Teacher Profiles

Harlem Village Academies attracts highly motivated, intelligent, dedicated educators. Here are some of their stories:

Teach for America and Harlem Village Academies are complimentary.

Extraordinary gains require extraordinary people. Coming from Teach for America, I already understood this concept. Teach for America rigorously trains corps members to become excellent teachers. Harlem Village Academies then gave me the organizational support, professional development, and time to realize the vision. TFA alum are well suited for careers at Harlem Village Academies because the respect, humility, and integrity that are critical to corps members are fundamental at Harlem Village Academies. Working here has allowed me to realize the pursuit that I began as a corps member. It’s amazing to work at a school that relentlessly pursues excellence, where every member of the team holds him or herself and one another to the highest expectations.

Harlem Village Academies empowers teachers.

There is not a top-down approach here. Leaders as well as teachers identify problems, and everyone participates in finding solutions. It’s always a team feeling. Everyone is encouraged to take initiative. The office manager is empowered to enhance the efficacy of administrative systems. Teachers are empowered to refine curricula. We’re always included in the decision-making process, so we step up and take ownership. This drives us to do our best. The leadership team at Harlem Village Academies sets high expectations and trusts teachers. Everyone from the principal to the CEO cares about teachers and takes an active role in our development. When leaders visit classes, they find the time to go over their observations. They believe in teachers’ capabilities; they’re always looking to support and empower us. It’s incredible.

I am in love with our school.

It is one of the most amazing places I have ever been. In each and every classroom, there is an excitement, a sense of urgency, a quest to discover. Once I knew a school such as ours existed, I absolutely had to be a part of it. When I first started out in teaching, I was told, “Stay out of the teachers’ lounge; it’s where unhappy teachers go to complain!” But Harlem Village Academies has a teachers’ office. For me, that space is really one of the wonders of our school: it’s filled with the smartest people I have ever met. It’s where we collaborate, strategize, share ideas, and laugh! At Harlem Village Academies, every single thing we do is in the best interest of our students. No teacher on our team has ever put anything else before this common goal. We are committed to excellence and our culture is such that when you point out a weakness, you should also point out a potential solution. It amazes me how much you grow as a teacher here.

I’ve never seen a faculty so talented and dedicated.

At Harlem Village Academies, you’re working among the highest caliber teachers, so you learn a lot and become better just by observing and talking with colleagues. At my previous schools, I didn’t really receive much feedback. Working at Harlem Village Academies changed everything. The constant feedback and professional development has helped me to grow as a teacher. Here I am encouraged to perfect my craft. Everyone operates under the premise that we want to help one another be the best educators we can be. School leaders are incredibly supportive and open. They listen to ideas and suggestions for improvement. We’ve had incredible success and we’re proud of that, but we are still continually looking at how we can get even better. Everyone brings so much to the table, and we all work together to improve ourselves and our schools.

I’ve been teaching for 25 years...

and have I never been part of an educational community that so advocates the nobility in education, that so maintains an atmosphere in which the mind is elevated and the character exalted. High expectations for every member of the learning community abound: they are clearly communicated, justified and explained as key to reaching educational and personal goals. At Harlem Village Academies, the ownership you have over what and how you teach compels you to be passionate about it. Harlem Village Academies is a place for educators who feel joy deeply with each student’s success, and who try something else and something else again when the success is slow in coming. There’s comfort in knowing that we make every decision with a respected colleague’s idea of “what’s best for kids” in mind.

I came to teaching as a second career.

Because of this, I had different expectations. In my first teaching position, I spent six years in an urban public school and I became disenchanted. I did not feel as though I was surrounded by professionals. Here, I really do. First and foremost, I’m an educator, and I believe in leading by listening. I have a lot of respect for good teachers, and we have so many great teachers here. Harlem Village Academies believes in empowering teachers, and the best things about our schools have come from our teachers. Their contributions and ideas are invaluable. As a teacher, it’s challenging to find balance between discipline and making the classroom a joyous place. But it can be done. It is also difficult to keep patience and energy. But the rewards - seeing kids succeed and feeling proud of what they’ve done - are really amazing.

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