Christian Living

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Roger Fisher has two offices. At both of them, he sees people in need of guidance. He gives a well-prepared message that is meant to be taken seriously by the listeners. The audience at both locations is made up of individuals who listen at varying degrees of interest. Some of them want to be there. Some were forced. Fisher hopes that by the time they leave his presence, he has left basically the same imprint on them.

One of Fisher’s offices is the quiet retreat at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Cartersville. The other can be found at the Bartow Academy, the local alternative school in Bartow County. It is here that Fisher spends all day with students who have been suspended from the “regular” high schools in the Bartow County School System. His day begins at 7:30 with the arrival of the students and ends at 3:30. Fisher is also on what is known as “extended day”, which means he doesn’t get the hour-and-a-half planning period break given to most teachers.

A veteran teacher who is in his 17th year as an educator, Fisher is in his second stint and fourth year overall instructing and mentoring at the Academy. Over the course of a day, he can be found teaching different levels of science to approximately 55 students who are at the academy for a variety of discipline problems.

Other godly influences can be found at the Academy. Tommy Harris, the principal, answered the call to preach in July 2002. He is the second head administrator in the school’s eight-year existence, having been there the past six years.

Harris sees a change in how he oversees the Academy and relates to others, “I’ve always been patient with my students. But now I see myself as more patient with my staff. In working with the students, I’ve also noticed how I’m more open to see how to meet their physical needs. We must deal with the physical part before identifying and working with spiritual areas.”

Fisher never even meant to be a teacher. “I was at Cumberland College (KY) planning on being a doctor. One day, the reality of the cost of medical school hit me, so I finished my degree in biology. I had taught Sunday School at church and enjoyed it, so I thought I’d give [public school] teaching a try.”

A problem many ministers face is not spending much time around people who aren’t members of their own congregation. Fisher sees a great many kids who don’t often grace the doors of their own homes, much less a sanctuary. He sees this as a great advantage to reaching young people and building relationships with them.

Over the years, Fisher has indeed had an impact on his students. They come by to visit him at church. He has preformed at least ten weddings among them. In 1996, he took a group from Cass High in Cartersville on a mission trip to Haiti.

And what is the response of an alternative school student who learns that their teacher is an ordained minister? “At first, it’s shock,” says Fisher, “especially when they learn that I teach science. They also expect me to be a pushover, but they learn otherwise. Over time, their perception of me changes to where they see me as a real person.”

As a sophomore at Lakeview High School in St. Clair Shores, MI, an impact was made on Fisher by a Mr. St. John, his biology teacher. The tenth-grader felt this teacher cared. Fisher remembers that and implements it in his teaching today, be it from behind a pulpit or a lectern.

“Both being a minister and a teacher require a lot of organization, “ explains Fisher, “Communication is key because misunderstandings can occur. Clarity is important. I’ve found in both areas how easy it is to be misunderstood.”

Fisher says that he often gets more out of being at the school than the students do. “Being an alternative school teacher has taught me to be a better Christian. It has extended my patience. I try to treat these kids all the same despite [their history]. Most of the time, kids will not behave the way that you expect them to. The best part of this job is when you really do feel that you’ve made a difference and you see it.”

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