Director of Teaching and Learning — Myrna Gartenstein
Myrna is an innovative administrator and educator with a proven record of accomplishments and extensive experience in designing educational programs to improve teaching and learning. She brings a thorough knowledge of the educational landscape, an ability to motivate others, and experience in relating to people of diverse backgrounds, to Ivy League. At various times in her fifty year career, Myrna (1) taught at every grade level, (2) served as adjunct instructor at both Bank Street and Sarah Lawrence Colleges, (3) worked as a principal, and (4) authored and edited more than twenty position papers, articles and curriculum guides on a variety of topics in education.
During her twenty years with the United Federation of Teachers and the New York City Board of Education, Myrna founded and directed the New York City Teacher Center, the largest federally and state funded teacher development program of its kind. Noteworthy accomplishments in this position included the design and implementation of the first school renewal program for New York Schools and Schools of Tomorrow–Today.
Myrna also worked closely with a number of private and public organizations to give their programs a wider audience. Specifically, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation Science and Math Summer Institutes, Anti-Defamation League–A World of Difference, a prejudice reduction program, Metropolitan Life’s - Get Fit Program and the Foxfire Foundation. She served on numerous federal and state advisory panels engaged in developing curriculum standards for elementary school subjects and regulations for serving special education students.
Myrna has been a member of various policy groups including (1) the National Center for Teacher Education–Michigan State University, (2) the National Center for the Accreditation of Colleges of Teacher Education, (3) the Professional Practice Board at Educational Testing Service (ETS), and (4) the Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement, where she also served as vice-chair.
For her activist role in education, Myrna was among the first practitioners to be honored by the American Education Research Association. She received awards from the Association of Teacher Educators and was honored by the New York Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa as Educator of the Year for outstanding contribution on behalf of teacher and school development.
Myrna was born and educated in Brooklyn. She earned an undergraduate degree in Education and Psychology from Brooklyn Colleges and a Master’s of Science degree in Administration and Supervision from Fordham University. She has participated in graduate level studies at Harvard University’s Leadership Institute, Columbia Teacher’s College, University of Minnesota, Ohio State University and Manhattanville and Queens Colleges.
