Do no harm. Schools should never wound the children they serve.
Educator, Writer, Researcher
Do No Harm. Teach for Belonging.
Mission Statement
I didn’t become a teacher to police students — I became a teacher to understand them and help them grow. Over the last ten years, I’ve taught health, biology, and human development in classrooms ranging from crowded city schools to a small charter community. Across every setting, one thing has been clear: students respond best not to rigid control, but to environments where expectations are clear, relationships are strong, and adults genuinely care.
I still remember my first year teaching, when a student labeled a “troublemaker” broke through the tension of class with a perfectly timed joke. Beneath the humor was a kid who had learned that the safest way to move through school was to act untouchable. He reminded me that rules and policies aren’t just procedures — they send messages about who is respected, who is trusted, and who is worth believing in.
Those lessons have stayed with me. They shape my writing, where I argue that schools must do no harm, and they anchor my doctoral research in psychology, where I study how belonging and justice influence identity. My work is grounded in a simple conviction: students flourish when expectations are fair, relationships are authentic, and learning environments are designed to cultivate safety, challenge, and human dignity.
Thinkpieces
Join Amy Lisa Jarvi's Mission
Be part of the mission to create positive change in society. Sharing knowledge helps change the world we live in.
This website uses cookies.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.