For the first time since 2020, students and teachers across Haiti made it through a complete school year without interruption. After years of closures, disruptions, and instability, that consistency was not something to take for granted — it changed what was possible in the classroom.
We sat down with James Maxime Desulmé, a 5th grade teacher at Teach Haiti, to hear what this year looked like from the front of the classroom, what keeps him passionate about teaching here, and what he’s looking forward to as he prepares for the year ahead.
What difference did having a consistent, uninterrupted year make for you as a teacher and for your students?
“An uninterrupted academic year helps the teacher stay on track with the established program. It allows students to be evaluated more effectively and to better understand their courses, since the material builds properly from one lesson to the next. A year with breaks and interruptions makes it much harder to respect the program, and students end up moving on to the next grade with real gaps in their learning.”
For Mr. Desulmé, the value of a full year isn’t just about covering more material — it’s about coherence. When a school year runs start to finish without disruption, students build understanding step by step instead of relearning what was lost during a gap. That difference shows up not just in test scores, but in how prepared students are for the grade that comes next.
What is something you love about teaching at Teach Haiti? What makes this school community special?
“What I really love about teaching at Teach Haiti is the emphasis placed on the classroom environment — the pedagogical decorations, the preparation of teaching materials, and everything the school makes available to us to help students understand their lessons.”
It’s a reminder that good teaching isn’t only about what happens in the moment a lesson is delivered — it’s shaped long before that, in the materials, the classroom setup, and the resources a teacher has on hand. At Teach Haiti, that preparation is treated as part of the mission, not an afterthought, and teachers like Mr. Desulmé notice the difference it makes.
As you prepare for the next school year, what are you most looking forward to?
“I’m waiting for the necessary materials to be provided so I can prepare for the new academic year. I can’t wait to start preparing.”
Even with a full year behind him, Mr. Desulmé is already looking ahead — eager to get the tools in hand so he can start building the next year of lessons for his students.
Stories like this one are part of what makes Teach Haiti more than a classroom — it’s a community of educators committed to showing up for students, year after year. If you’d like to support teachers like James as they prepare for the year ahead, consider sponsoring a student or donating toward classroom materials.
James Maxime Desulmé, 5th Grade Teacher