The Kind of Teacher He Remembered

Inspired by a fourth-grade teacher who cared for the whole child, Nathan James pursued elementary education, persevered through a difficult certification process, and found his confidence supporting the next generation of learners.

Long before Nathan James began working with students, he knew the lasting difference a teacher could make.

His fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Kraay, did more than teach academic lessons. Nathan remembers her as someone who genuinely cared about every student, encouraged kindness, and wanted each child to be set up for success.

“She cared about the whole child,” Nathan said. “She taught us how to be good people and to treat others with kindness.”

Years later, that example helped Nathan recognize his own calling to education.

He graduated from high school just as the COVID-19 pandemic was beginning and colleges around him were closing their campuses. WGU’s established online model offered him a way to begin college without putting his plans on hold.

The university was already familiar to his family. Nathan’s mother had graduated from the same WGU program in 2018 and spoke positively about both her experience and the support she received. Her recommendation, combined with WGU’s self-paced format and Program Mentor model, gave Nathan confidence that it would be a strong fit.

A naturally independent and self-motivated learner, he enrolled in WGU’s Bachelor’s, Elementary Education.

Doing the Hard Things

Nathan adapted quickly to WGU’s competency-based model, but several milestones tested his determination.

One of the most difficult was preparing for the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification. Passing the exam was an important step toward student teaching and eventually earning his certification.

“It was one of the most challenging tests I had ever come across,” Nathan said. “I knew that if I could pass it, I would be ready to get my own classroom someday.”

His Program Mentor, Renee Siminski, understood that Nathan worked well independently while still benefiting from encouragement at important moments. She kept him moving forward as he completed courses and prepared for the certification exam.

“You’ve prepared for it,” Nathan remembers her telling him. “It’s time to show the world what you know.”

Finding a student teaching placement presented another challenge. Some schools in his area preferred partnerships with nearby brick-and-mortar universities, but Nathan continued searching until a charter school gave him the opportunity he needed.

When he graduated in 2024, he felt that he had completed more than a degree.

“I felt like I had finally made it to adulthood and was ready to join the workforce,” he said.

Finding His Place—and His Confidence

Nathan is candid that his degree did not immediately lead to the position he envisioned.

West Michigan has a competitive education job market, and he submitted hundreds of applications without advancing beyond many initial interviews. Rather than become discouraged, Nathan continued gaining experience wherever he could.

He began substitute teaching, then became a virtual reading interventionist with Ignite Reading. Later, he returned to a school he had once attended to work as a one-on-one special education paraprofessional in a first-grade classroom.

After seeing his work with students, the school invited him back as an MTSS interventionist.

“Now I’m officially starting to see my degree open doors,” he said.

The experience has also changed how Nathan sees himself as an educator. During student teaching, he sometimes felt timid and uncertain about classroom management. After spending a full school year working directly with students, he became more confident setting expectations while maintaining mutual respect.

Today, Nathan and his mother share something especially meaningful: both are WGU graduates, and both found their way into teaching. His mother later completed an alternative certification program and earned a classroom of her own, making education a family calling built through two different journeys.