Investing in Leaders
Investing in Leaders
We provide intensive training, support and career development that helps these leaders increase their impact and deepen their understanding of what it takes to close the achievement gap.
Ashley Morris
Memphis '09
"All of the success that I have had as a teacher can be traced back to the incredible support that I have received from Teach For America."
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Alejandro Gac-Artigas
Greater Philadelphia '09
"My experience in the classroom has been transformative not just for my students but also for me as a person and as a professional."
Read more »A Visit to Holmes Elementary
How did Dawn Smith and her peers at this Miami elementary school get an education that transformed their path in school and in life?
How Do We Develop Highly-Effective Corps Members?
Learn more about Teaching As Leadership, the cornerstone of our training and professional development program.
Ashley Morris
Memphis corps 2009
Taught at: Raleigh Egypt Middle School
Undergrad: Ithaca College, 2009, Sociology, Marketing, and Theater
"I did not expect how my own life would be incredibly changed by my students."
Q&A
Why does it matter to you that we provide a great education for children growing up in low-income communities?
I cannot answer this question without running through the 240 faces of students I have taught over the course of my two-years in the classroom. Every single one of my students has the potential to be truly great – but whether or not they have the tools to actualize that potential is another story.
What skills are you developing as the leader of your classroom?
As the leader of my classroom, I have developed a solutions-based mindset that guides everything I do. Instead of complaining when I notice a problem, I immediately begin to brainstorm ways to fix it. Accepting responsibility for everything that happens under my leadership is a mindset that will continue to serve me in the future.
What have you achieved in the classroom that makes you proud?
I am incredibly proud of the critical thinking skills my students have developed this year. They have begun to view history through an analytical lens, always inquiring about the "how"s and "why"s of our past. Not only are my students reading current events, but they are both analyzing and connecting them to Ancient History.
Alejandro Gac-Artigas
Greater Philadelphia corps 2009
Taught at: Pan American Academy Charter School
Undergrad: Harvard University, 2009, Social Studies
"Sharing a language and culture with my students allows me to reach beyond the curriculum."
Q&A
What additional impact do you think you were able to have because you shared the same background as your students?
Sharing a language and culture with my students allows me to reach far beyond the curriculum. More than just teaching content, I can serve as a role model for my students, a living example that their ethnicity should not limit their aspirations.
What have you achieved in the classroom that makes you proud? What's the hardest thing about teaching?
I am most proud of the 1.52 years growth in reading my students achieved, catching them up to first graders in suburban schools. The hardest thing about teaching is that it requires constant problem solving, from developing long-term strategies to negotiating the minute-to-minute dynamics of the school day.
How has your classroom experience changed you, both personally and professionally?
What began as a two-year program has become a lifelong commitment to the community in which I teach and to their fight for educational equity. Next year, I will launch a summer literacy startup, Summer Learning Initiative, with the goal of transforming the summer experience for elementary-aged students in low-income communities.
Teach For America was named one of Fortune magazine's top 100 employers to work for.
Teach For America was named one of America's top 100 Ideal Employers in Universum's 2011 American Student Survey.