( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight ) Ron Clark Academy’s Dr. Valerie Camille Jones Ford Named to the National Teachers Hall of Fame
ENSPIRE Contributor: Paola Avazian
When you walk into Dr. Valerie Camille Jones Ford’s classroom at the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, you’re not just entering a math class — you’re stepping into a vibrant world of creativity, confidence, and contagious enthusiasm. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Jones Ford has revolutionized what it means to teach mathematics, blending academic rigor with innovative techniques that include rap, video games, and visual art.
This summer, her legacy reached a historic milestone as she was named one of five 2025 inductees into the National Teachers Hall of Fame — making her only the second educator from Atlanta and the sixth Black woman ever to receive this national honor. From being recognized by President Obama to mentoring more than 100,000 educators worldwide, Dr. Jones Ford has become a powerful force in education, both in the classroom and beyond.
We spoke with Dr. Jones Ford about her philosophy of “math esteem,” how she has shaped curriculum at the Ron Clark Academy, and what this national recognition means for educators across the country. She also shared advice for teachers seeking to bring innovation into their classrooms and reflected on the transformative experiences that shaped her career.
What does your induction into the National Teachers Hall of Fame mean to you, and how do you hope to use this platform to inspire other educators?
This induction is more than a plaque on the wall. It is a megaphone for the mission. As the eighth Black woman ever honored, I feel a deep responsibility to represent the brilliance and resilience of educators who look like me and teach like me. It’s proof that culturally responsive, joy-filled, boundary-breaking teaching belongs on the national stage.
I hope to use this platform to remind other educators that innovation and authenticity aren’t optional; they’re essential. Whether you have twenty students or two hundred, your classroom is a launchpad for success and helping students become the best versions of themselves.
You’re known for making math engaging through creative methods like video games, art, and rap. Can you explain your philosophy of “math esteem” and how you build confidence in students who find the subject intimidating?
Math esteem is my love language. I truly believe that 50% of doing mathematics is the problem-solving and computation, whereas the other 50% is how you feel about doing the mathematics. The way students view, speak, and think about math matters and the more positive the view the more success can be reached.
I meet students where they are, whether that’s in a TikTok dance, a VR headset, or a freestyle rap about the Pythagorean theorem. I weave in art, pop culture, and even cosplay, because the more relevant math feels, the less intimidating it becomes. Confidence grows when kids see themselves winning. Once they trust themselves in math, they start trusting themselves everywhere else.
The Ron Clark Academy has a distinctive educational approach. How have you helped shape the math curriculum there to reflect that philosophy, and what do you believe is the most valuable lesson other teachers can learn from your model classroom?
At RCA, we believe rigor and joy should be best friends, not distant cousins. I’ve built a math curriculum that’s as challenging as it is inviting. I layer national competition prep, project-based learning, and a healthy dose of laughter in my interactions with my students.
We gamify lessons, run student-led math stations, and design problems that make kids want to lean in, not check out. If there’s one lesson other teachers could take from my room, it’s this: Your energy is contagious. Teach like it’s your favorite subject in the world, and watch how quickly it becomes theirs too.
How have acknowledgments from figures like Congressman John Lewis and President Obama impacted your journey, and what advice would you give to educators who want to implement innovative methods but may lack resources or support?
When Congressman Lewis honored me in the Congressional Record, I felt the weight of history and the call to keep going. When President Obama recognized my work through the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, it confirmed that excellence can look different and non-traditional.
My advice to resource-limited educators: start small but dream big. You don’t need a grant to smile at your students, to infuse your lessons with their culture, or to turn your classroom into a place they want to be. Creativity multiplies when you focus on what you have, not what you’re missing.
Looking back at your 25+ years in education, what has been the most transformative moment in your career, and what new projects or goals are you excited to pursue after this major milestone?
One of my most transformative moments was realizing I had dyscalculia as a teenager and then deciding that struggle would become my superpower. It taught me empathy, persistence, and the magic of making math accessible to every learner.
After this milestone, I’m excited to expand my Math Esteem Camps nationwide, launch new VR-based math experiences, and keep amplifying Black women’s voices in STEM. I’m also working on a book that blends my personal journey with practical strategies for teaching math as a tool for liberation. The Hall of Fame isn’t a finish line… it’s a green light.
Dr. Valerie Camille Jones Ford’s story is more than a celebration of accolades — it’s a blueprint for what education can look like when driven by innovation, equity, and joy. Through her work at the Ron Clark Academy and beyond, she has challenged traditional models of instruction and empowered educators across the globe to reimagine their classrooms.
As she prepares for her formal induction into the National Teachers Hall of Fame, Dr. Jones Ford continues to inspire a generation of teachers and students alike to see math — and learning itself — not as a barrier, but as a pathway to creativity, confidence, and lasting change. Watch below as Dr. Jones Ford was announced as a 2025 inductee in May in a surprise announcement broadcast by “CBS Mornings.”
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