lower school team. Teaching in the public school was sometimes very hard, but it was great to know there was another believer in the school I could pray alongside and stand firm in my faith with. Teaching with her for the past 25+ years has been wonderful.”
Mrs. Wold feels like teaching is what the Lord called her to do. She said, “I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher. There was never a realization moment for me.”
During student teaching, she learned that teaching young students how to read was her passion.
She said, “One of the main focuses in kindergarten and first grade is learning to read, which is a big deal and very difficult for many students to do. A lot of kids have negative experiences with reading, so I wanted to give them the materials they need to make reading a positive experience.”
While Mrs. Wold was getting her masters, she did extensive research on the brain and dominance profiles. She often uses the knowledge that she gained from her research in her classroom to help her students learn in the best way for themselves and retain information.
Mrs. Wold compared teaching to raising a child. She said, “I spend time learning my students, which then helps me understand what resources I can give them to be in their own ideal learning environment.”
Mrs. Wold uses her knowledge of the brain and learning to engage her students and provide a fun and unique learning environment. She said, “While doing my research, I found that the best way to learn and retain information is to move.”
Mrs. Wold helps her students use strategies, including movement and other methods that help them retain information while not being a distraction to other students.
Mrs. Wold was awarded for her excellent teaching in May of 2024. She received the Eagle Award, which is given to one Early Ed, Lower School, and Upper School teacher each year. Receiving the Teacher Eagle Award is a big honor.
Although learning crucial foundational things like reading is very important, Mrs. Wold’s main goal is to help her students build a biblical foundation.
She said, “The biggest impact that I can have as a teacher is to encourage my students to see themselves the way that God sees them.”