Teacher Spotlight: Paula Porter

Paula Porter, a veteran fifth grade teacher here at Wake Christian Academy, grew up in Henderson, Kentucky. During her childhood, Mrs. Porter’s mother taught middle school at Holy Name Catholic School as well as piano lessons at their house. Mrs. Porter used to pretend her mom’s piano stool was her desk as she played “school” with her friends.

In high school, Mrs. Porter’s favorite teacher was named Mrs. Irene Fuller. She was strict, but fair, and she really knew her subject.

After high school, Mrs. Porter went to Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky and earned her Bachelor of Science degree. She went on to earn her Masters at Indiana State University.

Mrs. Porter lived in Indiana and Ohio before moving to Raleigh from Huntsville, Alabama when her husband got a job in North Carolina with the Red Cross.  After enrolling her children at Wake Christian, Mrs. Porter taught third grade for one year at Green Hope Elementary.  When an opening for a fifth grade teacher came available at Wake Christian, Mrs. Porter applied, and she’s been teaching fifth grade at Wake Christian for eleven years now out of her thirty years of teaching.

In teaching, Mrs. Porter finds the relationships she builds with her students most rewarding part of her job, and she is really enjoying the opportunity to get to know all of the fifth graders now that fifth grade has become departmentalized. Mrs. Porter teaches the math and science departments, which opens up many doors for the sharing of spiritual truths about God’s Creation.

For example, Mrs. Porter invited a guest speaker to convey to the fifth graders how Creation displays God’s glory. Mrs. Porter especially enjoys teaching her students in-depth material about the world God created and how it demonstrates His character, such as in math, where the fifth grade has focused on Psalm 90:12, which says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Mrs. Porter is very thankful for the strong leadership at Wake Christian, and she says, “Our administration is a gift from God.”

Mrs. Porter loves teaching here at Wake Christian, and she is thankful that God has given her such an opportunity.