Willy Wood (Columbia, MO)

education professional in Columbia, Missouri

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Educational consultant Willy Wood uses brain research to help teachers improve the learning experience for their students. He takes a leadership role in teacher conferences as President of Educational Solutions International, where he prepares programs that help Missouri teachers develop professionally. Also an educational consultant with Open Mind Technologies in Columbia, Missouri, Willy Wood offers training sessions and workshops that help teachers understand the human brain and how it learns best. His workshops focus on the practical applications of this knowledge and the creation of brain-based classroom strategies.

In addition to his conference work, Willy Wood provides educational support as a writer and as a classroom coach. Through Open Mind Technologies, he currently authors the monthly teacher newsletter Neuro News. He is the co-author, with Rich Allen, of The Rock 'n' Roll Classroom: Using Music to Manage Mood, Energy, and Learning (Corwin Press 2012), a one-of-a-kind manual for teachers on effectively using music in the classroom.

Willy Wood brings to his work more than a decade of classroom experience, as well as five years in administration. The former Communication Arts Consultant for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, he introduced a number of key professional development programs, including the Missouri Reading Initiative. Prior to accepting this position, Willy Wood served for 14 years as an English and writing teacher at the high school and college levels, where he built experience in curriculum development, classroom management, and student support.

Willy Wood holds a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Science, both in English, from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. He received both degrees summa cum laude and went on to complete additional coursework. He has studied at the master's and doctoral level at The Bread Loaf School of English (Middlebury College) and the University of Missouri-Columbia.

  • Work
    • Open Mind Technologies
  • Education
    • University of Missouri - Columbia
    • Southeast Missouri State University