Masters of Scale Build the right flywheel, w/Teach for America / Teach for All's Wendy Kopp
Jun 8, 2021
Wendy Kopp, founder of Teach for America and Teach for All, is a visionary in educational reform. She discusses the fascinating differences between her two networks, which both aim to empower educators but under varying frameworks. Kopp emphasizes the importance of adaptability and listening to build effective educational flywheels. She shares insights on expanding teaching talent recruitment globally, particularly in India, and explores how networks can drive transformative innovation in education, especially in times of crisis like the pandemic.
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Teach for America's Origin
- Wendy Kopp, wasn't initially planning to start Teach for America, but her thesis research on educational inequity sparked the idea.
- The idea grew into a proposal, modeled on the Peace Corps, to recruit graduates for teaching in underserved communities.
Leverage Existing Networks
- Look for existing networks and leverage them to your advantage, even when facing seemingly insurmountable challenges.
- Wendy Kopp secured initial funding by tapping into her network and leveraging Ross Perot's interest in education reform.
Early Challenges and Triumphs
- Teach for America's first year was chaotic due to unexpected challenges, such as a lack of planning for application reviews.
- Despite the team's inexperience, they managed to secure funding, recruit a board, and place the first 500 corps members.