As a young girl growing up in a small North Carolina town, I loved playing school and having the complete and total attention of the many stuffed animal students that filled my living room classroom. I knew at seven years old that I wanted to be a teacher. God graciously allowed that dream to become a reality. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity each day to serve Him, whom I love with my whole heart. One of my greatest privileges is the opportunity to share Christ’s love with a classroom full of second graders. Each day my students learn not only the required subject material, but also how God uses this newly discovered material to allow them to know more about Him and the amazing world He created.
Teaching from a biblical worldview is not just increasing a child’s knowledge of biblical facts, but it is the complete immersion into understanding that all subjects point directly to our loving God, who desires to have a personal relationship with each one of us. It is not only having the students understand how to subtract numbers by regrouping, but understanding the beauty that God is a God of order. In grammar, we classify sentences to understand how to write well and express to others, in an intelligible way, God’s love for His creation. Each subject has a direct link to our Creator, and it is my role to guide each student towards understanding that relationship.
When students enter my classroom, I want them to be excited that they will learn something new. I want them to feel the exhilaration of mastering a difficult concept. I want them to engage with each other in a loving and accepting manner. In turn, I must be excited and loving and accepting of each student. Through these actions and words, God’s love shines brightest and allows the students to see and feel God’s story being told clearly.
A typical day within my classroom consists of reminders to my students to be thankful for this day that God created. Each student is encouraged to write neatly and honor God with his or her best work because He gives us His best every day. On rainy days, we thank God for the rain (which He has provided in abundance this year) because He is preparing a splendid spring for us to enjoy. There is always something to be thankful for, and we thank God for everything, especially being in the classroom during a pandemic! On the first day of school every year, I spend time introducing my class to the Bible. They discover not only the mechanics of using the Bible but what the Bible is. The Bible is a history book, an instruction manual for how to live our lives, and it is a love letter from God written especially for them. I hope that through this newfound knowledge, they will start to feel a direct connection to God.
Recently, my students had the opportunity to choose an animal that they would like to learn more about for an upcoming report. Each student had to make both a first and second choice. One student was so excited about her first choice but unfortunately had to go with her second choice due to a conflict. She was sad for just a moment, then her eyes lit up and she excitedly stated that maybe God wanted her to learn more about her second choice. And she skipped away happily, knowing that God may not have given her what she wanted, but His plans are better than her own. I have the fantastic blessing of witnessing sweet moments like this on a daily basis.
Looking back to when I was seven years old, God planted a tiny seed into my heart that one day He would allow me to teach His children to grow in wisdom and understanding. At Cary Christian School, I wholeheartedly strive to provide each student with an excellent classical education founded upon a biblical worldview. I am both honored and humbled by God’s faithfulness in guiding me every step of the way.