Growing up, I loved to play school with my brothers. When I was in charge, I wanted to make the school in such a way that both my brothers would have fun playing with me. It was a way to create a perfect environment in the game, but it was also an escape from reality.
For me, school was an easy thing to do and it felt like a checkoff list most of the time. Make friends, talk to friends, complete my work, be funny and then go home. Repeat the next day and hope that we would get some extra gym or recess time. The thing I enjoyed about school the most was the social aspect of getting to know so many people in such a short amount of time.
Around third grade or so, I realized that not all of the other students enjoyed the classes and the school like I did throughout my education. I looked around and started to see kids that struggled with reading, math, making friends or any other aspect of school. As a young child, this frustrated me that many people would never experience the joy and happiness in school that I have felt each and every year.
Throughout elementary, middle and high school, I felt the need to be in 3 different jobs for my future career. I wanted to be in ministry in order to help impact the eternity of students and families. I wanted to be a garbage truck driver because our elementary school garbageman would play basketball with me when he came to put up our garbage. This made an incredible impact on me. The final job that I wanted to be was a teacher.
I wanted to be a teacher in order to see the potential and ability in each and every student that walked into my classroom. Teachers are able to provide guidance and support to students that come from broken homes and families that are unable to help their children in different ways. I wanted to be able to help students fall in love with learning and help them understand that their actions can create a positive future for themselves and their families. Lastly, I wanted to be a teacher that people would know that is different because he has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
At Providence Academy, I look forward to working with teachers that have the same mindset of making education important, fun and very rewarding to the students. Most importantly, I look forward to seeing the lives transformed by the love shown throughout the classrooms and campus as our students come to us with different baggage that they carry. I look forward to seeing God go before us and prepare the way so that we can do it for His glory!
Check out our school at www.highpointlw.com/providenceacademy.
June 2023
By Jordan Barker, Dean of Students