Educator

Stephen is dedicated to quality of teaching and quality of learning. He holds advanced degrees in special education, administration and school leadership, and an honorary Ph.D. from the State University of New York for his award-winning curriculum. Affectionately known as America’s Favorite Teacher, Stephen has taught extensively in elementary, middle, and high school settings, has served as a school leader in a variety of capacities, and has lectured at colleges and universities around the globe. Additionally, he has created workforce development programs for people of determination, disconnected youth, and second opportunity adults that have resulted in over 2,200 jobs.

Stephen presently serves as Executive Director of the National Health, Wellness and Learning Center, an acclaimed facility in the South Bronx that has hosted visitors from six continents and more than sixty countries, and as the Director of Health, Wellness and Innovation for ESOL Education, a network of preeminent international schools across ten nations, including Fairgreen International School which is recognized among the Top 20 Schools across the Middle East.

Focused on project based learning and social emotional learning, Stephen has won global teaching awards including Top Ten Finalist of the Global Teacher Prize, NPR’s 50 Top Teachers, the G7’s Global Food Educator, BAMMY’s Elementary Educator of the Year, and PBS’ American Graduate, amongst many others. His workshops and professional development opportunities have been called “game changing” and “best in class” by teachers, administrators, and supervisors. Stephen has developed robust educational programming that has served governments, municipalities, and Fortune 500 corporations, in addition to public, private, and charter institutions around the world.

“students should not have to leave their community to live, learn, and earn in a better one”

The Green Bronx Machine® Classroom Curriculum,

developed by Stephen Ritz, turns any school or community gardening program into an academic and standards-based learning experience. With technology-enabled lesson plans which use food and plant life cycles to teach multiple subjects, students also learn critical thinking and problem solving as they explore, discover and create their own ecosystem.

Each purchase comes with a lifetime site license, online professional development, access to dedicated website and communities, and direct communication with Stephen Ritz.

“When we teach children to nurture, we as a society embrace our better nature”

“All the data in the world points to a single fact, children that have access to one kind, caring adult will be successful in life—so please be accessible to one child.”

© 2019 Stephen Ritz