Javier Stevens

Background

About Javier Stevens

My career in education has been shaped by a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and student empowerment. I began in 2011 as a special education teacher and graduate student in the NYC Teaching Fellows program, working in Brooklyn’s public schools. There, I honed my ability to create meaningful access to learning, especially for students with behavioral disabilities. That experience solidified my belief in restorative teaching—supporting students by understanding their environment as much as their behavior. In 2016, I moved to Qatar to teach at Qatar Leadership Academy, an all-boys boarding school. Working within the IB Diploma Program, I blended ELL, ELA, and pastoral care, while contributing to school-wide PBIS systems. The mentorship-based culture reinforced my passion for individualized student support. Three years later, I joined Chadwick International in South Korea, where I deepened my work in IB education. I led affinity groups focused on racial and queer identities and co-facilitated Chadwick’s first faculty orientation on DEI. That work further confirmed that emotional intelligence and self-awareness are at the core of student success. In 2021, the pandemic brought me back to the Americas. Now in my fifth year at Escola Americana in Rio de Janeiro, I serve as an MYP Learning Support Teacher and inclusion advocate. In December 2023, I earned an Instructional Leadership Certificate from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, aligning my work more closely with my goal of fostering student agency. In April 2025, I co-presented at the AMISA conference in Panama, sharing strategies to support students with dyscalculia. Over 40 educators attended the session, which I later adapted into a school-wide PD at EARJ. Translating research into context-specific tools reminded me that effective inclusion must always be grounded in the lived realities of students and teachers. Now, entering the 2025–26 school year, I am in my second year as Head of Department Liaison for Student Support Services. In this role, I help embed learning support into curriculum planning, bridge communication between departments, and lead initiatives to strengthen school-wide inclusion. I also serve on the Brazilian board for SENIA, advancing inclusive practices on a broader scale. My work has always been about more than academics—it’s about equipping students with the tools to self-advocate, build confidence, and thrive.