“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
God slowly opened our hearts to develop this program after seeing the positive difference this education approach has made on our own family.
Our oldest daughter, Madelynn, is your atypical learner who attended traditional schools from PreK-2nd grade. Although she was surrounded by loving teachers who truly cared about her, we were noticing a slow decline in her academic ability and attitude towards learning.
Completing homework was a nightmare with lots of tears and frustration. Aggressive behavior towards us and her sister was rising. Yelling to get her out of the bed in the morning to get ready for school was not uncommon. She was often so drained from the school day that she would explode in unexplainable tears after stepping off the bus in the afternoons.
It was an endless cycle of frustration, and our family counted down the days until the next day off of school.
Something was wrong, very, very wrong.
It wasn't until the COVID pandemic of 2020 that closed schools and forced us to suddenly take a hands-on role in her education that a light bulb went off.
We discovered although she had supportive teachers and administrators who loved her, she wasn't thriving in the traditional school setting where academic expectations are defined by grade levels and state standards.
After wrapping up her 2nd grade year virtually, we decided to give 3rd grade a shot with custom, at-home learning. Boy, what a difference! Although we experienced a lot of ups and downs with helping Madelynn recognize that learning was fun, and she WAS capable of achieving academic success by approaching learning in unconventional ways, it has been the best decision we've ever made as a family!
With the authentic, hands-on approach and customized curriculum, Madelynn not only made 2 1/2+ years academic growth within her first two years using our Immersion Learning Approach, but she's also learned to love learning again!
Thus, sparks the idea of helping other families find their joy with learning, too!
God planted the seed of Inspirations Academy in the fall of 2021 and finally said, "It's time," in May of 2022 when we had families lined up and waiting for us to open our doors.
Inspirations Academy launched with our Summer 2022 program with only a few weeks of preparation. You know God's hand is at work when the program was a huge success and inspired more families to join in the fall.
Although Inspirations Academy students have made huge academic strides, we're most proud of their attitudes about learning. When your students are sad about taking a break, you know you're doing something right!
Inspirations Academy is a perfect fit with Haley having a PreK-5 Elementary degree, K-12 Literacy Masters and a Minor in Spanish with over 20 years of teaching experience. Jason has two education degrees in Health & Physical Education for PreK-Age 21 and a Masters in Business Administration. His professional experience includes over 15 years of social services, training & development. Jason is also active in our community and helps lead the Clear Fork Chamber of Commerce.
Although we've questioned our unconventional path many times, God has made it clear that He has been molding and shaping us all this time in order to fulfill this calling.
We know this hybrid family-based learning model will not fit the needs of every family, but we're very excited to help others enjoy the positivity and growth that we have experienced!
Haley & Jason Black
Co-Founders of Inspirations Academy
