Nick Garcia of Teach For America On 5 Things You Need To Know To Be A Highly Effective Educator or Teacher
…My students saw that I believed they would grow tremendously that year. More importantly, they believed it for themselves — and that expectation loop between me and my students, my students amongst themselves, and their internal self-belief was so powerful to witness…
I had the pleasure of interviewing Nick Garcia. Nick Garcia was named the Executive Director of Teach For America — San Antonio in January of 2019. Having graduated from McAllen High School, labeled at the time as a “dropout factory” by a Johns Hopkins’ study, Nick has dedicated his life to the pursuit of educational equity for students from our most marginalized communities. He began his career with TFA as an upper elementary teacher at PS156 in Brooklyn, NY. He later joined Teach For America staff, managing programs in both the Rio Grande Valley & San Antonio for over a decade. Nick is currently in his 20th year with the organization.
Nick and his partner, Dianne, are proud SAISD parents of twin fifth graders — who have had both TFA corps members and alums as their teachers and administrators.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share the “backstory” behind what brought you to this particular career path?
Growing up, I had the unique opportunity to attend school in two very different settings. As an elementary school student in an affluent Houston suburb, I remember learning to type in our school’s computer lab, where we drafted personal narratives in the early grades. Life circumstances changed drastically for my family, and by the time I entered middle school, my siblings and I were living with my grandparents and other relatives for several years. I remember how odd it felt to be taught to type again — this time on typewriters — as a sophomore in high school. Certainly, my experience teaching as a TFA corps member changed my professional trajectory, but looking back, I know the earliest seeds were planted when I had to wrestle with the discrepancy in opportunities and expectations between my early and later schooling experiences.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your teaching career? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
As a second-year teacher, I wanted to tie my students’ reading progress to a visible marker of their growth. So, on my desk in the back of room 305, I had an elaborate beta fish tank and shared with my students that, “Because I was a ‘Level-Z’ reader, I had been able to level up my fish’s tank.” I spent a silly amount of time and money organizing a ‘beta-fish’ store, and on every one of my students’ desks was their own beta fish. They started the year with a plain, small fish tank — though I use “tank” loosely, as in my early days of utilizing the system, this was little more than a Ziploc plastic tub. But my students had trackers, a leveled library, and every week they had an opportunity to show growth and ‘level up’ in their reading. And when they were successful at growing a level, they could choose an accessory for their fish — larger tanks, an array of gravel, plants, decorations, etc. It was all very exciting, but also had lots of unexpected moments (did you know that beta fish are excellent leapers?) and predictable hijinks (26 bodies + 26 beta fish containers in one class = so many splashes). Thank goodness there was a sink in the back of my classroom that served as a life support system from time to time. I had a ton of teachable moments that year — for both me and my students. But what stays with me the most, many years later, was the power of belief. My students saw that I believed they would grow tremendously that year. More importantly, they believed it for themselves — and that expectation loop between me and my students, my students amongst themselves, and their internal self-belief was so powerful to witness.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
As an extension of TFA’s capabilities in recruiting, developing, and matching incredibly talented leaders, we have expanded our program to include a high-dosage tutoring initiative called Ignite. Beginning in 2021–2022, we partnered with several campuses in San Antonio to support elementary and middle school students whose learning was disrupted by the pandemic and who are still feeling the impact of that lost time. In the coming school year, we’re excited to pilot a near-peer, college advising component to our high-dosage tutoring program — offering this experience to high school students for the first time!
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the main focus of our interview. From your point of view, how would you rate the results of the US education system?
It’s an open secret in the United States that the quality of your education is tied to your zip code. So, it’s no surprise that the results of a divided system lead to wildly varied opportunities and, by extension, disparate outcomes. Teach For America exists to inspire the next generation of leaders to expand opportunities and pursue excellence in education for all students. Even considering substantive progress in some communities, the U.S. is average at best on traditional metrics of student learning like PISA and considerably behind on lagging indicators such as those captured by the Global Peace Index. We have a lot of work to do.
Can you identify 5 areas of the US education system that are going really great?
- Expanding Access to Education — At our best, we now believe every child deserves access to education, a principle that’s woven into the fabric of our nation, thanks to our founding documents — especially the Equal Protection Clause, which ensures public schooling is a right for all, no matter their background. The strides we’ve made in expanding access are a huge win. There was a time when many kids were left out of the system entirely, but today, we’ve made real progress in opening doors for historically marginalized communities.
- Innovation in School Models — Schools are rethinking what it means to learn. By pushing the boundaries of traditional school models, we’re creating more dynamic, supportive environments for students. Take San Antonio ISD’s Dual Language program, recently recognized by the Secretary of Education as a model for our country. In our district, nearly two-thirds of schools have adopted an immersive dual-language model that’s building bilingual learners fluent in both English and Spanish. This program is a powerful mix of belonging and rigor, offering transformative educational opportunities for both native English and Spanish speakers.
- Focus on Reading and Math Proficiency -The push for students to meet key milestones in reading and math, especially by third and eighth grades, is vital. Research shows that mastering these skills is critical for future success, and many states are putting policies in place to support evidence-based reading instruction. It’s a clear, focused effort to build foundational skills.
- Programs Preparing Students for College and Careers — More schools are integrating early college experiences and work-based learning opportunities, ensuring that students are ready for life beyond K-12. Whether it’s through college acceptance or career-ready skills, schools are setting students up for success in a world that demands more than just a high school diploma.
- Young Adult Leadership & Commitment — Gen Z is a generation driven by a commitment to social change and equity. They’re stepping up, getting involved, and advocating for causes like educational reform. This activism offers real hope for a more equitable and inclusive future, with young people leading the charge.
Can you identify the 5 key areas of the US education system that should be prioritized for improvement? Can you explain why those are so critical?
- Inequitable Distribution of Resources: Today in America, the circumstances of children’s births are the largest predictor of the opportunities they have in life. We know that potential is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. Despite strides in increasing access to education, systemic inequities continue to limit resources, opportunities, and support for marginalized communities.
- School Funding Models — One of the primary drivers of these inequities is the way schools are funded. States vary drastically in how they allocate education funding, often relying on property taxes tied to zip codes. This approach perpetuates disparities, funneling more resources to affluent areas while leaving low-income communities with inadequate funding.
- Addressing Racial and Socioeconomic Inequities — Children growing up in historically marginalized communities systematically lack access to a broad spectrum of resources and opportunities, and attend schools that are not equipped to fully meet their needs. This disproportionately impacts Black children, Indigenous children, and children of color, who bear the traumas of systemic racism, are more than two times more likely to be born into poverty, and who experience the additional burden of low expectations and other biases in schools. These impacts are now felt by nearly half of all children in American public schools.
- Chronic Absenteeism: Chronic absenteeism is another pressing issue, with over a quarter of students missing 10% or more of the school year. While there has been progress in addressing this challenge, more work is needed to keep students engaged and attending school consistently, ensuring they remain on track for success.
- Expanding Support for Mental Health and Well-Being: Providing robust mental health support is vital to helping students thrive. Schools must allocate more resources toward counselors, social-emotional learning programs, and trauma-informed teaching practices. Addressing students’ mental well-being is not just an investment in their education but in their future.
Super. Here is the main question of our interview. Can you please share your “5 Things You Need To Know To Be A Highly Effective Educator?” Please share a story or example for each.
1 .Build Relationships — Strong relationships between teachers and students, as well as among classmates, matter deeply. For our educators, the old adage, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” is the cornerstone of the classroom. What this looks like in practice varies, but it is rooted in an educator who approaches their classroom with hope, love, and truth.
2. Care Authentically — This might actually be the precursor to building relationships, but it deserves its own special callout. Dr. Angela Valenzuela, an educator in my backyard at the University of Texas, differentiates between an aesthetic of caring and authentic caring in her study of classrooms. Authentic caring is not just found in profound acts of empathy but also in micro, everyday moments.
I think of one of our TFA tutors working with two English language learners. Every session starts with a discussion about one of the student’s interests, which the tutor has researched to connect with them more personally. The session also includes portions during reading practice where the tutor stumbles through the same text in Spanish, normalizing the struggle of learning a new language, making mistakes, and asking for help. This approach builds connection and belonging where her students might have once felt shame and isolation.
A teacher or tutor who cares aesthetically might use the exact same curriculum but miss these opportunities if they are not rooted in authentic care for their students.
3. Reflect on Your Practice — Many years ago, Teach For America partnered with a consulting firm to answer this question: Among all the teacher attributes we sought to develop, which were shared by our best educators? The list included actions like “Sets an audacious goal,” “Involves parents in the classroom,” and “Plans engaging lessons.”
While great teaching comes in a rainbow of styles, what was most consistently true about great teachers was their commitment to reflecting on their practice. This action can take many forms: for some, it’s a journaling exercise; for others, it’s regularly soliciting feedback from a colleague or student at the end of a lesson. Some incorporate reflection into a prayer routine.
But what they all share is a willingness to look at their successes and failures head-on and commit to being a little better the next day. These reflective practitioners are consistently our best.
4. Cultivate Hope / Celebrate the “Broken Petals” — I encourage all educators to read Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade’s works. The central image of his essay “Hope Required,” borrowed from Tupac’s The Rose That Grew From Concrete, always moves me.
To be a great teacher, you must understand the historical and social contexts that our children — especially those from our most marginalized communities — bring into the room. Teachers are often described as counselors, advocates, mentors, nurses, caretakers, and more. This list is both too long and insufficient.
Our greatest educators are also historians and ethnographers of the communities in which they work and live. They must hold both truth and hope for their students: understanding the systems and policies that have shaped their current reality while also embracing the power and aspirations for the future within the community.
Absent a thorough understanding of the place in which their students are rooted, a teacher can never fully appreciate, much less celebrate, the beauty of their students’ growth or cultivate the tangible hope required for them to thrive over time.
5. Teaching Is Leadership — While Teach For America has evolved many times in my two decades with the organization, this simple phrase has been at the heart of our work since the beginning: Teaching is leadership.
Teaching goes beyond delivering lessons — it’s about creating an environment where students feel empowered to question, explore, and fail without fear. Great teachers lead by believing in their students’ potential, pushing them to rise through a genuine belief in what they can become.
Educators lead through challenge, change, and sometimes chaos, but always with a vision. The true power of teaching lies in leadership: guiding students to discover their own strengths and possibilities. That’s the real work, and it’s why teaching is one of the most important forms of leadership we have.
As you know, teachers play such a huge role in shaping young lives. What would you suggest needs to be done to attract top talent to the education field?
Money Matters — Inadequate pay and low per-pupil spending significantly threaten the long-term viability of not just our schools, but our economy. Increasing both can go a long way toward attracting top talent.
Elevating the Teacher Profession — Stressful work conditions and a lack of distributive leadership models within school buildings leave many teachers feeling undervalued and unappreciated. We can make significant strides by upskilling campus leadership teams and cutting back on the extraneous demands on teachers’ time outside of planning and executing lessons.
We must imagine a bold new future for the profession itself. Schools — and the roles of teachers within them — remain disconcertingly similar to what they were 100 years ago. Unchanged all these years is the limited semblance of “promotions” for teachers: teacher → administrator.
As a field, we need to start asking better questions of our talented leaders:
- What lattice of support and opportunities might we create if we embraced the reality that top talent rarely stays in the same role for more than five years?
- How might we evolve talent pathways into and throughout our school systems to both elevate classroom teachers and provide opportunities for expanded leadership, in and out of the classroom?
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
One of my favorite quotes is from Brené Brown: “You can’t get to courage without walking through vulnerability.”
For me, this idea has been a constant companion throughout my life. I grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, where opportunities felt scarce and the odds weren’t stacked in my favor. I remember sitting in my high school counselor’s office, a little hesitant to even dream of college, and feeling the weight of all the reasons it might not work out. But stepping into those moments of vulnerability — applying for scholarships, showing up in spaces where I felt like I didn’t belong — that’s where the growth happened.
Fast forward to today, whether it’s leading teams, making tough decisions, or even sharing my own story, I’ve realized that every courageous step I’ve taken started with the discomfort of being vulnerable. Courage isn’t about being fearless — it’s about showing up anyway.
We are blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
Dear Coach Popovich and Victor Wembanyama. I have an irrational amount of love, pride and joy that you also call San Antonio home. After the season, let’s get dinner, drink some wine, and talk about what we’re reading. 🙂 Short of that: Go Spurs Go!
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Yes! You can find Teach For America San Antonio on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook! We share stories of impact, updates on our work, and ways to support educational equity in San Antonio and beyond.
Thank you so much for these insights! This was so inspiring!
Nick Garcia of Teach For America On 5 Things You Need To Know To Be A Highly Effective Educator or… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.