Wendy Kopp
Wendy Kopp
Wendy Sue Koppis the CEO and Co-Founder of Teach For All, a global network of independent nonprofit organizations working to expand educational opportunity in their own countries and the Founder of Teach For America, a national teaching corps...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionEntrepreneur
Date of Birth29 June 1967
CountryUnited States of America
ability face foremost influence leadership looking motivate others perseverance personal predict share success
We are looking for a set of personal characteristics that predict success, the first and foremost of which is perseverance in the face of challenges. We also look for the ability to influence and motivate others who share your values, strong problem-solving ability, and leadership.
education guarantee regardless
Our laws guarantee all students the right to a K-12 education, regardless of their immigration status.
enables
Where educational deprivation exists, it breeds conflict and enables repression.
along competition countless creating drove pursue rhetoric soviet states union united
Competition and competitive rhetoric can be healthy. It's what drove the United States to pursue the Soviet Union into space, creating countless innovations along the way.
catch hours ideal seven six wake
I'll get up at 5 or 6. I try to catch up on sleep on the weekends, so I'll try to get seven hours of sleep. During the week, my ideal is to go to bed at 9 and wake up six hours later.
additional among bring community deeply engagement grounded insight inspire leaders likely native necessary parents trust
In the long run, we will need many more African-American, Latino, and Native American leaders, and leaders from low-income communities, who can bring additional insight and a deeply grounded sense of urgency, and who are the most likely to inspire the necessary trust and engagement among students' parents and community leaders.
I'm happy to admit that I'm a hopeless optimist.
alumni classroom corps eight experience given members nature outside vital
On average, our corps members stay in the classroom for eight years. But again, given the systemic nature of educational inequity, we know it is vital that some of our alumni take their experience outside the classroom.
country education higher lack problem tackle
The lack of diversity in higher education is a problem we as a country must tackle if we're going to live up to our promise.
collective education global improving nations
If the world's leaders are serious about improving collective well-being, we'd better get serious about prioritizing education in our nations and in our global discussion.
case experience taught
In every case where I've seen a transformational school, there's a principal who really has the foundational experience of having taught successfully.
applied head jobs normal rejected teach telling torn voice
I myself was completely torn by the decision to start Teach For America. There was a voice in my head telling me not to do it - to take a more normal path. I did have one thing going for me, which was that I had been rejected from all the other jobs I'd applied to.
behind education focused four grade issue kids levels nine time
I had been very focused on the issue of education disparities in our country, and literally, by the time kids are just nine years old, in low-income communities, they're already three or four grade levels behind nine-year-olds in high-income communities.
given highest kids met supports
When kids are met with the highest expectations and given the extra supports they need, they can be as motivated as kids anywhere.