One School’s Inspiring Journey with TeachUNITED

"TeachUNITED has strived to understand the local contexts, to understand how different figures operate." - Jesús Darío Loeza, Secretary of Education, Yucatán, Mexico

If you’ve been along for the journey the last few years, you may remember our early conversations with Middle School Social Studies teacher, Andrew Bergang, from Strong Foundations Charter School. 

Year 1

Andrew completed 1:1 coaching with TeachUNITED in the 2022-2023 school year. With new strategies and tools gained from the program, he and other participating teachers saw increased student engagement. 

“I think when things are not as traditional, or not what they expect, my students are more excited about it [learning].” – Andrew

Year 2

In the 2023-2024 school year, Andrew and fellow TU program graduates (other lead teachers) served as instructional coaches for peers within the rest of the school using all the materials gathered and strategies learned with TU Coaches. 

Successes from the Year

TU program teacher leaders focused on supporting peers by zeroing in on a single, targeted instructional unit, which kept the process manageable and allowed deeper exploration without overwhelming staff. Teachers appreciated having dedicated planning time and being able to select their focus areas, fostering genuine, open discussions about teaching practices. Teacher leaders led these conversations, which strengthened trust and created a safe space for collaboration. The process also led to increased camaraderie among staff, giving teachers a chance to connect across different departments. The value of the program was evidenced in the high levels of engagement seen by teacher leaders.

“Everyone was excited to sign up. Everyone wants to learn new strategies and improve their teaching ability. And these are great strategies to do so.” – Andrew

“I was surprised by the level of high engagement! Meetings at the end of a day after a full day of teaching can be hard… It was great to see how excited some teachers were by the content and the sessions.” – Lead Teacher

Opportunities for Improvement

While the school saw positive outcomes, they noted a few changes that could enhance their impact even further in subsequent years. For instance, starting earlier in the year and establishing a structured schedule upfront would help maintain a steady rhythm and avoid the feeling of rushing at the end. Quarterly check-ins and planning sessions, especially during teacher development days, could provide more continuity and support smoother implementation.

Looking Ahead to Year 3

This school year, Strong Foundations incorporated learnings from year two and also has some new approaches to test. Teachers, including Andrew, are considering a mentorship approach where each Teacher Leader mentors a new staff member through the program. This “train-the-trainer” model would help foster new leaders in the school and offer new teachers tailored support and a sense of belonging. Other options include a rotating content model and a subject-specific focus, both of which would allow Teacher Leaders to offer focused guidance while managing classroom responsibilities.

With Year 3 underway, we’re excited to continue building on the past years’ achievements and strengthening all our school communities’ commitments to impactful, sustainable professional development.

All Points North Foundation and TeachUNITED Enter Year Three of Transformative Grant Partnership

Thank you to our funding partners, All Points North Foundation, who have been supporters of the program and our work with many schools, including Strong Foundations Charter School the last three years. Sustained, multi-year support from the foundation allows us to be steadfast in our support of each of the schools joining our program. 

 

ABOUT ALL POINTS NORTH FOUNDATION

All Points North Foundation was founded in 2011 by a private family foundation who believes passionately that everyone has a “true North” – a place of achievement – and that everyone should have equal opportunity and access to realize their goals. All Points North Foundation funds grantees in two areas – public middle school education (grades 6-8) and solar energy – that have the power to help communities nationwide navigate upward. For more information, visit allpointsnorthfoundation.org.