Jayzen Barnes first teachers helped him decide his future was working with kids

“I had the same professors for two years, since my first day at GTCC. The department and their professors are extremely good,” said Barnes.

Jayzen Barnes understands the impact early childhood educators have upon their students. In fact, he’s living proof of it.

“Throughout everything I’ve learned, the early years of our education sets the tone of how we learn throughout our lives,” said Barnes, who recently received an associate degree in early childhood education from Guilford Technical Community College. “My kindergarten and preschool teachers were fantastic and set up the learning process that I would enjoy. I don’t think I would have enjoyed it the way I have if it were not for them.”

Barnes was reminded of those early days of his education a couple years ago when he was searching for an educational path after taking a few years off from school. That reminder made the decision much easier.

“We had a project when I was younger. It was to research our future and mine was to be a teacher. My teacher gave my project to the principal and that principal sent me a note saying I should be a teacher,” Barnes remembered.

Barnes’ mom, being like most proud moms, posted that note on Facebook. Barnes said he hadn’t thought much about it until it appeared in his Facebook feed as a memory while he was considering an education path.

“I was scrolling through Facebook and that note popped up on my suggested memories and it made all of those memories flood back,” said Barnes. “I believe it was that day or the day after I went and applied to GTCC in early childhood education.”

While Barnes has mostly warm memories of his early education, he also understands school can be difficult and unkind to many, which adds to his commitment. Barnes is tall. The 22-year-old East Davidson High School graduate is 6-foot-6 and was always taller than almost of his classmates. His height sometime drew unkind comments from fellow students.

“I’ve always been a big kid. Sometimes when teachers saw me and how big I was, it was like he can take care of himself, we don’t have to worry about him,” said Barnes, noting the “tall comments” began when he was in the third grade and had undergone a growth spurt.

That experience, Barnes said, helped him understand that all students should be given the same, dedicated efforts by teachers. It is something he practices every day in his role working with kindergarten and first-grade students.

“Really, just being able to make a very early difference in how people think about school, how they appreciate school, how they learn has always been big to me. Even when I was younger and thinking about being a teacher one of the big things was being able to tell I would make an impact.”

Teachers continued to make a solid impact on Barnes through his two years at GTCC making sure he was prepared for the real world of teaching.

“I had the same professors for two years, since my first day at GTCC. The department and their professors are extremely good,” said Barnes. “They genuinely care about how well the students do. They can be tough, but they want you to improve. That toughness leads to their students doing the best work.”

And Barnes pays that care forward to his students.

“I currently work at a school with kindergarten and first graders, and as hectic as that can be on a lot of days, I don’t think I would change it for the world. This is the first job I’ve had where I’m excited to go in every day.”

For more information on the Early Childhood Education program, visit gtcc.edu/academics/academic-programs/programs/human-services-social-sciences/early-childhood-education.php