A polished professional brimming with talent, Dexter Chaney is a positive role model who teaches his third-grade students at Martin A. Ryerson School in Chicago, IL, to be active members of their academic and local communities. A member of the Chicago Area Alliance of Black School Educators, Chaney has initiated such community-based projects as the “Clean and Green Day,” a neighborhood cleanup program that pairs male teachers with middle-school students to encourage teamwork and provide mentorship. He holds positions of responsibility on the school’s Leadership Team and its Data Analysis and Curriculum Alignment teams. As both a grade-level and schoolwide leader, Chaney is respected by pupils, peers and parents alike.
A regular participant in after-school programs and Saturday school, he disaggregates data to differentiate and align instruction. Although the bell rings at 9 a.m., his students show up at 7:30 a.m.—including those from other classes—to get help on class assignments before the day starts. Chaney knows every one of the kids’ names, not just in his class but in the entire school. The difference Chaney has made is manifest in the statistical gains the school has achieved. Before his arrival, Ryerson held a 37 percent average for third graders meeting or exceeding grade level. This number has climbed to 65 percent, and Chaney’s students have met or exceeded expectations at a rate of 90 percent. Chaney’s impact, however, extends well beyond sheer numbers alone to the success of the total student.
