Stepping into a classroom at The Oaks Academy often prompts parents, donors, and visitors to reconsider what they know about school. Our classrooms are spaces where our core value of authentic learning flourishes and students engage with a feast of ideas to develop principled, critical thinking.
However, they are more than just rooms for academic exploration. Our classrooms are infused with love – love for our students, love for learning, and a renewed love for teaching. Because The Oaks is more than a nurturing environment for our students; it’s also a place of support and great fulfillment for our teachers.
Get a glimpse into the heart of our educational community and discover what teaching at The Oaks is all about – directly from our teachers.
As a former youth pastor, Mr. Wise loves teaching at The Oaks because “it still feels like a ministry.” Teaching Humanities to our Middle School students, he loves that he can be a mentor and support our students and families. “We get to have discussions not just about the elements of history, but some of the ethical and moral dilemmas that shape that history. It feels like still being able to play a role in a spiritual aspect in their lives.” This builds community – and one not just with students and parents, but among the staff as well. “Last year especially, when I had health issues, I felt that the staff was very present; not only in supporting me but also being there for my family with rides, meals and encouragement.”
Mrs. Williams loves teaching at The Oaks because she can be her authentic self. “I’m allowed to be the Christian that I am and everything – I am free to be the person that God created me to be. That’s my #1 reason.” With over 20 years of teaching at The Oaks, she feels that this ability is the greatest gift that she could ever receive. “I don’t have to put part of myself away to teach. What greater joy is there than to be the person God created you to be – freely and unashamedly?”
Mrs. Plemon loves teaching at The Oaks because of our core value ‘relationships come first’. She sees this manifested in the manner in which she relates to her students, families, and colleagues. “As an Oaks teacher, I have the privilege of truly knowing and loving my students, which provides them a safe atmosphere in which to take academic risks, to think outside the box, and to develop and strengthen habits with confidence. I am blessed to work in an environment that is truly collaborative, supportive, and grace-filled. Finally, partnering with parents in their children’s education is a true delight, as we come alongside each other to support and encourage their children, not just as students, but as individuals bearing the image of God.”
The love our teachers have for teaching at The Oaks is just one piece of the puzzle that develops students into amazing alumni who look back on their educational experience with joy. In an environment characterized by a culture of being known and loved, it is no wonder that teachers at The Oaks feel fulfilled and renewed in their role of uplifting the minds of today’s learners and tomorrow’s leaders.
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