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We have found that the most successful teachers in low-income communities operate like successful leaders. They establish a vision of where their students will be performing at the end of the year that many believe to be unrealistic.
Wendy Kopp -
When I started Teach For America as a college senior, I sensed that there were thousands of talented, driven college students and recent grads who were searching for a way to make a real difference in the world.
Wendy Kopp
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It's easier to poke holes in an idea than think of ways to fill them. And it's easier to focus on the 100 reasons you shouldn't do something rather than the one reason you should.
Wendy Kopp -
People think of teachers who are born to teach, and you think of all these charismatic folks. Some of the most successful teachers are some of the least charismatic, interestingly. But they have a gift of figuring out what motivates people.
Wendy Kopp -
Teach for America recruits top recent college grads, young professionals, people we believe are the U.S.'s most promising future leaders, and asks them to commit two years to teach in high-need urban and rural communities.
Wendy Kopp -
We aspire to be equal opportunity, but all across the country where a student is born, their race, their class affect where they end up.
Wendy Kopp -
I'm happy to admit that I'm a hopeless optimist.
Wendy Kopp -
We believe strongly in transparency and accountability, which is why Teach For America encourages rigorous independent evaluations of our program. Our mission is too important to operate in any other way.
Wendy Kopp
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Every time a child's promise is cut short by their legal status, our country wastes precious resources and loses talent we need.
Wendy Kopp -
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.
Wendy Kopp -
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.
Wendy Kopp -
I usually don't really have breakfast.
Wendy Kopp -
Education is the most powerful tool countries have for boosting economic growth, increasing prosperity, and forging more just, peaceful and equitable societies.
Wendy Kopp -
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.
Wendy Kopp
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In a society that glorifies the pioneers, it's easy to think that an endeavor is only worth pursuing if you can be the first to pursue it.
Wendy Kopp -
All over the world, children facing the challenges of poverty attend schools that aren't designed to meet their extra needs; across country lines, the lives of marginalized kids look far more similar than they do different.
Wendy Kopp -
There is a perception in our communities that we have low educational outcomes in low-income communities because kids aren't motivated or families don't care. We've discovered that is not the case.
Wendy Kopp -
We collaborate with other countries on issues like public health and climate change because we understand these issues affect our collective welfare.
Wendy Kopp -
The U.S. has a long history of walking up to the precipice of rigor and then walking away. As voters, let's support leaders who were courageous enough to make the hard decisions necessary to move our system forward. And as parents, let's put our faith in our educators, our children and tests that hold them to their highest potential.
Wendy Kopp -
It gets to whether we're a teacher-education model or a movement for social justice. I would say we're about the latter.
Wendy Kopp
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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.
Wendy Kopp -
The mission that unites all of the programs of the Teach For All global network is that of cultivating the leadership capacity critical to ultimately ensuring educational opportunity for all.
Wendy Kopp -
We're not trying to be the only route into teaching. We do put enormous energy into understanding what differentiates the most successful teachers.
Wendy Kopp -
You will find it will almost always be more comfortable to sit on the sidelines and critique the builders from afar. But at the end of the day, the people who make a difference, the people who shape history, are not the haters.
Wendy Kopp