Caption: Jared Meier supervising reading time with the 5th grade reading groups. [by Grace E. Meier]
by Grace Meier
2025 graduate and PACA alumni, Jared Meier, has returned to PACA as a fifth grade teacher’s aide (TA) during the 2025-2026 school year. All the while, he is being an online student at Liberty University. If everything goes well, he will earn enough scholarships and have enough additional money saved to attend this university in Lynchburg, Virginia as a full time resident next year.
For Jared Meier, being a TA at PACA has both struggles and rewards, and requires a special type of balance when dealing with students.
“I am trying to balance the idea between being a friend but also having authority,” said Meier. “The kids can try their best and I can try my best to be friendly and nice to them but also to know that I am an authority over them and they need to follow what I tell them to do and not just them thinking they can do whatever they want.”
He is still getting used to the responsibilities and schedule that he has as a fifth grade TA, and feels as though he hasn’t had enough experience to state his opinion. He doesn’t feel as though he knows enough yet to initiate a change in the schedule and responsibilities as a TA, because he isn’t yet sure if there even needs to be one.
One of the more exciting things for Meier as a TA is to talk to the kids during their recess and to see how they like to think.
“In the classroom it’s more about what they learn,” said Meier, “but when I go outside it’s like I can get to know what the kids think and what they like to do and what entertains them.”
PACA’s new TA for fifth grade really enjoys being with the kids and already has made some great memories with them.
“One day in the cafeteria during their lunch time and the TV screen was showing all the graduates for last year, including me,” said Jared, recalling one of his favorite memories. “It was going through the images for each person and they would drum roll and when it got to my picture they would all scream and yell and were even throwing chairs. It wasn’t good and we had to control them but it kept happening. We had to turn the TV off that day and throughout the next week.”
Though Jared does love being a TA for the fifth graders at PACA, he also has plans set in mind to study at Liberty University in Virginia, USA.
His goal is to be studying at Liberty as a full time residential student next school year.
Meier was originally planning on staying at Liberty University as a full time resident at the start of this school year, but ended up deciding to stay at PACA and take online classes at Liberty from Brazil so that he could try for better scholarships after he had made some money to help pay for it.
Jared is learning how to adjust his schedule to fit in his classes at Liberty University as his classes began in early September.
Though Meier has had to adjust to his new responsibilities as a TA, he believes that there isn’t anything that he would change about his schedule besides his breaks.
“I think it’s perfect how it is so far,” said Meier. “I would say more break time but, I think I almost have too much break time.”
Jared sees his job as a teacher’s aide as an opportunity for him to learn and grow. The first overall benefit that he has experienced is from listening to the kids and hearing what they have to say about different topics.
“I think that if everybody had the opportunity and the time they should be a TA or at least just be with the kids,” said Meier, “because this is the next generation of people and it’s honestly really exciting to see.”
One thing that has impressed him is the way the kids show their humor and intelligence during class time.
“The kids they’re so funny and honestly intelligent and like some of them even outsmart me on certain things,” said Meier. “I just miss being a kid and I feel like everybody should have the opportunity to see what these kids are thinking.”
Mrs. Lilian Pedrozo, Jared’s supervisor and the teacher for PACA’s 2025-2026 fifth grade class, evaluated Jared’s character and responsibility as her TA.
“This is my first year with a full-time TA, and the experience has been incredible. Having another professional in the classroom means more support for the students and more opportunities to accompany their learning.” said Pedrozo, “With Jared’s help, I’ve also gained valuable time to prepare lessons and add new resources that enrich the classroom experience.”
Jared Meier is handling the responsibilities of being a TA and online university student well so far and has many more memories to make and stories to create with the fifth graders of the 2025-2026 PACA school year.
