Toni Woods ’22

Other clubs, sports, activities:
During my time at Smith, I have participated in the Squash Club, Student Government Association and I currently work for the Office of Student Engagement. Outside of these activities, I am a student teacher at the Smith College Campus School

Describe your major completely incorrectly.
I get up super early in the morning to watch children all day. Occasionally I will stand up in front of the group and share with them something new while some moan and groan others get excited and show enthusiasm. When the day is done I come back exhausted with still so much to do before I go to bed. Nonetheless, I get up and do it again the next day and it is incredibly rewarding.

What would you do with your major if you knew you could not fail?
I would make education accessible to all. Provide students with the resources they need to be successful. Allow each child the opportunity to explore whatever they are most curious about. I would travel around the world to study education and teach in classrooms all over the world adapting techniques and styles to aid with my own teaching practices.

Talk about your student teaching this semester. Where are you teaching and what have you learned?
This semester I taught at the Smith College Campus School. I’ve learned how to support a wide range of learning styles and how to be a good teacher. I’ve learned how to be more vocal and supportive in the classroom and how to create thorough and easy-to-follow lesson plans. I will continue to acquire the necessary skills as I gain more practice in the field and look forward to using them in my own classroom in the near future.

What are some insights you’ve gained from being on the teaching side of the equation?
I learned how great the impact I have on the students I work with truly is. The time you spend getting to know the students strengthens the relationship you have with them which ultimately helps to improve their learning.

The time you spend getting to know the students strengthens the relationship you have with them which ultimately helps to improve their learning.

How has your minor intersected with your major?
I am an Africana Studies minor. I completed my minor early on and had a hard time trying to figure out how I would be able to use it in my field of choice (education). I then realized that my background in Africana Studies has aided me in understanding my own identity as a Black woman and the crucial parts of Black history that are often left out when Black history is being taught in schools (or not taught at all). I can use my minor in Africana Studies to assist me with what I teach and how I teach it, while also bringing my own identity into the space so that my students will be encouraged to do so as well. This has been extremely valuable.

What’s one piece of advice you’d like to share about your time at Smith?
Learn about the different opportunities the college has for students early on. Try new things and ask questions. Get out and meet new people and most importantly have fun.

What has been your favorite spot on campus to brainstorm great ideas? What spot will you miss the most?
I would definitely have to say the Neilson Library. I particularly enjoy the phone rooms! I am going to miss the space as a whole. I’ve produced some of my best work there and I will definitely miss the long walks from the library to the quad after late-night study sessions.

What was the most challenging moment in your time at Smith?
I was taking a math class a year or two back and remember struggling a lot. I didn’t think I would have to take math again after high school because of Smith’s open curriculum and little did I know I would need to in order to complete my licensure requirements. The stress I felt in math class almost caused me to remove myself from the teaching track. I persevered and was able to finish the semester with a passing grade in the class but it was one of my most challenging experiences at Smith by far.

I can use my minor in Africana Studies to assist me with what I teach and how I teach it, while also bringing my own identity into the space so that my students will be encouraged to do so as well.

Who was your favorite professor and what did you most like about their style of teaching?
This is definitely a tough one because I have had very positive experiences with many of the professors in the department over the past four years. If I had to choose one I would have to say Jillian DiBonaventura. She is absolutely one of the most dedicated, honest and supportive professors I’ve ever worked with and I don’t know what I would have done without her guidance.

What was the best advice about your major that you were ever given?
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve gotten about my major is that working in the field is extremely rewarding.

What do you want other Smithies to know about the class of 2022?
We are going to change the world.

What do you think has been the most “Smithie” thing you’ve done in life so far?
Going into the woods by the quad to eat lunch with a friend.