Program Insider: An In-Depth Look at Teaching at Success Academy

For recent college graduates looking to make a large social impact so early in their careers, few opportunities match teaching at an organization like Success Academy, the highest-performing network of public charter schools in New York City.

In fact, it’s pretty unique to have the chance right after completing your higher education to foster a love of learning in others — and to create opportunities for them to become critical and creative thinkers with the confidence to pursue their passions. Plus, you don’t even need a degree in education to get started.

Success Academy is always seeking candidates who are passionate about an academic subject — such as history, philosophy, biology, or neuroscience. It believes that having a keen interest in the content is far more important for great teaching than having an education degree. To learn more about what a new grad might expect on the job at Success Academy, we sat down with Justine Parello, who is currently a Second-Grade Lead Teacher at Success Academy at Hudson Yards Elementary School.

Justine is a great example of how you don’t need a degree in education, or extensive experience with children, to work directly with students through Success Academy. Before working at Success Academy, Justine had recently graduated from college with a degree in history and only had a few shorter-term experiences working with children — as a summer camp counselor and a volunteer at her hometown zoo.

Because Success Academy is committed to supporting the professional growth of individuals of all experience levels, Justine was accepted to Success Academy after she applied online. She started as an Associate Teacher in second grade and followed a well-paved path to become a Lead Teacher.

Justine filled us in on the thorough onboarding, training, and development process she went through. Read on for an inside look at what you can expect while working at Success Academy. 

Thorough onboarding & introductory training

A thorough onboarding process is one of the most crucial components of Success Academy's comprehensive Professional Development Program.

For incoming teachers starting in the fall, the program begins with summer teacher training, which acclimates and orients them to Success Academy's unique culture and values, and then a period of intensive practice in the classroom called “Teacher Excellence Training.”

"Teacher Excellence Training takes place for the first two weeks after teachers return from summer break. New teachers are trained, and returning teachers brush up on their routines, lessons, and skills for the beginning of the year. It allows all teachers to familiarize themselves with their new school, team, and classroom, and to set a positive tone for the new school year," Justine explained.

Justine described how new teachers practiced skills during this period through ‘teach-backs’ which is when teachers participate with other teachers in mock student interactions and receive feedback from leadership to help them refine their instructional skills. 

“During teach-backs, you practice how to launch lessons, how to respond to student answers, and when to include student discussions in the lesson,” Justine added. “You start with classroom management skills, learning how to give students directions, address inappropriate behaviors, and establish yourself as an authority figure in the classroom."

The thorough onboarding and training program provides you with in-demand hard and soft skills — such as behavior management, subject matter expertise, verbal and written skills, and teamwork — which can be used across many other industries.

A clear path to a successful career

The path of development at Success Academy is well-paved, with clear milestones for teachers to work toward. After working as Associate Teachers, participants have the opportunity to become Lead Teachers, where they can learn how to run and lead a classroom to create an intellectual culture that challenges and engages students.

Justine took the well-outlined path to achieve Lead Teacher status quickly. "I'm a second-grade Lead Teacher; however, I started last year as an Associate Teacher. The difference between these two is basically whether you would be able to run a classroom by yourself or would still need support," Justine shared.

Lead teachers also have the opportunity to grow in their role by becoming a Grade Team Lead. In this role, teachers continue as lead teacher in their classroom while also managing their grade team, running planning meetings and providing coaching and support for other teachers. After three years in the lead teacher role, teachers can become Assistant Principals or even — if they’ve demonstrated exceptional instructional and management skills — Principals. In these school leadership roles, they are responsible for driving teacher growth and scholar achievement across multiple classrooms and are able to rapidly build their management capacity.

Employees also have the opportunity to advance into non-classroom roles at Success Academy's Network Office. SA teachers have moved into roles in a wide range of Network departments including Curriculum Design, Communications, Marketing, Technology, and Human Resources.  

Overall, the development path at Success Academy is designed to support all experience levels and to ensure that program participants can grow and succeed in their careers.

Powerful mentorship opportunities & a highly-driven network

In addition to the summer intensive class, Success Academy offers weekly training, daily coaching, and close collaboration with veteran teachers. New employees can continuously develop and improve skills like strategic planning, project management, public speaking, and data analysis.

The program pairs teachers of different experience levels for mentorship to ensure everyone receives support and advice from more senior teachers.

"Associate Teachers are paired with Lead Teachers in the classroom so that Associate Teachers can see for themselves how to set up a classroom environment, how to create classroom routines, and, overall, how to effectively cultivate student learning,” Justine explained.

The Success Academy community goes beyond the classroom and extends to personal relationships. The network of educators works together to help each other grow professionally, learn from one another's experiences, and promote excellence in their field. "At Success Academy, we support each other regardless of grades, including our students — it's a team effort with individual growth and personal development at its center," Justine said.

Developing a network of intelligent, talented, and driven peers that can last throughout your career is an invaluable benefit of working at Success Academy.

A fulfilling, educational experience

Working at Success Academy is not only a great investment in your professional development, but also an incredibly fulfilling experience. Giving back to the community and providing meaningful learning experiences to students motivates Justine and the rest of the staff.

Justine explained, "My favorite part of teaching is when students have the ‘aha’ light bulb moment when a concept clicks in their minds. This is especially true for students who struggle. You can tell how proud they are of themselves when they can get to a solution using their knowledge." 

The program enables teachers to empower children, predominantly children of color from low-income households, to thrive in college and life. It's incredibly satisfying to witness their journey from the day they enter kindergarten until they are accepted into college.

Success Academy is the right choice for anyone looking to kickstart their career with ample professional development opportunities to grow within the education industry or in another field. With a focus on professional and personal growth, teachers have countless opportunities to develop key skills while making a lasting impact in their students' lives. It's an exciting, empowering, and rewarding career path that will help you achieve your goals, whatever they might be. 

Interested in learning more about Success Academy? Find information about the program here, such as how you can apply.