The ‘linked destinies’ of teachers and students

Educators and their students share a powerful link. That’s the teaching philosophy of Njemele Tamala Anderson, CCP alum and award-winning English teacher at Science Leadership Academy at Beeber. It’s an idea she shares when coaching new teachers.

“Our destiny and the destiny of the children in our classrooms are linked because they are the inheritors of society,” Njemele said. “And they’re going to come back in contact with us, either directly or with someone in our line. And when they do, something that we have implanted in them should rise up in them.”

As she explained, educators should teach beyond the lesson plan. In the classroom, students should be developing critical thinking skills that empower them to navigate the world as empathetic, questioning people. And educators should encourage students to develop a deeper, more complete understanding of the world around.

The best teachers, Njemele believes, see education as their mission, not just a job. “I’m a teacher, and teaching is something I love doing,” she said. “I believe this is what I’ve been called to do.”

One teacher Njemele remembered having a profound impact on her was CCP Professor Clifford Waiters. Professor Waiters taught Njemele’s African American Literature class when she was a CCP student from 1992 to 1994.

“His line was always, ‘You have to engage the literature,’” she said. “He had this passion for what he was teaching. It was the way he invited free thought about the literature, but also challenged you to produce your best work. He had a care and concern about pushing you to produce the best of yourself with that work.”

“I loved that man,” she said.

Love and care is at the core of Njemele’s philosophy.

“You need to teach students as somebody that you love,” she said. “Teach them like you would want someone to teach your child, your daughter, your niece, your favorite little cousin.”

Njemele’s approach to teaching has earned her recognition from her peers, including the 2025 Lindback Award for Distinguished Teachers from the Philadelphia School district and the Educator of the Year award from The Philadelphia Citizen.

After graduating CCP in 1994 with a liberal arts degree, Njemele went on to earn a degree in education from Temple University. She completed her student teaching at William Penn High School before starting her professional teaching career at Imhotep Institute Charter High School in 2005. Over the past two decades, she taught at William Penn High School, Mastery Charter School at Shoemaker, Imhotep Institute Charter High School, Strawberry Mansion High School and Freedom Schools before coming to Science Leadership Academy at Beeber, where she currently teaches English and works as restorative dean of the school.

Njemele and her husband are raising three daughters—“It’s mommy, teacher, wife. They’re all tied for first,” she said with a laugh.

In the near future, she plans to start her own high school, called Linked Destinies Academy. Njemele’s vision is to create a private school with a sliding fee scale to make it as accessible as possible. It would start as a 9th grade institution and would grow to include more grades one at a time.

And while running the school, she never plans to stop teaching.

“That’s another one of my philosophies,” she said. “I believe every administrator should be teaching while they’re administrating. It keeps you engaged with the work.”

As the name implies, Linked Destinies Academy would be a symbol of the connection between students and teachers.

“I know that children are the inheritors of the world,” Njemele said. “The decisions that they make will impact me at my old age when my hair is falling out and my teeth are falling out. Because these students will be the decision makers of the world. So, I have to give them everything that I have.”