How do you create enough excellent schools for all the children who need them?
The one thing I know for sure is that the single most important element of an excellent school is excellent teachers. It is so inspiring to be in the presence of an amazing teacher. I love watching teachers light up about a subject, and push students to do the hard thinking for themselves and to do their best work. One teacher can make a dramatic impact on a child's life.
My favorite book in graduate school was The Vulnerable Teacher by John Macrorie. In the book, Macrorie describes a teacher who "taught, I think, by love more than anything else. He was so much in love with English literature and with being a professor. Everyone worked for him to the maximum of his capacity. One couldn't let him down."
Teaching is a sacred calling. It's teachers who make a school great. The needs of children must always come first - and the best way to serve children is to create schools that attract and support - and yes, serve - the best teachers. So we designed every aspect of our schools to nurture and develop excellent teachers. From the beginning, our core strategy has been to attract talented, passionate educators, to empower them with autonomy, to provide them with clear standards and outstanding professional development, and to hold them accountable for results.
Village Academies is people-driven, not program-driven. The difference is profound. We're not replicating a particular program or product. We are thoughtfully and deliberately setting out to create an ideal environment and a rich intellectual life for teachers. For example, we try to create systems and opportunities for teachers to collaborate with each other, to talk with each other - about instruction, about students, about data. The result of this approach is extraordinary learning experiences and achievement results for students.
I see teachers as scholars, and feel it's so important that they should be supported as professionals. We are always looking for ways to reduce administrative tasks for teachers, and while we do have a longer day, we try to keep hours as reasonable as possible, because we don't want teachers to burn out. We want them to fall in love - and to stay with us and grow with us - to become department chairs and associate principals and principals.
The best of what we've accomplished has been created by our teachers. By building a system of schools designed for teachers, we will ensure an excellent education for all children.
Dr. Deborah Kenny was the founding principal of Harlem Village Academy. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Village Academies Network.
