The Teach Jam Experience

Teach Jam is an urban education teacher conference like no other. For the first time, urban educators will receive professional development, inspiration, and training in an atmosphere that is similar to an HBCU homecoming. Teach Jam is the Homecoming of Teacher Professional Development. Don’t Miss the Experience.

Teach Jam will include live presentations, interviews, and panel discussions from top urban educators who are doing the work with students of color. Teachers will also receive relevant and engaging professional development in smaller breakout sessions.

Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference
Teach Jam Conference

Headliners

Speakers

Topics Discussed

Culture Topics

Classroom Management

Disciplining with Dignity

High Expectations & Academic Press

The Pygmalion Effect

Trauma Informed Practices

Instructional Topics

Cooperative Learning Structures
Effective Questioning
Increasing Student Discourse in all classrooms
Teacher Clarity
Feedback and Strategic Decision Making
Increasing Student Motivation and Accountability
Increasing Rigor

Personal Development Topics

Investing
Self-Care
Teacher Entrepreneurship

Itinerary

VIP
Night

November 6th, 2023
6:00pm - 9:00pm

  • Michael MacDonald
  • Cheat Code Algo
  • Mr. Grateful

Conference
Day

Tuesday,
November 7th, 2023

  • Conference from 8:00am to 5:00pm
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Purchase Orders

If you’d like to pay by invoice/PO, the process is quite simple. Here’s how it works:
  1. Please email us at shawn.branch@pharosacademies.org and let us know your desired:  a) number of tickets, b) Ticket Type (general or VIP).
  2. We will email you the “Official Quote” within 1 business day of receiving your email.
  3. Based on the quote, please send us your purchase order (PO) by email (shawn.branch@pharosacademies.org).
  4. Then we will email you the invoice – our invoices are Net-30 (payable within 30 days).
  5. You send us the payment via postal mail, ACH or wire transfer.
If your organization follows a different process, email us at shawn.branch@pharosacademies.org and let us know – we’ll be happy to accommodate your process. We are a DOE Vendor Brownie Points Consulting

CONTACT

LOCATION

Dr. Nadia Lopez

As an educator, Nadia Lopez is pioneering a path of inspired leadership to show the world how under-privileged communities can make beat the odds and create positive institutions that have a global impact. As the founding Principal of Mott Hall Bridges Academy, a New York City Public School, Nadia became internationally known after the popular blog, Humans of New York (HONY), featured one of her students.

This student told HONY founder, Brandon Stanton, that the greatest influence on his life was his Principal, Nadia. Nadia’s story became a viral sensation as millions of people around the world became impressed with the positive learning environment, high expectations, and growing success rate at a school right in the middle of one of the most under-served communities in America. Two days later Stanton launched a fundraiser that raised $1.4 million to take Nadia’s students on college trips that include Harvard University, Summer STEAM programs, and college scholarships.

The success story was shared through numerous media outlets and resulted in Nadia guest appearing on the Ellen Show, visiting President Barack Obama at the Whitehouse, and receiving the Medal of Distinction from Barnard College. In addition, Nadia was honored alongside First Lady Michelle Obama with the Change Agent Award at the Black Girls Rock show hosted on BET Networks.

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Akbar Cook

Mr. Cook is well known for having a stern, yet caring presence in the lives of many of Newark’s youth. His desire to uplift and educate children is always at the forefront of his work in Newark Public Schools. In the summer of 2016, Mr. Cook started the Lights On Program at West Side High School from the peak hours of 6-11 pm, to ensure that our students and other young adults in the community are safe during peak crime hours. His vision for Lights On became a reality after he lost students to gun violence.

Mr. Akbar Cook was named the Principal of West Side High School for the 2018-2019 school year! One month into his new role as Principal, Mr. Cook had his grand opening for a laundromat at West Side High School which was his project to help ameliorate bullying concerns for students who were displaced and had no funds or access to washing machines. The bullying resulted in excessive school absences and after the laundromat installation, the attendance rates increased significantly. The initiative has been named “Washing Bullying Away”.

After being featured on The Star ledger, the success of the newly installed laundromat reached the producers of The Ellen DeGeneres Show who invited Principal Cook as a guest of the show on two separate occasions where he secured over $100,000 from DeGeneres and a year's supply of food from General Mills for the food pantry. His Lights On segment on CBS Evening News garnered the attention of Oprah Winfrey who visited the school and dropped off a generous donation of $500,000 to ensure the longevity of the Lights On Program.

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Amen Rahh

Amen Rahh--Principal, Speaker, and Author--is an Amazon Best-Selling Author paving the way towards educational revolution. Trained at the International Institute for Restorative Practices, he has been a leading voice in the quest to transform the education experience in America. He founded University Pathways Public Service Academy, now considered a model school for building a Restorative Community. Just two years into its establishment, and it continues to share its sweeping ideas with schools all over the country.

Nationally known for his creation of a unique house system which he uses to increase a sense of belonging on campus. The culturally relevant house system consists of four key secondary goals named after key individuals that represent these goals. Amen Rahh is the true definition of innovation and revolution in education.

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Dr. Dennis Mckesey

Dennis is a dedicated, innovative and resourceful education professional with more than twenty-five (25) years of experience in working for private, public and charter schools in New York City. He believes that when we support educators’ passion to learn and grow, we enhance their capacity to facilitate students’ learning and growth.

As a former principal at one of the most premier charter schools in the country, he built a proven track record of success and desired to share his effective and beneficial strategies with other educators in the area and across the nation.

Featured in Paul Tough's book "Whatever It Takes" and Davis Guggenheim’s Waiting for “Superman”, Dennis has a passion for direct involvement with the education of children through effective school leadership. He tailors and delivers professional development in areas of leadership and staff development as well as curriculum and instruction. He has the proven ability to create and monitor policies and practices that promote a safe learning environment; ensure a school culture that encourages continuous improvements for teachers and students; develop an environment that encourages open communication with colleagues, students, and the community; and mentor educators in the creation and implementation of class instruction, lesson plans, and student assessment in conjunction with state learning standards.

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Eddie B

Eddie B. soared to new heights by creating his own opportunity starting with his series of comical videos titled "What Teachers Really Want to Say". In a matter of hours, those videos sparked the attention of educators all over the country when they realized that they were not alone and finally had someone to joke about the things they were reluctant to say out loud.

Shortly after, Eddie decided to take his videos to the stage selling out comedy clubs, theaters, and arenas with his “Teachers Only Comedy Tour” in 2017-2018 and the “I’m Already Professionally Developed Tour” in 2019- 2020. When the worldwide pandemic made it impossible for Eddie to see his fans in person he began performing his "Teachers Only" comedy virtually! Now that things are getting back to normal Eddie B is ready to give educators more of his unfiltered comedy beginning with his " Teachers Only Summer Break Tour" in 2021!

Eddie B has established himself as the official voice of teachers across the globe. Educators from America to Africa, Dallas to Dubai, New York to New Delhi (and beyond) are getting a lesson in the funniest ways to express their worst frustrations and they are loving every second of Eddie B’s uncensored, raw, and hysterically realistic portrayal of a teacher’s hectic life, from the point of view of an actual teacher!

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Amber Le’Shea

Amber Le’Shea is an educator, entrepreneur, investor and social activist. She recently served as a Founding Lead Middle School Mathematics Educator, DEI Liaison and NYU Teacher Mentor at Pharos Academy Charter School. She possesses 14 years of experience as both an educator and instructional coach in New York City’s inner city communities. Amber leverages her teaching platform and entrepreneurial experience to provide 21st century workshops that support schools in helping their teachers transform their classroom into one that is culturally authentic and responsive to their scholars. She has served as a mentor to Columbia's University's Teacher College Residents and has provided CRE workshops to aspiring teachers at City College University. Amber specializes in increasing student academic performance and creating engaging mathematical units that empowers scholars to leverage their education and resources to serve as a catalyst of change within their communities.

In 2013, after serving as a mathematics teacher for 5 years in Harlem, Amber founded Wicked Weaves, to provide affordable hair services for women of color. She operated Wicked Weaves for 5 years while continuing to serve as a mathematics teacher in New York City before, venturing into real estate with her husband and leveraging income from teaching to invest in single family homes. Her experience and accomplishments as an entrepreneur and educator inspired her to found Ratchet Assets: an educational platform that educate, equip, and empower communities to jump into the journey of achieving financial freedom and liberation through becoming financially literate and learning how to leverage their resources to generate wealth.

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Dr. Adebunmi Savage

Adebunmi Savage is arguably one of the top teacher professional developers in the world. Her expertise across a wide range of topics coupled with her no-nonsense nurturing presenting style is unmatched in the industry. Adebunmi has served our students in many roles from math teacher to Chief Academic Officer. Adebunmi is a co-founder of Teach Jam and lead presenter.

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Dr. Travis Brown

Dr. Travis Brown is a progressive and forward-thinking educator known for creating schools with vibrant cultures. Dr. Travis Brown is a co-founder of Teach Jam.

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Dame Dash

Dame Dash is an American record producer, director, film producer, and actor, best known for co-foundering of Roc-A-Fella along with Jay-Z and Kareem Burke. What you didn’t know is that Dame Dash is deeply connected and invested in education.

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Chrissandra Mosby

Chrissandra Mosby is one of the leading school culture experts in the United States. Ms. Mosby is called the student whisperer for her amazing connection and relationship building skills. Chrissandra is known for her innovative student-led town halls, lunchroom practices, and restorative skills. Chrissandra Mosby is a co-founder of Teach Jam.

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Mic Larry​

The Teach Jam event will be hosted by no other than Mic Larry.

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Alfred "Shivy" Brooks

Alfred "Shivy" Brooks is a high school American Government and Economics teacher, living in Atlanta,GA. Shivy is a graduate of the Andrew Young School of Public Policy at Georgia State University, and a BET "106th and Park" Freestyle Friday Hall of Famer. He uses Hip-Hop culture throughout his teaching pedagogy, combined with Social-Media, to foster innovative methods of relationship building in and out of the classroom. Shivy educates through the lenses of," All students' voices matter," and that America's schools should be operated as , "villages, not businesses". Cultural responsiveness is the bedrock of Shivy's teaching practices. He believes that classrooms should be safe havens for the youth to be their authentic selves. A place where they do not have to settle for being anything they want to be, they can be everything they want to be.

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Dr. Malik Small

Dr. Malik A. Small is a middle school principal in the community of East New York Brooklyn
with over fifteen years of experience in educational leadership, both in charter as well as district
schools. Dr. Small is a passionate advocate for social justice, restorative practices, culturally
responsive education, equity in schools and empowering children, families and community to
close the opportunity gap that persists due to institutionalized racism. Dr. Small is a public
speaker and frequent guest and panelist in forums that include The Heather B Show, The Raw
Perspective, the WhyTry Podcast, & The Dr. Selma B Show. Dr. Small is also a proud member
of the Off School Grounds Coalition. Dr. Small also sits as a board member on the Mount
Vernon Youth Board as well as a member of Eagle Foundation/BERC Pilot Design Team for
the Education Equity Action Plan. Dr. Small is currently working on several books and was
recently published in the National Association of Secondary School Principals Journal. Lastly,
Dr. Small is the CEO of the Acacia Consulting Group & Acacia Productions.

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