When Barbara Hunter was looking for a great faith-filled school for her four sons, she did not expect to find a teaching job herself. But, it seems that’s what Providence–or at least Providence Academy–had in store for the Hunters in the summer of 2020.
PA’s award-winning architecture and well-kept campus often impress visitors, but, looking at the school online, Hunter says it was the website that impressed her. She added, “It was so nice to see the importance of faith, the high regard of academics looking at colleges, challenging courses, and extracurriculars outside of school.” Those same factors prompted her decision to teach here. Hunter and her sons all were at the same school together last year in Illinois. “It was perfect timing,” Hunter said, as a new math position had just opened up.
Being new to both the online learning option and Providence itself, Hunter anticipated certain difficulties. Though the PA community has avoided a mass quarantine and continued to teach in-person, some challenges, like navigating unfamiliar systems such as Moodle and Infinite Campus, have already arisen. Hunter taught during the online phase last year and admitted it was pretty difficult, but with each week of experience, it got better as new ideas came about. With starting off the year having some students learning from home, Hunter agreed it was tough to interact with the students on SimulClass. But Hunter’s love for math, especially the puzzle-like critical thinking and the absolute answers, is able to reach the students and help them love it too.
Minnesota in general is new to the Hunter family, but because of the ongoing pandemic, the only thing they really have come to know here is Providence. Hunter says, “It has been a little tough, and we miss being in a university city, but everyone here is so welcoming.” The welcoming spirit they’ve encountered is helping both Mrs. Hunter and her family get adjusted to Minnesota.
