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
models people running schools systems teaching
I've heard a number of our alumni - people who are running schools and school systems - think a lot about different models for the teaching profession.
absolute achieve allow children effective experience fulfill high leaders needs possible scale shaped teaching understand
More often than not, the most effective leaders have been shaped by teaching successfully in high needs classrooms. Because of their experience, they know that it is possible for low-income children to achieve on an absolute scale and understand what we need to do to allow them to fulfill their potential.
future point reach teachers teaching
If we could reach the point where many of our nation's future leaders know what teachers know after teaching successfully in our highest-need schools, we would have a very different situation.
country educational teaching
As a country [USA], we can attract more talented people to teaching by raising awareness of educational inequity and getting the public to understand from individual classrooms, schools, and cities that this is an issue that can be solved.
classrooms clear kids schools seen truly whenever
Whenever we've seen the kids in the most disadvantaged context truly excel, always it's been in classrooms and in whole schools where there is a clear vision of where the kids have the potential to be.
america broad corps painted people typical
When you think of the typical Teach For America corps member, soldiers and ex-bankers are probably not the people who come to mind. In fact, there is no such thing as a typical corps member. They can't be neatly pigeonholed or painted with a broad brush.
astronauts best bounds faced history landed men people possible pushed russian societies space throughout
Throughout history, when societies have been faced with big challenges, they've put their best people on them. During the Space Race, American and Russian scientists, engineers, astronauts and cosmonauts pushed the bounds of what was possible and landed men on the moon.
people
I think people are attracted to teaching because they want to make a real impact.
america suffered
I think Teach for America has suffered from the fact that I did not teach, in a major way. I also think if I had taught, I wouldn't have started Teach for America.
america leadership understand
I think the way to understand Teach for America is as a leadership development program.
kids tests truth ways worse
Tests that sugar-coat the truth only set up our kids to fail in worse ways down the road.
enables
Where educational deprivation exists, it breeds conflict and enables repression.
basically points selection teachers trait
We've done a lot of research on the characteristics of our teachers who are the most successful. The most predictive trait is still past demonstrated achievement, and all selection research basically points to that.
enormous route trying understanding
We're not trying to be the only route into teaching. We do put enormous energy into understanding what differentiates the most successful teachers.