Hands On: Wood connects with life skills

Rachael Wood, Family & Consumer Science teacher at Whitewater Middle, shares skills that her students will carry through life. 

Family & Consumer Science is an all-encompassing class that includes things like culinary, nutrition, interior design, fashion, and employability skills. 

“I love this class because it is kind of a connection between real life subjects, real life things, and academic subjects,” said Wood. “It’s fun, but I also think there’s so many real experiences that they get to dive into.” 

Wood loves opening their eyes to new skills that will enrich their lives. 

“We all have to eat, and we all have to have consumer finance skills and different things that it’s good to practice,” said Wood. “It’s good to know and get exposed to it and make it fun along the way.” 

Even though her mom and several family members were teachers, she had no plans to work in education. She studied fashion merchandising and worked in the family-owned Mucklow’s Fine Jewelry for many years. She ended up volunteering in her daughter’s Family & Consumer Science class at J.C. Booth Middle, and it opened her eyes. 

“I got to help out, and I thought wow this is great. I love this,” she remembered.  

Now in her second year teaching at Whitewater Middle, she has found a passion for teaching. Family & Consumer Science is a connections class, and Wood has found it is also a great way to connect with her students. 

“It’s about the connection. It’s about helping these kids recognize and experience and realize that there’s so much they get to do and learn.” 

When so much can be done with technology, Wood loves showing the students the joy of learning hands-on. 

“We have to think about this. We have to get our hands in it and do this.” 

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