For the Love of Learning: Joan Ava Gillman’s Journey as an Educator

Behind every great mind is a teacher who first inspired the desire to learn. This has been the legacy of Joan Ava Gillman. Working as an educator for over 40 years, she has dedicated her life to sharing her love of knowledge with the children she teaches. Her contributions to education have earned her various awards, including recognition as a Marquis Who’s Who Top Educator. 

The Early Influence of Music

Before she discovered her passion for helping children reach their potential, music and dance played a major role in Ms. Gillman’s life. She took piano lessons from a young age and began working as a piano accompanist for a ballet studio when she was 15. While working there as an accompanist, she began ballet lessons and attended their New York City studio. Ms. Gillman received early teaching experience when she covered for the teacher in the New Jersey studio.

A Foundation in Academics

When Ms. Gillman began pursuing higher education, she decided to dedicate her life to educating children. She received a Bachelor of Arts in education from Felician College, a private Catholic university in New Jersey now recognized as Felician University, graduating summa cum laude. 

Ms. Gillman further honed her knowledge when she obtained a Master of Arts in education from the New York University School of Education, Health, Nursing and Arts Professions (SEHNAP), a school now known as the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development.

Decades of Distinguished Teaching

In 1982, Ms. Gillman began teaching as a fifth-grade teacher at St. Angela Merici School in the Bronx. Over the next 35 years, she served in a variety of teaching positions at schools across the tri-state area, including at the Professional Children's School, the Calhoun School, Yeshivat Noam, Anna C. Scott Elementary School, Bede School and Joytown Kent Elementary School.

In 2018, Ms. Gillman accepted the position of science teacher for second, fifth and sixth grade students at the Browning School, where she teaches to this day. Presently, she is teaching science to grades two, four, five and six, and also leads The Green Team – the environmental K-12 club. Ms. Gillman has also become a certified educator through the National Geographic Society. Likewise, she has also attained the Modern Classroom Project certification, a teaching technique that looks to individualize instruction to meet the needs of all students. 

Awards and Accolades for Excellence

In addition to her Marquis Who’s Who honors, Ms. Gillman’s contributions to the field of education have been recognized through various awards. She earned the Most Inspiring Educator in Science Education Award in 2024, made the Top 10 Empowering Women Leaders of 2024 list, and has been recognized as an Ambassador for the Half Earth Project in 2018, among other honors.

Ms. Gillman has also been featured in prominent publications, including The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Time magazines.

Expanding Her Knowledge as an Educator

Looking over her extensive career and achievements, Ms. Gillman attributes her success as an educator to her dedication to acquiring knowledge. She attends various teaching workshops to expand her skills and strives to share this passion for learning with her students. 

“I'm a believer in being a lifelong learner, and I want my students to feel the same way,” Ms. Gillman states. “I hope when they leave me in the afternoon, they can't wait to get home and study the topic we've been talking about in class.”

Outside of her pursuits in the field of education, Ms. Gillman also plays violin with several renowned orchestras, including the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, the North Jersey Symphony Orchestra and The August Symphony Orchestra. 

Looking to the Future of Education

Entering her 43^rd year of teaching, Ms. Gillman has witnessed how the field of education has evolved. In recent years, she has seen middle school science curricula adapt to expose students to all branches of the sciences.

Although she has decades of experience, Ms. Gillman remains dedicated to expanding her skills as an educator and inspiring new generations. For teachers who are just entering the field, she shares the knowledge she has accrued and urges them to remain optimistic. 

“There are definitely going to be days when you're going to feel discouraged,” says Ms. Gillman. “But if you keep a sense of humor and not give up, let the students know you care, you can get through even in those darkest of days.”

About Marquis Who’s Who^®:Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America^®, Marquis Who’s Who^® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America^® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis^® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who^® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.