10 Ways to Stay Energized During Remote Teaching
Success Academy – October 16, 2020
How do our teachers manage to keep their minds and bodies energized in the remote environment? Find out below.
10 Tips for Building Community in the Remote Classroom
Success Academy – August 21, 2020
For new scholars and new teachers, remote learning can feel overwhelming — how can we feel together when we’re so far apart? We asked teachers who excelled at remote learning in the spring for their advice on building community in the classroom.
23 Ways to Say We Love You!
Success Academy – May 11, 2020
Teachers are truly our superheroes — as scholars made clear through many messages of love and thanks that they’ve shared.
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Learning Continues, and People are Noticing!
Success Academy – April 9, 2020
From the beginning, SA educators, scholars, and families have risen to the challenge of remote learning with determination. Now, they’re being recognized by multiple news outlets for their efforts.
A Day in the Life of an SA Science Teacher
Success Academy – 15 de enero de 2020
Rhea May is in her seventh year of teaching science at SA Bed-Stuy 1. We spent a day with her to find out what drew her to teaching, how she manages work-life balance, and what it’s really like teaching science at Success Academy!
How Two Educators Convert Even the Most Reluctant Readers
Elora Tocci – November 18, 2019
Across boroughs and roles, both Ms. Johnson and Ms. Poser share a determination to carve out “love of reading” as a stand-alone educational priority — one that is just as important as things like phonetic understanding, main idea, and vocabulary.
Helping Teachers Find Their Groove as Classroom Managers: SA Upper West’s Jose Ojeda Explains
Jose Ojeda – November 12, 2019
Throughout my 12 years at Success Academy, many experiences have shaped my approach as an educator. One stands out from when I was an associate teacher and still learning the ropes of classroom management. Now, the lessons I learned form the cornerstone of my classroom management coaching: Finding your own style and voice is essential for successful — and joyful — classroom management.
Ten Nutrition Tips for Educators
Elora Tocci – October 24, 2019
Recently, educators came together at the Robertson Center to conquer one of the universal challenges of the workplace: what to eat between the first bell and the last. Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, a registered dietitian and nutrition expert, shares her top tips for teachers on how to plan your meals and snacks so that you can feel healthy, stay energized, and treat yourself to the type of food that fuels your body and your soul.
How We Beat the October Slump: 8 Tips for Teachers From Teachers
Success Academy – October 7, 2019
Studies show that this time of year tends to bring on the “teacher blues”— a time when teachers might especially feel the weight of their workload, or even feel a little discouraged. We asked veteran teachers to share how they reboot when the days start getting shorter, and they offered up some valuable tips and tricks.
What I Learned From My First Year of Teaching
Success Academy – September 19, 2019
New teachers, we hope this advice from last year’s “Rookie of the Year” winners encourages and guides you during your first weeks and months in the classroom!
New SA Teachers Share Passion for Education — and Thoughts on Summer Training!
Success Academy – September 9, 2019
This year, almost 700 teachers joined the Success Academy network — and they’re ready to make this the best school year yet. We caught up with four new members of our community to hear about what brought them to Success, their passion for education, and their reflections on New Teacher Training. Thanks to all of our teachers who are already making a difference in the lives of their scholars!
The Time-Management Tip That Saved My Teaching
Hannah Inglut – August 22, 2019
Giving my students work — not just school work, but actual tasks — was an incredible time-saver but it also had other unexpected and profoundly positive effects. It fostered a spirit of community among my scholars, increased their focus and investment, and most importantly, gave me the space and confidence to let them take ownership of their learning.
Learning About the Past to Empower the Future
Success Academy – July 11, 2019
“Right away, I want kids thinking about the construction of truth, and how history looks different when you change the lens.” Middle school history teacher Jess Johnson reflects on teaching a history curriculum designed to help kids become active, thoughtful citizens.
From Mongols to Majors: A Day in the Life of a High School History Teacher
Success Academy – June 6, 2019
Amanda Levy loves teaching about the past — while preparing her scholars for their futures. As a ninth grade World History teacher at Success Academy High School of the Liberal Arts, she’s used to discussing everything from Mongols to majors with her scholars.
From Biology to Basketball, This First-Year Teacher Champions His Students
Elora Tocci – May 17, 2019
Mr. Brady is a biology teacher at Success Academy High School of the Liberal Arts. He’s on a mission to bring out the best in his scholars — all while showing them just how relevant science can be.
I’ve Seen What Happens When Kids Aren’t Taught Well: This is Why I’m a Teacher Advocate
Krista Pregony – 11 de marzo de 2019
When I finished my service with AmeriCorps in 2016, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to continue teaching. But when I moved back East, I came across Success Academy. The model seemed exactly what my former students had needed, but what attracted me even more was the dual mission. It wasn’t enough for the kids in my own classroom to learn well; I wanted to be part of an organization working toward bringing great education to all students.
At Home in the Classroom: Former Harlem Resident Returns to Teach
Success Academy – 8 de febrero de 2019
When Tyreen Sims decided to change careers from psychologist to teacher, she hadn’t expected to work across the street from where she grew up — with a principal she’s known since elementary school. This is the happy accident that unfolded at Success Academy Harlem 2, where Tyreen started as a lead science teacher in 2015. She took us inside her school to show us exactly what makes it feel like home.
A Thanksgiving Epiphany
Success Academy – November 13, 2018
It was 2017 — Eni’s first year of teaching at Success Academy. After graduating from Harvard University, she joined Success in July, and from that moment on, it had felt like she was on the world’s craziest roller coaster. There were ups and downs, highs and lows, and it all happened at breakneck speed.
Digging Deep and Thinking Big About Middle School Reading at the Robertson Center
John Snowdy – October 22, 2018
Last week, John Snowdy found himself back in the student’s desk alongside fellow educators from across the country. They were at Success Academy’s Robertson Center, a new center for educator training, to learn more about the network’s approach to teaching middle school reading.
Success Academy Fifth Graders Go to Birmingham — Figuratively
Allison Bravo – September 27, 2018
This is Allison Bravo’s second year teaching fifth grade, and once again, teaching The Watsons Go to Birmingham is a highlight. This is the first novel scholars read and study together as middle schoolers, and it is an introduction to the kind of literary discussion and analysis they will do throughout middle and high school.
The Art and Science of Setting Up a Classroom
Success Academy – September 10, 2018
The arrangement of a Success Academy classroom requires thoughtfulness, strategy, and — most importantly — creative joy. With every change, no matter how small, the teachers of SA Fort Greene were enacting a vision of the learning environment they wanted their scholars to experience.
Success Academy Teacher Activist Stages a Comeback
Stephen Ferrell – August 17, 2018
It’s often said that teachers wear many hats throughout their careers. In May, that saying took on a very personal meaning when we were told that our school, SA Lafayette Middle School, would likely not be allowed to open because of a bureaucratic technicality. I was determined to fight for our kids, so I spent the past few months growing not only as an educator and as an artist, but also as an activist and advocate.
“Black Boy, White Man”: A Success Academy Teacher and Scholar Wrote a Poem Together — And Got the Whole School Talking
Success Academy – April 10, 2018
When Nolan McDaniel and Malik Sahabi first unveiled their poem — a thought-provoking spoken-word piece that they coauthored — it was in front of an auditorium packed with scholars, teachers, and families. They electrified their listeners, who snapped their fingers and cheered with enthusiasm at what turned out to be one of the highlights of the Success Academy Harlem Central Poetry Slam. Since then, the entire school has been talking about “Black Boy, White Man”.
Scholars Debate First Amendment Rights, Hate, and Confederate Statues
Sarah Hendrickson – October 2, 2017
During one of the first Humanities lessons this year, the hands of my 7th grade historians shot into the air in response to my question: should statues honoring Confederate generals be removed from cities and towns across the U.S.? I’m always inspired by how much our scholars care about the world around them, and I’d been looking forward to this class discussion ever since summer T School, when I saw the topic on the history syllabus for middle school students.