Purpose of the Program

At GEMS, we believe every teacher—whether brand new to the profession or new to your school—deserves high-quality training before stepping into the classroom.

Too often, teachers are handed keys and a schedule but not the skills or strategies they need to thrive. That’s where GEMS Teacher Academy comes in. Designed specifically for small CMOs and districts without an in-house training team, our 2-day intensive gives teachers the confidence, clarity, and core practices they need for a successful school year.

GEMS Essentials to Strong Teaching

Build Strong Relationships: With students, families, and teammates
Set the Tone: Through clear expectations, routines, and procedures
Create a Positive Culture: With shared rules and student ownership
Plan with Purpose: Lessons that are objective-aligned and engaging
Manage the Classroom: Proactively, calmly, and consistently
Check for Understanding: With exit slips and real-time strategies
Differentiate Instruction: Especially through small groups
Communicate Effectively: With students and families
Handle Challenges: With de-escalation tools and trauma-informed practices
Receive Feedback Well: Apply it with a growth mindset
Reflect on Equity and Identity: To meet the needs of every learner
Stay Organized: With tools for managing time, tasks, and priorities

Customizing the Academy to Meet Your

Needs

Because every school community is unique, GEMS works closely with each partner to design a two-day Teacher Academy that meets their specific needs and priorities. Drawing from our core set of essential topics, like building strong student relationships, classroom routines and procedures, small group instruction, lesson planning, and proactive management, we help schools select the sessions that will have the greatest impact. Whether your teachers need support with culture, instruction, or planning, we’ll build a tailored experience that sets them up for a strong start to the year.

GEMS Team Leads