Jack Woodhull
Childhood General Education '18
The great thing about career changers is that you might be a different kind of person from whom students are typically used to having in their lives. That is a real strength that you bring to the work.
For Jack Woodhull, GSE ’18, the path to teaching was shaped by a wide range of professional roles. Before becoming a teacher, Jack spent years as a professional musician, ran a chocolate shop, and worked in arts non-profits. He began considering a career in education while he was a stay-at-home parent, watching his daughter and her friends navigate the world with unbridled curiosity.
“I was spending a lot of time with my daughter and living that curiosity with her,” Jack says. “Playing alongside her reignited a desire I always had to teach.”
When he decided to make the leap, those in his professional circle pointed toward Bank Street Graduate School of Education as a place where his diverse interests would be supported. Jack earned his master’s degree in Childhood General Education, a program that encouraged him to view his creative history as a powerful foundation for his new career. One of the most exciting aspects of this transition was discovering how the unique life experiences he brought with him served as a vital asset in teaching.
Today, Jack is a third-grade teacher at St. Luke’s School in Manhattan, where he uses his musical background to help his students focus during math lessons by teaching them rhythmic patterns. He finds that students connect deeply with this authenticity.
“Children respond to truth,” Jack shares. “They know when you are communicating from genuine experience, and you can see them lock in.”
Jack found the transition to graduate school to be positive and manageable, completing his program while balancing his obligations at home. Throughout his time, he felt guided by mentors who validated his journey. In his fieldwork conference group, he joined a community where every individual’s background was seen as a strength.
“The great thing about career changers is that you might be a different kind of person from whom students are typically used to having in their lives,” Jack says. “That is a real strength that you bring to the work.”
Now a seasoned educator, Jack reflects that Bank Street helped him find his teaching voice. He believes a gift you can give your students is to be exactly who you are.
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