Deo Wells
Middle School and High School Teacher
Bachelor’s Degree, Physics, Western Michigan University; Master’s Degree, Career and Technical Education, Western Michigan University; Endorsement for teaching Automotive Technology
Deo Wells started teaching in 1996 and joined Great Lakes Learning Academy in 2017. He teaches physics, math, and character education to students in grades 6–12. Mr. Wells also works with students to advance their college and career readiness.
Why He Became a Teacher
“I was inspired by my high school physics teacher, and was later recruited by the same teacher,” Mr. Wells says. “My greatest joy is working with students who have lost faith in getting their diploma and helping them to regain their hope of graduating. I then get to attend graduation to see the smiles on their faces as they get their diploma.”
The Online Experience at Great Lakes Learning Academy
Mr. Wells believes that fostering a relationship with each student is important. First there needs to be rapport, then building trust, both personally and academically. He strives to find small victories for students to begin building their confidence.
Mr. Wells’ favorite field trip was taking a group of students to Central Michigan University so they could experience the campus and a little of what college might be like. “All the students were very excited with what they experienced,” he says. “It was a great day.”
What Parents Thinking of Enrolling Their Child Here Should Know
According to Mr. Wells, “The staff at [Great Lakes Learning Academy] is committed to making your child’s educational experience safe, robust, and fulfilling. I have worked with several groups of educators and the ones I work with [here] are by far the most caring, student-centered, and knowledgeable group I have worked with in my 25+ years of teaching.”
Mr. Wells believes an education at Great Lakes Learning Academy helps prepare students for a bright and successful future due to the range and quality of courses. He believes the school’s students “are learning in a way that will be prevalent in the very near future.”
Mr. Wells’ Personal Interests
“I have been married 25 years to an amazing woman,” he says. “I have two children and three grandchildren. I also have two labrador retrievers. I have a drone that I enjoy flying. [I also enjoy] creating things with my 3D printer. My wife and I love to visit the Upper Peninsula.”
“There is a closer relationship with students online, [in part because they] have access [to their school] 24/7.”
— Mr. Wells