DANA WOOD
Boca Raton,USA
Summary
Warm, dedicated educator with 15+ years of experience delivering transformative, individualized education to young learners in both private home and independent school settings. Expert in designing bespoke curricula grounded in IB PYP principles, inquiry-based learning, and STEM integration. Proven ability to build a child's intellectual curiosity, independence, and love of learning through deeply personalized instruction. Trusted partner to families — professional, discreet, and highly adaptable within dynamic private home environments. Eager to bring a global, experience-rich classroom to a curious, exceptional six-year-old.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Private Educator & Home Tutor
Aristotle Circle / Independent Practice
New York City, USA
10.2014 - 01.2026
- Delivered highly individualized, one-on-one education to students Pre-K through 7th Grade across private home settings, designing full learning programs tailored to each child's developmental stage, learning style, and family goals.
- Designed and executed bespoke academic programs from the ground up for each student, integrating core subjects with real-world, inquiry-driven projects aligned to IB PYP principles.
- Fostered intellectual independence and a love of learning by leading students through open-ended exploration, Socratic questioning, and hands-on discovery across arts, sciences, and humanities.
- Leveraged technology platforms and digital tools to personalize instruction, track progress, and engage learners — comfortable and innovative with ed-tech integration.
- Established clear, measurable learning objectives and used ongoing formative assessments to monitor growth, adapting curriculum in real time to meet evolving student needs.
- Built trusted, collaborative partnerships with families — providing transparent progress updates, aligning home reinforcement strategies, and adapting seamlessly to each household's schedule and priorities.
- Served families with high expectations in private home environments, demonstrating exceptional professionalism, discretion, and flexibility across varied contexts.
First Grade Teacher
Birch Wathen Lenox School
New York City, USA
08.1996 - 03.2004
- Taught full-day, first-grade curriculum at a rigorous independent school in Manhattan, consistently recognized for creating a warm, intellectually stimulating classroom community.
- Planned and delivered comprehensive, cross-disciplinary lessons across literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies — building a strong academic foundation for each child.
- Cultivated a classroom culture rooted in curiosity, critical thinking, and joy of learning through student-led inquiry and creative, project-based activities.
- Built warm, structured classroom environments that balanced high expectations with nurturing support, fostering confidence and enthusiasm in every learner.
- Differentiated instruction and interventions to meet the needs of diverse learners, including advanced students and those requiring additional support.
- Maintained close communication with families, partnering on goal-setting and providing regular updates on academic and social-emotional growth.
- Participated in ongoing professional development, staying current with best practices in early childhood pedagogy and curriculum design.
- A rigorous independent school in Manhattan.
Education
Master of Arts - Elementary Education
New York University
New York, NYSkills
- Curriculum & Instruction
- IB PYP Framework
- Inquiry-Based & Interdisciplinary Learning
- STEM Integration
- Bespoke Curriculum Design
- Differentiated Instruction
- Child Development & Assessment
- Early Childhood & Primary Development
- Progress Monitoring
- Social-Emotional Learning
- Critical Thinking Cultivation
- Private Household & Family Partnership
- Discretion & Professionalism
- Family Collaboration
- Travel-Integrated Education
- Adaptability in Dynamic Environments
- Technology-Enhanced Learning
Certification
- New York State Teaching Certificate — Elementary Education
- IB PYP Framework Training (actively pursuing formal authorization to support role requirements)
- Ongoing professional development in inquiry-based pedagogy, STEM curriculum design, and ed-tech tools
References
References and portfolio of curriculum samples available upon request.
Timeline
Private Educator & Home Tutor
Aristotle Circle / Independent Practice
10.2014 - 01.2026
First Grade Teacher
Birch Wathen Lenox School
08.1996 - 03.2004
Master of Arts - Elementary Education
New York University