For too long, education in Haiti has struggled with high teacher turnover, limited professional development, and inequities that leave students without the support they need. Too often, teaching followed a top-down model — teachers delivering content, and students remaining silent.
“Before, I used to work for myself, but not for the students.” — Teacher-Leader, Artibonite
Political instability, displacement, and disrupted schooling make these cracks even wider. When learning is disconnected from language, culture, and community assets, classrooms — and the students in them — suffer.
Re-Haitianizing education restores what was always there: a deep belief in collective care, local wisdom, and the dignity of every student. At APA, coaching is one of the ways we turn the principles of re-Haitianized education into daily practice in classrooms.
Over the past 12 years, coaches have been embedded in the APA team. We have seen their positive impact in terms of paradigm shifts—from punishment and supervision to accompaniment and mutual support. This learning gave rise to the Coaching Institute, a pathway for developing a pipeline of community coaches ready to serve schools across Haiti.
Community coaches work alongside teachers, school leaders, and families, guiding professional growth and supporting holistic learning through ongoing mentorship. They help teachers move from authority-driven instruction to creating inclusive classrooms where students’ curiosity replaces fear, and trust guides every interaction.
The Coaching Institute ensures each school has one full-time community coach, mentoring all teachers and reaching more school leaders and parents far beyond what our fellowship programming could achieve. In turn, schools become microcosms of the society we hope to see — where dignity replaces fear, accountability is shared, and collective care collective care guides how everyone learns.
Graduates of the Coaching Institute will carry these practices beyond the classroom — into organizations, businesses, and community spaces. They will spread the values of re-Haitianized education wherever learning and care happen.
As the Coaching Institute grows, APA is working toward accreditation with the Haitian Ministry of Education. This milestone will allow a proven, culturally rooted coaching approach to shape teacher mentorship nationwide. It will bring re-Haitianized practices to scale and strengthen public schools from within. We are extending APA’s impact beyond classrooms and communities by influencing national policy and systems change.
"I found the coaching sessions to be very important. Coach Raymond helps us discover our strengths and weaknesses." — APA Teacher Leader, Central Plateau
"I like school more now. Before, I was afraid. Now, even if I don't understand, I can ask the teacher to explain it to me again."
— APA Student, Artibonite
"I used to scold my children, get angry with them. Since I've been in the program, I know how to use the methods. If I give them a punishment, it's not corporal punishment. I give them a punishment that helps them bring correction home, without hitting them or saying hurtful words to them." — APA Parent Leader, Artibonite
Re-Haitianized education is not a distant vision. Coaches are already transforming entire schools. Your support helps their work reach more classrooms and beyond, shaping a brighter future for Haiti.
