From Teaching Associate to Changemaker: How Jessica Lander and Citizen Schools Are Reimagining Education Together
Photo: Julián Viviescas Mejía
This Teacher Appreciation Month, we’re proud to honor Jessica Lander—a former Citizen Schools Teaching Associate, award-winning educator, and author—whose journey from a shared table in a Charlestown school office to classrooms across the country shows what’s possible when we invest in teachers from the very beginning.
Jessica came to Citizen Schools in 2011 after teaching and learning in Tanzania and Thailand. She recalls her experience as a Citizen Schools Teaching Associate (TA) at Edwards Middle School in Charlestown, MA: “Every morning the Citizen Schools teaching team would meet together in a small office with a shared table that we would crowd around to lesson prep, problem solve, and share high points (and low points) from our classes.”
This culture of collaboration and community were formative for Jessica, “What stands out to me from my time at Citizen Schools is that we were a team. Because I was surrounded by colleagues who cared, and many of whom became good friends, I grew so much more as an educator and as a person.”
In 2019, Jessica set out from her own classroom to learn in the classrooms of others—seeking out best practices as she researched and wrote her book, Making Americans: Stories of Historic Struggles, New Ideas, and Inspiration in Immigrant Education.
“As I traveled throughout the United States, I was struck by how remarkable teachers and innovative programs were isolated from one another. But teachers are hungry to learn from and collaborate with others. I saw the impact when creative educators were able to connect. And I saw the impact in my own classroom.”
Today, Jessica is on sabbatical working as a Senior Education Policy Fellow for Reimagining Migration. Previously she was teaching history and civics to immigrant and refugee students at Lowell High School, where she centered student voice, identity, and real-world impact. From designing student projects where her students publish cookbooks with their family migration stories to launching The We Are America Project, which now reaches thousands of students in over 25 states, Jessica’s classroom is a place where students shape not just their futures—but our shared history.
Jessica Lander was a Citizen Schools Teaching Associate at the Edwards Middle School in 2011 and 2012.
“For much of the past ten years, I had the honor and joy of teaching U.S. history and civics to recent immigrant and refugee students at Lowell High school. My students come from more than 30 countries. They are my why. They bring so many strengths to our classroom and to our community. They inspire me every single day.”
At Citizen Schools Jessica saw how real collaboration and coaching could unlock a teacher’s growth. By supporting Citizen Schools, you’re not just honoring teachers—you’re helping to cultivate the next generation of educators who, like Jessica, will spark curiosity, elevate student voice, and help every young person feel they truly belong.
👉 Help us celebrate teachers like Jessica. Make your Teacher Appreciation gift to Citizen Schools today.