Professional Development

Harlem Village Academies considers teachers as our most valuable asset, and developing their talent is at the heart of our system. Our vision of professional development is inspired by the Japanese concept of Kounaikenshuu - the collaborative design, testing, and improvement of lessons^[1] - and the world-class development practices of G.E. and the Ritz Carlton. Faculty work together regularly to share best practices, review student work, analyze assessment data, and refine instructional strategies. In addition, each teacher is provided with individual instructional coaching, data-driven feedback and the opportunity for master teacher and peer lesson observation. The result is profound and continual improvement in teaching and learning.

Teachers are organized into small teams both by grade-level and by department. In these teams, they work together to assess student work in a thoughtful and meaningful way, solve problems, generate ideas, and ensure curricular coherence.

Collaborative Teacher Development

Teachers get together every Tuesday to collaborate by department on lesson planning, best practices sharing, and developing effective instructional strategies.

Intensive Summer Institute

A five week in-depth training period gives teachers an opportunity for meaningful reflection on the previous year, development of lesson plans for individual courses, refinement of assessments, and collaboration with colleagues. It also allows new faculty to receive mentoring and training.

Instructional Coaching

Each faculty member receives personalized instructional coaching and feedback pointing out strengths and areas that need improvement.

Excellent School Visits

The most accomplished professionals in any field are inherently avid learners, always excited to incorporate great ideas into their own repertoire. Harlem Village Academies provides teachers with days off to observe a wide variety of educators at other schools. Teachers select the charter, public or private schools that they wish to observe.

Professional Conferences & Retreats

Teachers and departments occasionally organize departmental retreats or participate in professional conferences such as the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), and the Celebration of Teaching and Learning.

Peer Observation and Feedback

We embrace a culture of feedback as a means to improve instruction. Teachers regularly observe each other within the school and consult with one another regarding strategies that are contributing to student achievement.

"The school leaders are building a true learning organization where faculty have ownership and all adults are engaged in continual improvement. The leaders have, more than any school we've visited, clearly articulated the vision and the teachers understand it and embrace it."
— New York State charter authorizer inspection report 

Lesson Study

Harlem Village Academies teachers engage in the Japanese practice of lesson study – the meticulous design, testing, observing and analyzing one lesson over the course of several months. For every lesson, teachers (on a voluntary basis) work together to analyze how the lesson can be improved, always with an eye towards increasing educational achievement. Through this rich practice, communities of teachers enhance their practice by thinking deeply together about teaching and learning.

Professional Growth Opportunities

Teachers who excel at improving student achievement have the opportunity for merit-based professional advancement, to positions such as Mentor Teacher, Master Teacher, Academic Director and Principal.

Workout

Workout – a concept originally pioneered by Jack Welch – takes weekly faculty meetings to a higher level. Workouts are collaborative sessions in which faculty identify school-wide problems and tap into our collective wisdom to develop solutions. We work as a team to continually improve our schools. To keep the meeting on focus, administrative announcements are not allowed during workout.

Teachers as Professionals

Harlem Village Academies is passionate about treating teachers as scholars and professionals and creating a rich intellectual life for faculty. The school provides teachers with a professional working environment, including office space, computers, an extension with voicemail, and a faculty library.

Honoring Teachers

Traditions such as the annual teacher appreciation dinner and student thank you letters reflect the esteemed place that teachers hold at Harlem Village Academies. The Harlem Village Academies culture emphasizes the importance of respect and appreciation for faculty.

Footnotes

[1]

James W. Stigler & James Hiebert, The Teaching Gap; Makoto Yoshida, Lesson Study: An Ethnographic Investigation of School Based Teacher Development in Japan; Catherine C. Lewis, Educating Hearts and Minds.